Hay Creek (Mississippi River)

Hay Creek is a small trout stream in southeastern Minnesota. It has its headwaters west of Goodhue and empties into the Big River which then empties into the Mississippi River just upstream of Red Wing. It runs 25.1 miles (40.4 km), over half of which is a Minnesota designated trout stream. Like the Vermillion River, Hay Creek receives extensive fishing pressure due to its proximity to Minneapolis–St. Paul.

Map of Hay Creek, Minnesota, USA

Hay Creek was named for the hay meadows near its banks. A railroad once ran along Hay Creek from the claybanks near Goodhue to the pottery and stoneware factories in Red Wing, which also made use of the water from the creek. The railroad was torn up in 1937, but traces such as trestle pilings remain.