regional map of bowlus area

Close-up of location map

Directions to Nita Jo's Place

13369 20th St. Bowlus, MN 56314

320-584-8388 home (please, only use this number if you get lost on the way...and be sure to USE it IF you get lost!)

612-581-0240 cell

From the Twin Cities via St. Joseph

A. Take I-94 West (and north) and exit at St. Joseph (3 exits after the first exit for St. Cloud).

B. Turn right on County Rd 2 and proceed about three-quarters of a mile until you come to the first stop sign (which I believe is 2nd Ave.)

C. Turn left and go about two tenths of a mile until this street ends at Hgwy 75.

D. Turn left onto Hgwy 75 and go about half a mile to County Road 3.

E. Turn right onto County Road 3.

F. There’s a stop sign at CR 4 (after 7.6 miles) and another at CR 17 (after another 5.5 miles), but keep going another 8/10 of a mile (a total of 13.9 miles north from St. Joseph) to where CR 3 takes a 90 degree curve to the left.

G. Do NOT go left here but instead go STRAIGHT ahead, onto 135th Ave.

H. There’s a stop sign (after 1 mile) and the road you’re on changes to dirt and its name changes to 130th Ave., but continue on for another mile (a total of 2 miles from CR 3) to where 130th Ave ends, at 20th Street.

I. Turn right onto 20th (another dirt road).

J. Travel 3/10 of a mile to 13369 20th St., the second house on the right: white house with white barn.

From Twin Cities or Duluth, Princeton & Cambridge

If coming from east St. Cloud or Twin Cities area, go to Rice, MN which is on U.S. Highway 10 slightly northwest of St. Cloud. You can move over to Highway 10 from I-94 at Clearwater or earlier (farther east) if that’s more convenient.

Turn left (west) at the traffic light at Rice, and proceed through the town, over RR tracks, etc. This is CR 2 and will take you over the Mississippi River in 2 ½ miles.

(If coming from north or west of St. Cloud, the town of Rice will orient you. You can also get directions from mapquest.)

Immediately after the river bridge, turn right on to CR 1 (Great River Road). This is also the intersection for CR 17 (a right turn very soon after the turn onto CR 1); be sure you take first right onto CR 1, headed north/northwest.

Proceed 4.5 (4 1/2) miles and turn left onto dirt road and then immediately right on to 20th Street (also dirt). Your other option when you turn left is 160th Ave, which is the left-hand fork. When you turn off of CR 1 to the left you're immediately confronted with a Y in the road and you must take the right fork for 20th street, heading due west. Otherwise you'll be on 160th Ave.

Road sign for 20th street is on the right side of the paved CR 1; 160th Ave. road sign is on the left. This is slightly confusing to read, but will be plain when you see it. A farm with evergreen trees next to the road, 3 silos, long tin barn, etc. is on the right of CR 1 when you turn off it.

(If you miss this turn, within a mile or so you'll be in the "town" of North Prairie. Turn left onto 150th Ave. and go to first stop sign--about a mile--to re-find 20th street. Turn right and resume directions from there.)

You'll go one mile and come to stop sign at intersections of 20th and 150th Ave. Stay on 20th street and in another mile you'll come to another stop sign at 140th Ave. From there it is .7 (7/10th) mile to 13369 20th street. Mail box with number is on the right; driveway is on the left which curves around between white house with blue roof and small white barn with blue roof. Large, white round pen is in the yard; you can’t miss it.

Parking is obvious. Truck and trailers should turn around and then back in to the west, toward the weeds, parking parallel to other trailers. Cars, park parallel to trailers also so trucks have room to turn around.

From Western Minnesota

A. Take I-94 South and exit at Freeport.

B. Turn left (north) into Freeport

C. Follow CR 39 (going northeast and then east) for a total of ?? miles.

D. Turn left (north) onto Hgwy 239 and go for ?? miles, until you reach CR17.

E. Go east on CR 17.

F. You’ll pass through Holdingford (reputed to be Lake Wobegon) but travel for a total of ?? miles on CR 17 and turn left (north) onto CR 3.

G. Travel on CR 3 for 8/10 of a mile, to where CR 3 takes a 90 degree curve to the left.

H. Do NOT bear left here but go STRAIGHT ahead, onto 135th Ave.

I. There’s a stop sign (after 1 mile) and the road you’re on changes to dirt and its name changes to 130th Ave., but continue on for another mile (a total of 2 miles from CR 3) to where 130th Ave ends, at 20th Street.