Bowlus, Minnesota: The Soo Line Trail & Things to Do
A Polish farm town of a few hundred south of Little Falls, and the trailhead where the Soo Line Trail meets the Lake Wobegon Trail across the longest covered bridge in Minnesota.
Bowlus is built around the Soo Line Trail, a paved recreation trail for biking, walking, and snowmobiling that connects to the Lake Wobegon Trail over a covered bridge. Right on the trail you will find Jordie's Trailside Cafe and the Bowlus Community Center, and the town keeps its Polish Catholic landmark, St. Stanislaus Kostka Church.
A Silesian settlement
The families who founded Bowlus came from Silesia, in southwestern Poland. By 1880 more than sixty of their farms had spread across Two Rivers Township, and when the railroad platted the townsite in 1907 the community incorporated soon after, in 1910. They were Catholic, and they built accordingly: about seventy-five families raised St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church, begun in July 1909 and finished in May 1910, with room for 400 — the parish came before much of the rest of the town.
Things to do in Bowlus
Everything here orbits the trail. The Soo Line Trail runs straight through Bowlus and carries bikers, walkers, and rollerbladers in summer and snowmobilers in winter. Follow it south and it joins the Lake Wobegon Trail in Stearns County by way of the Holdingford covered bridge over the Two Rivers, the longest covered bridge in Minnesota. Right on the trail, Jordie's Trailside Cafe has been the reward since 2008, known for a long menu and home-made pie, and the Bowlus Community Center sits in a trailside park with room to rest and play. A farmers market runs on Thursdays. For more in the area, see things to do around Little Falls.
Nearby
Bowlus sits south of Little Falls near Sobieski. Its story fits alongside the other towns near Little Falls, and its church belongs to the county's Catholic heritage.
Businesses & Services in Bowlus
Businesses, services, and public resources in Bowlus, drawn from the city's business directory. Hours change — confirm before you go.
Jordie's Trailside Cafe
A cafe along the Soo Line Trail in Bowlus, popular with trail users and locals.
Address: 105 1st Ave S, Bowlus, MN 56314
Web: jordiestrailside.com ↗
Psyck's Market
The local grocery store serving Bowlus on Main Street.
Address: 153 Main St, Bowlus, MN 56314
Bowlus Gas & Grocery
A convenience store and fuel stop (Rahn Fuels) with coffee, deli, and pizza.
Address: 292 Main St, Bowlus, MN 56314
Web: rahnfuels.com ↗
Bowlus Liquors
The city's bar and liquor establishment on Main Street.
Address: 114 Main St, Bowlus, MN 56314
American Legion — Bowlus
A local American Legion post operating as a bar and social club.
Address: 201 2nd Ave N, Bowlus, MN 56314
Bowlus Auto Center
A local auto repair and maintenance shop.
Address: 125 Main St, Bowlus, MN 56314
Riverwood Acres
A lumber store on Main Street in Bowlus.
Address: 52 Main St, Bowlus, MN 56314
Terri's Hair Salon
A local hair salon on Main Street.
Address: 223 Main St, Bowlus, MN 56314
St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church
The historic Catholic church that anchors Bowlus, part of the Cross Rock Area Catholic Community.
Address: 428 Main St, Bowlus, MN 56314
Web: crossrockacc.org ↗
U.S. Post Office — Bowlus
The USPS post office serving the 56314 ZIP code.
Address: 172 Main St, Bowlus, MN 56314
Web: usps.com ↗
Michael Paycer
Michael Paycer grew up in Little Falls, Minnesota. Today he is a Senior SQL Server Database Administrator Consultant based in Saint Cloud, and he keeps this Little Falls guide as a personal project about his hometown.
Sources & further reading
External sites are provided for reference. Event dates, hours, and admission change annually — confirm current details with the official source before visiting.