Scenic byways in Minnesota

Otter Trail Scenic Byway

Minnesota Scenic Byway 159 mi in Minnesota.

Find camping along it Drive to one end Drive to the other end Byway page on exploreminnesota.com

About the Otter Trail Scenic Byway

Traveling the Otter Trail Scenic Byway, visitors discover a land steeped in tradition and beauty. This Byway offers more than 1,000 sparkling lakes and wildlife-filled wetlands, 19th century flour mills, scenic trails and spectacular roadside sculptures. There are many intriguing historic sites, informational markers, and the rich natural and cultural resources that make this picturesque route an attraction for visitors from around the world.

Otter Tail County is one of Minnesota’s most productive agricultural regions as well as one of its best-known all-season recreational areas. With fishing and watersports, golfing, hunting, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing, this lovely land of lakes and forests is the perfect year-round vacation spot for the entire family.

The Byway connects many of the county’s scenic and historic locales. Pass by tribal hunting grounds and battle sites of great Indian nations. Trace the routes of fur traders and explorers. Learn about an old Mormon colony, the first permanent white settlement in the county. See where towns were platted, boomed and died. Discover the important roles played by railroads and European immigrants in developing the region. So hit the trail! You’re in for an adventure, scenic beauty and a fascinating learning experience on the Otter Trail Scenic Byway.

Explore Minnesota, for the Minnesota Scenic Byways Commission's own description, in its words. Byway page on exploreminnesota.com.

Camping along the byway

Public campgrounds within 5 miles of the road as the crow flies, in order along the byway; each one's page has its facts, season and weather by month.

Every byway in MinnesotaByways by stateMinnesota on the camping map

About this page's facts

The line is the Federal Highway Administration's scenic byways layer (HEPGIS, a snapshot of 2022-06-24, a US government work), cut at the state line and simplified for the map; the length is the line's. The designation is the program's own: the national tiers from FHWA's America's Byways roster, the rest from the layer's designation field. Road conditions, closures and seasonal gates change: check the agency's own page and the state's road conditions before you go.