LeRoy

LeRoy is known as the western gateway to Historic Bluff Country. A progressive community, in addition to its proximity to Lake Louise State Park’s recreation, LeRoy boasts an indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, two city parks with picnic shelters and playgrounds, ball diamonds, basketball courts and more. It is home to two buildings on the National Register of Historic Places – a prairie-style bank designed by Purcell and Elmslie, students of Louis Sullivan, and the public library building, the only example of the small-town Carnegie-type Classical Revival style library building left intact in Mower County.

Lake Louise State Park, located approximately 1.5 miles north of LeRoy on County Road 14, lures hikers, bikers, horseback riders, skiers, and snowmobilers to its trails, which wind through open landscapes and lush hardwoods. A colony of Allium cernum, also known as nodding wild onion, can be found in the park. This is a Minnesota threatened species. The nodding wild onion blooms in the spring, along with purple-fringed orchid, woodland prairie flowers. The confluence of the Little Iowa and Upper Iowa Rivers that occurs in the state park provides ample water recreation for swimmers, boaters, and fishermen. The lakeside picnic grounds and beach area draw many visitors in the summer.

The Shooting Star State Trail begins in the city of LeRoy in Mower County and travels north through Lake Louise State Park. It then heads west along Highway 56, which is also known as the Shooting Star & Historic Route Scenic Byway. The trail goes through Taopi, Adams, Rose Creek, and heads toward Austin, allowing trail users to experience a rural landscape. The native wildflowers and grasses are a highlight of this byway and trail.

Leroy is also home to the Pioneer Prairie Wind Tower Lookout and Interpretive Center.