With summer approaching and the costs associated with traveling rising, I wanted to take the opportunity to remind you of several great destinations close to home that are located in Brown County.

Mound Creek County Park near Comfrey is a “day-use” park that was built around a flood control dam and offers a nine-hole disc golf course, a picnic shelter, beach area, boat launch, fishing, sand volleyball, a waterfall and picnic area. This park is set in a beautiful prairie setting and is surrounded by wildlife. To get to the park you need to travel 8 miles west of Comfrey on County Road 171100th Street and then north on 450th Avenue.

Rotherburg Campground along the Cottonwood River, which is located directly across from Riverside Park in Springfield, has a playground area, an outdoor pool, water slide and kiddy pool. There is also a 2.62 mile walking/biking trail that runs along the river and connects the park, campground and Salonek’s Pit.

Treml County Park on Altermatt Lake is located approximately 2 miles south and then 2 miles east of Leavenworth. The park is a “day-use” park and has a picnic shelter, shore fishing and open areas in a rural setting.

Sleepy Eye has two great water destinations, The Aquatic Center and Sleepy Eye Lake. The Aquatic Center has two water slides, diving boards, lap pool, and a zero depth shallow play area. Sleepy Eye Lake is a recreational and fishing lake with a sand beach swimming area, playground, park, picnic area and shelter in Allison Park on the south end and public water access, camping, picnic area and shelter in the Sportsman’s Park on the north end. Around the lake is the new 3.12 mile walking/biking trail with views of the lake and agricultural land. When using the walking/biking trail, please stay on the trail and respect the private property owners adjacent to the trail, including houses or crops.

Lake Hanska is the largest body of water in Brown County and offers plenty of open space for both fishing and recreational boating. There are three public boat landings around the lake and the Lake Hanska County Park is located on the east end just off of County Road 11. The Lake Hanska County Park has camping sites with electrical hookups, picnic area, a sand swimming beach, playground, fishing pier and hiking trails.

Clear Lake is located approximately 5 miles south of New Ulm. Clear Lake is a smaller fishing lake with boat access. The Lost Dog and Fox Hunter’s County Park located on the lake is a “day-use” park with a fishing dock and shore fishing, picnic areas and shelter and playground .

In New Ulm you have the Flandrau State Park, which is an 800 acre park located along the Cottonwood River. The state park offers a sand-bottom filtered swimming pool, camping, picnic and shelter areas, playground, and hiking trails.

The Vogel Field House and Swimming Pool in New Ulm has a lap pool, slide, kiddy slide and climbing wall. The Field House also houses a walking track, basketball/tennis/volleyball courts, exercise equipment and raquetball/walleyball courts.

There are several boat landings on the Minnesota River; one is located at Highway 4 by the Boisman Bridge just north of Brown County Road 13. There is another one at Minnecon Park by Highway 14 in New Ulm and another on Brown County Road 37 on the south end of New Ulm.

Brown County also has three canoe access points on the Cottonwood River at: the Juenemann Landing on County Road 2 west of Springfield, the Marti Landing — on County Road 10 and on County Road 11.

You can also check out the county website, under county parks, at www.co.brown.mn.us/parks

Please remember that when you enjoy the water, please be careful, know your limits when swimming and always wear a personal floatation device when boating.

Have a fun and safe summer.