Aquatic Center
321 ETracylm Street, 507-629-5537

A multi-pool design features flumes, slides, fountains, “funbrellas,” areas for lap swimming, diving, and a large beach-like “splash” pool with “zero depth entry.” All pools are heated. New amenities include sand volleyball courts on the west, a new concession stand with complete lunch service, and a sandlot play area enclosed in the pool facility. The bathhouse interior has been completely refurbished. Right: Featured are the "Zero Depth Entry" pool, the slides (center), and (bottom) lap pool.

Tracy Community Education and Recreation offers American Red Cross-approved swimming lessons during three different sessions, June, July and into Aug. Make-up sessions are held the week after each regular session. Levels offered are 1-7 (Tiny Tots through Advanced Swimmers), Infant Aquatics, Water Aerobics, Pre-Lifeguard Training, and Lifeguard Training. Water aerobics workouts will be scheduled; the hours, dates, and fees will be announced. The pool is scheduled to open May 30.

Early Swim and Senior Swim are offered for lap swimmers. Season passes and coupon books are available for purchase.

Lifeguards are on duty during pool hours.

• Pool hours: Open swimming, Mondays through Fridays 2-8 p.m.; Saturdays, Sunday, and holidays, 1-8 p.m.p.m. Swimming lessons, 10 a.m. -1 p.m. Swim team practices vary during morning hours. Infant Aerobics, Saturdays 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; Water Aerobics, Tuesday and Thursday 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-10 a.m.. Therapeutic swim times will be added.
• Party! Several open pool parties are scheduled during the summer, with dates posted at the pool. The pool may be rented for a private party, call 629-5537 for details.

Wheels Across the Prairie Museum
West Highway 14. Picnic tables, many attractions to look at, a restored four-unit freight train that includes a 1915 switch engine and coal tender, a turn-of-the-century boxcar and a Chicago & Northwestern caboose.

Other attractions include a Chicago & Northwestern depot, a country school, a small-town post office, summer kitchen, chapel and blacksmith's shop. The museum's main barn has many small exhibits on display over two floors. The car barn features everything from horse-drawn farm equipment to antique tractors. There are also, a restored original log cabin and a local town hall that was originally a schoolhouse. St. Marks Church (built in 1901) was moved to the site in Dec. 2006. Open: Memorial Day through Labor Day Week-end 1-5 p.m. (Special Labor Day Week-end hours are: Fri, Sat. & Sun. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Mon. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and by request. Visit us at www.wheelsacrosstheprairie.org or contact Jon Wendorff, President 507-212-1155.

Central Park
Second and Rowland Streets. Roofed picnic shelter, lighted tennis courts, playground equipment, band shell, bathrooms, ice rink warming house.

Greenwood Park
Greenwood and Adams Streets. Playground equipment, basketball net and board, softball field with a backstop.

Nehl's Roadside Park
Highway 14. Picnic shelter, place to pitch horseshoes.

Sebastian Park
East 2nd St. and Elm Street. Playground equipment, picnic tables. Public Pool, opens first week in June, lessons available during summer.

Softball Complex
Behind North Star Modular Homes on Highway 14. Two softball diamonds (including outfield fences and backstops), concession stand, bathrooms, picnic tables, sand volleyball court.

Tornado Tree
Highway 14 and 5th Street. Dedicated to the nine people who died in the June 13, 1968, Tracy Tornado. The Tornado Tree, a gnarled elm that withstood the force of the tornado, originally stood at the corner of 5th and Rowland Streets. A steel sculpture replica of the original Tornado Tree was erected in 1989.

Werner Park
First and Hollett Streets. Playground equipment, picnic tables.

Swift Lake Park
On the north edge of Tracy on county road 11
About 23 acres. Swift Lake is stocked with panfish. Handicapped-accessible fishing pier for shore fishing.
Camping: Eight electrical hookups, some primitive sites; bathrooms and showers.
Other Amenities: Roofed picnic shelter, playground equipment.

Garvin Park 1 mile north of the intersection of Hwys 14 and 59, on Hwy 59. The Lyon County park's heavily wooded 700 rolling acres include rugged hills and grassy meadows. The Cottonwood River runs through the park. Garvin Park has marked trails for hiking and horseback riding in the summer. The area is popular for picnicking and camping. The Garvin Park tubing hill, equipped with a towrope and a warming house, attracts winter enthusiasts. Marked snowmobile trails are a part of an overall snowmobile trail that runs through Lyon County.
Camping: Two campgrounds with 30 rustic campsites, 16 of them with electrical hookups, shower facilities, and campground host program. Dump station available. Camping fees are $8per night; $15 with electric hookup.
Hunting: Spring turkey season, eight 5-day seasons from mid-April through mid-May, park closed to all other visitors until noon during turkey hunt; archery deer season from mid-September through Dec. 31, either sex, no permanent stands. Hunting is by permit only.
Other Amenities: Five large picnic shelters with tables (4 with electric), shower facilities. Softball field and lookout tower. 2-1/2 miles of hiking trails; 5-1/2 miles of horse and snowmobile trails and 2-1/2 miles of cross-country skiing trails. Horse staging area with camping facilities. Warming house may be rented for parties/meetings at $35 per day.
Information: Garvin Park, Garvin, MN 56132, 507-629-4081

Lake Shetek...south of Tracy

Lake Shetek State Park
Currie, Minnesota • 13 miles south of Tracy on county road 11/38. The word "Shetek" is Ojibwe for "pelican," a bird which visits Lake Shetek during the summer and fall.

The park contains the largest lake in southwestern Minnesota, which forms the headwaters of the Des Moines River.

Expect great fishing for walleye, northern, crappie, and bullheads. Loon Island, a 45-acre bird sanctuary, is accessible on foot via a causeway and includes an interpretive trail.

Visit the Koch Cabin and monument memorializing pioneer settlers. The park includes a swimming beach, boat launch, and campgrounds. Boat rentals are available.

Facilities:

• Campgrounds
  • 78 semi-modern campsites
  • 67 electrical (Wolf Point Campground)
  • 10 rustic walk-in sites
  • 20 rustic campsites (Prairie Campground)
  • 2 primitive group camps (Wilderness camps)
  • Zuya Group Center; 80-person capacity
• Picnic area with 2 shelters (1 winter warming shelter)
• Boat and canoe launch
• Rowboat and canoe rental
• 8 miles of hiking trails
• 5 miles of snowmobile trails
• 3 miles of ski trails
• Playground, horseshoe and volleyball courts, activity field (equipment loan)
• Visitor Favorites
  • Swimming beach
  • Koch Cabin
  • Loon Island
  • Fishing ponds
  • Interpretive center
  • Nature Store
  • Shetek Monument
  • Eastlick Marsh observation deck with spotting scope
  • Woodland, marsh and prairie hiking trails

For more information on Lake Shetek, see the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Web site on Lake Shetek State Park.

Plum Creek Park

The park's 207 acres fall into two separate areas, the Upper Park and the Lower Park. Both have large shelter houses available to families and organizations. In the winter your family can be entertained by the many walking trails and winter sledding. Call 507-859-2491 for more information.

• The Upper Park: Located near Lake Laura, it includes a full-facility campground with electrical and water hook-ups for 61 sites, bath and shower facilities.
• The Lower Park: Baseball and softball diamonds are busy with regular games all season. Tournaments are held at various times. Amenities include concession stands, playground and bathroom facilities.
• Lake Laura: This man-made lake is stocked with fish. Swimmers can change in a large bathhouse. A gazebo overlooking the water presents a panoramic view of several miles. Shoreline fishing is great. Boats are allowed for fishing, but not for waterskiing.

From west Highway 14, in Walnut Grove, turn south 1 block and after crossing the tracks, take a right onto Co. Rd. 20. Drive one mile west, then turn south onto County Road 78 for 1 1/2 miles
www.walnutgrove.org