Rushford, Minnesota
Where the Root River meets Rush Creek in the heart of Driftless bluff country — a historic trail town for visitors, and home for the people who love it.
About Rushford
A historic river town tucked between towering limestone bluffs in southeastern Minnesota's Driftless Area.
Long before it had a name, this spot was called “Trail City” — seven trails converged where Rush Creek meets the Root River. The first pioneers pole-boated up the river through ten-foot grasses, and on Christmas Day in 1854, the early settlers gathered over supper and named their new town Rushford, after the tall rushes growing along the banks of Rush Creek.
Today Rushford is one of Minnesota's classic trail towns. The paved Root River State Trail runs straight through the community, the river draws anglers and paddlers from across the Midwest, and Magelssen Bluff towers over a downtown that still centers on its 1867 railroad depot. The city is intersected by Minnesota Highways 16, 30, and 43 — and in a quirk of geography, it's completely surrounded by a second city, Rushford Village.
Whether you're rolling in off the trail for the first time or you've lived in the valley your whole life, this directory is your guide to the businesses, parks, events, and services that make Rushford home.
Quick Facts
Outdoor Recreation
Rushford sits at the heart of some of the best outdoor recreation in Minnesota's Driftless bluff country — every season of the year.
Bike the Root River Trail
Ride 42 paved miles built on the old railroad grade, connecting Fountain, Lanesboro, Whalan, Peterson, Rushford, and Houston through soaring limestone bluff scenery.
Rushford Trailhead: the Historic Depot, 401 S. Elm Street
Paddle the Root River
A designated State Water Trail since 1967, the Root offers gentle-to-moderate flow with occasional riffles — canoe or kayak past limestone outcrops, wooded valleys, and quiet river towns.
Water trail access at Vinegar Ridge Recreation Area
Trout & Smallmouth Fishing
The Driftless Area's cold, spring-fed streams hold brown, rainbow, and brook trout, while the main channel of the Root delivers excellent smallmouth bass fishing.
Minnesota fishing license required — available locally
Hike Magelssen Bluff
Climb 1.5 miles of looping trails from Winona Street — or drive Highway 30 West to Magelssen Drive — for sweeping panoramic views of the Root River Valley.
Some of the best overlooks in southeast Minnesota
Snowmobiling
The Rushford Snowmobile Club maintains 79 miles of spectacular groomed bluff-country trails winding through the hills, valleys, and ridgelines of Fillmore County.
Southeast Minnesota's premier sledding terrain
Golf at Ferndale
Ferndale Country Club is a mature 9-hole, par-36 course that opened in 1931, nestled in the bluffs with a clubhouse bar & grill and a relaxing deck. Open to the public.
Cart rentals and practice green available
Root River State Trail
One of the most scenic rail-trails in the Midwest, passing directly through downtown Rushford.
🚴 42 Miles Through Bluff Country
The Root River State Trail meanders 42 paved miles alongside the Root River from Fountain to Houston, linking the trail towns of Fountain, Lanesboro, Whalan, Peterson, Rushford, and Houston. Built on an abandoned railroad grade, the trail is generally level and accessible — the one exception is a steep half-mile segment between Vinegar Ridge and Houston.
Part of the Blufflands Trail System, the route serves up outstanding views of soaring limestone bluffs, river crossings, rolling farm fields, and relics of the railroad era. It also connects to the Harmony–Preston Valley State Trail, opening up even more paved miles of Driftless riding. Rushford makes a perfect base camp: trailhead parking, dining, groceries, and lodging are all within a few blocks of the trail.
Parks, Pool & Camping
Rushford's city parks and recreation spaces are the everyday heart of the community.
Creekside Park
The pride of the city: the Veterans Memorial, paved walking trails, three pavilions, a gazebo, tennis and basketball courts, and a winter skating rink with warming house. At its center sits the community-built playground designed by Leathers & Associates to echo the surrounding bluff landscape.
Rushford Aquatic Center
The city's outdoor pool at 209 Watt Street runs from June through the end of August, with morning swim lessons and open swim in the afternoons and evenings. The Aquatic Center can also be rented for private parties.
Northend Campground
The city campground across Highway 43 from Creekside Park offers RV sites with utility hook-ups, tent sites, and shower facilities — minutes from the trail, Rush Creek fishing, and downtown restaurants.
Rushford Sand Barrens
Off the beaten path, the Rushford Sand Barrens preserve a rare oak-savanna habitat within the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood Forest, home to an array of rare plants and wildlife found in few other places in Minnesota.
Bluff Country
The Driftless Area escaped the last ice age, leaving behind a rugged landscape of limestone bluffs, cold spring streams, and ancient valleys found nowhere else in the Midwest.
Magelssen Bluff Park
Rushford's signature overlook offers 1.5 miles of looping hiking trails and panoramic views over the Root River Valley. Hike up from Winona Street, or drive Highway 30 West to Magelssen Drive and ride to the summit — the view of river, field, and ridgeline is among the best in southeast Minnesota.
The Driftless Area
Unlike most of the Midwest, this corner of Minnesota was never flattened by glaciers. The result is a landscape of dramatic coulees, spring-fed trout streams, and bluffs rising hundreds of feet above the valley floors — ancient terrain supporting an extraordinary diversity of plants and wildlife.
Wildlife of the Bluffs
Bald eagles patrol the Root River corridor, while whitetail deer, wild turkey, great blue herons, and songbirds fill the ridges and river bottoms. Timber rattlesnakes occasionally sun themselves on rock outcrops — they're a protected species, so admire them from a distance and leave them be.
Vinegar Ridge Recreation Area
Along the Root River State Trail, Vinegar Ridge features six miles of horseback riding and hiking trails plus direct access to the Root River State Water Trail for canoeing and kayaking. Eight primitive campsites — each with a cleared area, fire ring, and table — make it an ideal base for multi-day trips.
The Root River
The river shapes everything in Rushford, from the landscape to the lifestyle. Here's how to enjoy it.
- Cold, spring-fed Driftless streams hold brown, rainbow, and brook trout
- Smallmouth bass fishing in the main river channel
- Rush Creek and other tributaries are excellent for wade fishing
- Bald eagles, herons, and otters are regular company on the water
- Minnesota fishing license required — available locally
- A designated Minnesota State Water Trail since 1967
- Gentle-to-moderate flow with occasional riffles — friendly for most skill levels, though water levels vary with rainfall
- Vinegar Ridge Recreation Area offers direct water trail access
- Eight primitive campsites at Vinegar Ridge for overnight float trips
- Best paddling: late spring through early fall
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Eat & Shop in Rushford
Supporting the businesses that make Rushford a great place to live, work, and visit.
Norsland Lefse
Minnesota's lefse home since 1983 — a bakery, café, and Scandinavian gift shop in one. Watch fresh lefse being rolled, pick up Uffda chips, or order online at norslandlefse.com.
📍 210 W. Jessie Street | (507) 864-2323
El Barco Mexican Restaurant & Grill
Authentic Mexican cuisine alongside American breakfast classics, served in the longtime downtown restaurant space that generations knew as Stumpy's.
📍 122 W. Jessie Street | (507) 864-7156
Jessie Street Java
Rushford's downtown coffee shop — the natural gathering spot for a pre-trail espresso, a breakfast bite, or a mid-ride pick-me-up.
📍 116 W. Jessie Street | (507) 864-2739
Shawnee's Bar & Grill
A family-friendly bar and grill on Mill Street serving fresh, top-quality pub favorites.
📍 220 S. Mill Street | (507) 864-2073
Creamery Pizza & Ice Cream
Pizza, ice cream, and a full menu — the classic post-trail-ride stop on the south end of downtown.
📍 407 S. Mill Street | (507) 864-7214
Rushford Foods
Full-service grocery store with a deli, serving the Rushford community and surrounding valley.
📍 400 S. Mill Street | (507) 864-2878
Kwik Trip
Convenience store with fresh food, hot meals, and fuel on the highway through town.
📍 110 State Highway 16 | (507) 864-4800
Pam's Corner
Local convenience store — also the place to call for Northend Campground reservations and Rushford Days buttons.
📍 Rushford, MN | (507) 864-7949
Community Banking
Rushford State Bank and Merchants Bank, N.A. both serve the community with personal, business, and mortgage banking downtown.
📍 Downtown Rushford
History of Rushford
A community with deep roots — from pole-boating pioneers to a railroad legacy preserved on the National Register of Historic Places.
Rushford began as a crossroads. Seven trails met where Rush Creek joins the Root River, and the place was known simply as “Trail City” before the first wave of settlers arrived in 1854 and built a shanty town of about twenty log houses.
The railroad changed everything. When the Southern Minnesota Railroad arrived in 1867, Rushford boomed almost overnight — more than 150 buildings went up in a single year, including stores, grain warehouses, hotels, breweries, churches, and the depot that still anchors the south end of town. A year later, Rushford incorporated — and thanks to a clerical error, it became a city instead of the village it had intended to be.
The community's resilience has been tested since, most dramatically by the 2007 flash flood, when Rush Creek overtopped its dikes and submerged much of town. Rushford rebuilt, and today the same rail corridor that built the town carries cyclists instead of boxcars — a fitting next chapter for a town that has always been a place where trails converge.
🏛️ Historic Depot & Museum Campus
- 1867 Railroad Depot — the last two-story depot still standing on its original site on the Southern Minnesota line, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- One-room schoolhouse
- Historic chapel replica
- Limestone jailhouse
Seasonal visitor center — call (507) 864-7560 for current hours
Rushford Area Historical Society: rushfordhistory.com
Settlers arrive at the old “Trail City” crossroads. On Christmas Day, the town is named Rushford for the rushes along Rush Creek.
The Rushford post office opens — it has operated ever since.
The Southern Minnesota Railroad arrives. Rushford booms: 150+ buildings rise in a single year, and the depot is built.
Rushford incorporates — as a city rather than a village, thanks to a famous clerical error. The depot gains its second story.
The depot joins the National Register of Historic Places; the Rushford Area Historical Society purchases and restores it.
A flash flood submerges much of town when Rush Creek overtops its dikes. The community rebuilds stronger.
The old rail line is the Root River State Trail, and Rushford thrives as one of Minnesota's great trail towns.
Annual Events & Celebrations
Rushford's small-town spirit shines through its festivals, performances, and long-running traditions.
Rushford Days
The citywide summer celebration — parade, live music, food vendors, games, and community events across several days. Once known as “Frontier Days,” it remains one of Fillmore County's most beloved traditions. Schedule at rushforddays.com.
Rushford Homecoming
A citywide celebration with a standing invitation to all former Rushford residents to return and visit — a tradition that says everything about the community's sense of belonging.
RASA Summer Theater
The Rushford Area Society for the Arts stages an annual theatrical production each summer — a showcase of local talent in the heart of bluff country.
Rushford Farmers Market
Local produce, baked goods, and handmade crafts come together weekly during the growing season — a great way to meet your neighbors and support local growers.
City Information
Government, schools, and essential contacts for the Rushford community.
🏛️ City Hall
101 N. Mill Street, PO Box 430Rushford, MN 55971
Phone: (507) 864-2444
Fax: (507) 864-7003
Hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
City Council meets the 2nd & 4th Monday at 6:30 PM.
rushford.govoffice.com
📚 Rushford Public Library
101 N. Mill StreetRushford, MN 55971
(City Hall is directly behind the library)
Phone: (507) 864-7600
A member of SELCO, the southeast Minnesota library cooperative.
rushford.lib.mn.us
🎓 Rushford-Peterson Schools
1000 Pine Meadows LaneRushford, MN 55971
Phone: (507) 864-7785
PK–12 public schools — home of the R-P Trojans. The district's state-of-the-art facility opened in 2017.
r-pschools.com
🏢 Chamber of Commerce
Rushford Peterson Valley Chamber401 S. Elm Street, PO Box 338
Rushford, MN 55971
(at the Historic Depot)
Phone: (507) 864-7560
rushfordpetersonvalley.com
⚡ Emergency & Utilities
Emergency: 911Police Department:
405 S. Elm Street, Rushford, MN 55971
Electric Outages (After Hours):
MiEnergy: (800) 432-2285
Water/Sewer (After Hours):
Public Works: (507) 450-2924
✈️ Rushford Municipal Airport
32168 Airport RoadPeterson, MN 55962
The city-operated general aviation airport serving the Rushford Peterson Valley.
Info: Rushford City Hall, (507) 864-2444
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