By Claudia Hoffacker

Preston, a city of 1,336 located along Root River, attracts thousands of visitors each year for trout fishing, as well as for biking and hiking the extensive trails that run through it. In an effort to guide those visitors to downtown and other attractions, the city created the “Trout Route.”

Made up of a series of signs and other colorful features, the Trout Route starts at the trailhead and directs visitors to restaurants, shops, and attractions in downtown Preston and along U.S. Highway 52. The name is a natural fit for a community known as “Minnesota’s Trout Capital.”

Although downtown is less than 100 yards from the trailhead, “it’s just not visible because it’s up a hill,” said Alison Leathers, a Preston Economic Development Authority (EDA) board member who served on the Trout Route Steering Committee. “So, that’s why we advertise getting on a different part of the trail to get to Main Street.”

Instead of climbing the steep hill, the Trout Route guides people through a residential neighborhood, where it is much easier and safer to walk or bike, said Michelle Marotzke, Preston interim city administrator and EDA director for Preston and Lanesboro.

Community involvement was key

The idea for the Trout Route grew out of a series of community brainstorming sessions in 2024, where participants explored ways to draw more visitors to the city’s businesses and hot spots while celebrating Preston’s trout fishing connection. When someone suggested the name “Trout Route,” it was so clever, it stuck, said Mandy Huston, Preston’s tourism and chamber director.

The project’s goals were to update wayfinding signs, add more color throughout the city, and encourage more visitors to check out local businesses and other amenities, including the new Depot Museum and Riverfront Center. To fund the effort, the city applied for and received grants totaling $31,400 from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and from the Preston Area Community Foundation.

In addition to new wayfinding signs, the project includes an updated city map, refreshed pocket parks around the county courthouse square, a mural, new pole banners, a new welcome sign, and a selfie station. Many volunteers and in-kind contributions helped bring those improvements to life.

Bringing each piece to life

A local designer created a new city map, which highlights the Trout Route along with other trails, streets, highways, public services, points of interest, and recreation areas. The map is displayed at the trailhead and a few other places around town, Huston said.

Printed copies are available free at businesses throughout Preston. The map and other signs also include a QR code linking visitors to GetHookedOnPreston.com, the city’s tourism website, which features the fishing-themed tagline, “Get Hooked on Preston.”

The city’s three existing pocket parks also received updates, including new landscaping, park benches, and picnic tables built by a local Amish company. Because the parks are located along the Trout Route, the improvements help create a more welcoming experience for visitors heading downtown, Leathers said.

One of the pocket parks is also home to a colorful new mural, Marotzke said. The artwork features a collage of images representing Preston, including a bicycle, a tractor, and, of course, a fish.

The mural was created by a Fillmore Central High School art teacher with help from her students. A Rochester Community and Technical College welding student, who is also a Fillmore Central graduate, built the mural’s frame, and a local company donated the powder coating. The Preston Public Works staff then installed it in the park.

The welcome sign and selfie station are among the project’s more whimsical features. The welcome sign, a huge 8-foot-by-65-foot windscreen, hangs at the city’s tennis courts, Marotzke said. “When you come into Preston on Highway 52 coming from Rochester … you now see a big, bold ‘Welcome to Preston’ sign,” she said. “It’s absolutely cool.”

Huston said the sign has “been a really positive thing not only for tourists but also for the locals. Residents really thought it was a nice addition.”

The selfie station is a movable 4-foot-by-6-foot frame designed for photo opportunities. “It’s just for fun, and we can move it to different sites and events,” Marotzke said. It features the QR code at the bottom and #GetHookedOnPreston at the top.

Early signs point to success

The Trout Route was completed in early 2026, and city leaders and residents alike are excited about the results, Huston said. “The amount of positive feedback we’ve gotten is just awesome. People are always commenting on how colorful things are and how much they like the new signage.”

Business owners have also reported seeing an uptick in traffic, Leathers said. “We don’t have hard [visitor] numbers, but we printed 10,000 maps, and businesses have said they’re running out and need more copies.”

Looking back on the project, Huston said one of the best parts was the involvement from the community and all the various partners.

“It was such a team effort. From painting the mural to deciding on branding and colors, it was cool to see a group of people come up with such a neat thing,” she said. “And we want to expand on it. I’m looking forward to the team coming together again to add to the Trout Route.”

Claudia Hoffacker is a freelance writer.