4 minute read
Destination Park Rapids, Minnesota
Destination Park Rapids
by Joel Kunz
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If you are looking to enjoy the outdoors, then come to Park Rapids, Minnesota, where “Everyone is Welcome” in this lovely community of just over 3,000 people. Wintertime here is full of recreational activities and the only thing hibernating in the area are the bears. With 400 miles of beautiful snowmobile trails in and around the Park Rapids Lakes Area, the extensive trail system links riders to Itasca State Park, the Paul Bunyan State Forest, Two Inlets State Forest, Smokey Hills State Forest, White Earth State Forest and so many other forested areas. The Heartland Trail, one of the first rail-to-trail projects in the country, links to multiple communities, area lakes, family-friendly restaurants, high-quality gas stations and lodging, making Park Rapids the perfect destination for your riding pleasure. Add the local shops, artisans, entertainment and multitude of other winterland activities, and you are sure to find the perfect respite from the hectic world you leave behind.
The Park Rapids Lakes area is most well-known for Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Founded in the late 1800s near the Fish Hook River rapids, it became a city in 1882 and is the Hubbard
County seat. Outdoor activities and recreation are no strangers to the area and is the reason snowmobiling is such a traditional part of the landscape. Area outdoor recreation enthusiasts and volunteers are instrumental in these activities, and make visitors’ experiences an important aspect to what they do. A recent accomplishment is the Heartland State Trail, one of the first rail-to-trail projects in the country. It is a 49-mile paved multiple-use trail between Park Rapids and Cass Lake. The trail is located entirely on a level abandoned railroad grade, except for a four-mile segment north of Walker which is on sharply-rolling terrain for snowmobiles. Heartland State Trail also provides connections to many miles of groomed snowmobile trails in the Hubbard County Grantin-Aid trail system, perfect for planning a visit to the area.
With that in mind, I found an excellent interactive map through the Minnesota DNR’s website and a trail map with information from the Forest Riders Snowmobile Club and set out to plan a ride. I made a call to Up North Sports, a local snowmobile dealer and got some suggestions. His suggestion was to ride north to the headwaters of the Mississippi at Itasca State Park, then venture west to Naytahwaush and the Pinehurst, a well-known stopping point along the trail. From there, venture south towards Ice Cracking Lodge, then return on the approximately 100-mile ride through the Two Inlets State Forest. A ride through mostly forested areas on wellgroomed trails—it sounded like a good suggestion.
I then called Richard Ohm from the Forest Riders Snowmobile Club to get his thoughts on the plans. He thought the trip to Itasca State Park was a definite visitors favorite but added another day’s plans using the Heartland Trail towards Nevis to access the miles of scenic forest trails through the Paul Bunyan State Forest. A return trip through Holiday Inn Corners with stops near Island Lake and Emmaville would make for another fun ‘100ish’-mile day. Richard described the rides as 80% through forested lands featuring large aspens and pine forests, set through the rolling hills of Minnesota’s landscape on well-groomed and maintained trails with minimal rural ditch riding and limited open fields. “A good ride, on nice trails you will enjoy, come visit” were the final words of the call.
So, there it is—a comfortable bed plus plenty to do and see, along with a snowmobiling experience you are sure to enjoy when you visit Park Rapids, Minnesota.
December 2021
Prize Winner City
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ISABELLA, MINNESOTA
N47° 38.813 W091° 27.250
WELCOME
ATV’S MOTORCYCLES SLEDS HUNTERS FISHERMEN
•Modern Cabins •Gas/Oil •On/Off Sale •BWCA/Canoe Outfitting
