Accomplished executive and entrepreneur Dan Malmstrom’s expertise and knowledge paid off when he took on the challenge of bringing this trail to the area.

The Glendalough Trail is a 12-mile bike and pedestrian trail comprised of seven segments, which unites Glendalough State Park with the community of Battle Lake.

In the mid 1900’s, Glendalough was a pristine game farm owned by the Star Tribune, hosting countless executives and dignitaries over several decades. This provided many jobs for local residents before it became a park in 1992. This economic heritage would be remarkably important in the 21st century.

The inception of our trail began in 2007. Upon returning to the area after a 25-year tech career, I regularly biked the grass and dirt trails in Glendalough and could envision the potential for a family-friendly, paved trail. I crafted a vision for a trail system that would unite the park with Battle Lake and its many amenities.

At nearly the same time, the city, school and park were all suffering from economic decline. I was asked to facilitate a transformative path forward with area residents. We prioritized projects that would enhance life in Battle Lake, and in doing so, we believed economic development would follow. The Glendalough Trail became the cornerstone to this vision, along with storefront makeovers, streetscaping, natural gas, modernizing our parks, childcare, housing, and superior education.

Although DNR executives rejected our plan for a park trail, we were unfazed. Over the span of 15 years, thousands of volunteer hours, reams of grant and bonding documentation, presentations, lobbying, and local philanthropy, the Glendalough Trail became a reality.

As the first four trail segments were completed in 2014, we saw park tourism grow significantly and economic vitality returned to our downtown. Nearly everything in our vision had materialized and more than 30 new businesses had located in Battle Lake. Our school achieved national academic distinction, and the momentum continued. Our final trail segment and trail center were completed in 2024.

Our community transformation is a remarkable example of ordinary people working together with City, County, State and elected representatives to accomplish extraordinary things. This collaboration is our secret sauce in Battle Lake.

Yes, the Glendalough Trail was pivotal in the revitalization, and its original tagline, “it’s more than a trail”, still resounds as Battle Lake continues to flourish today.