The Historic Pembina Trail by Ox Cart

Some sections of the old Red River Ox Cart Trails still exist in northwestern Minnesota. This short video gives a taste of what the trail looks like as it follows the Lake Agassiz beach ridge. The ridge allows a spectacular view of the surrounding Red River Valley in as near native state as is available in Minnesota. The trail is not untouched, as it has been improved by a bulldozer sometime in the past years and there are a number of abandoned gravel pits scattered along the way. An occasional farmstead can be seen in the distance and there are a few tumble down barb wire fences. However, with even a little imagination it's easy to picture the seemingly endless grasslands of previous centuries. The croplands are distant enough that they blend into the grass and aspen landscape. Red River Ox Carts