Getting

OUTSIDE WHILE ON VACATION OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCONNECT FROM THE CRAZINESS AND RECONNECT WITH YOURSELF, YOUR PARTNER, AND YOUR FAMILY. THE SCIENCE ON BEING OUTDOORS IS SOUND. NATURE OFFERS SOME OF THE BEST WAYS TO BOOST YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. CHECK OUT SOME OF THE WAYS YOU CAN GET OUTDOORS WHILE VACATIONING HERE.

If you are chasing an adrenaline rush, visit the mountain bike trails within the Cuyuna Recreation Area. There are 25 miles of singletrack trails spread out over 800 acres. Don’t worry if you’re new to mountain biking. The beginner to advanced trails provide something for everyone.

Biking in Cuyuna isn’t just for summer months. Fat tire biking in the winter brings a new dimension to biking.

Birding

Drive the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway and get a great view of nature from the comfort of your car. The Birds of the Byway (Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway) offers 54 miles of opportunities to view our feathered friends.

The Northland Arboretum is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA), and it’s right in the city limits of Brainerd/Baxter. With its mosaic of habitats, you’ll find an array of bird species (sandhill cranes, red-shouldered hawks, black-billed cukoo, eagles) as you hike the trails.

Handicap Accessible: The Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway, which is a scenic drive on paved roads, allows for handicap and disabled persons to see woods and wildlife from a van.

The Northland Arboretum’s easy access in the city limits of Brainerd/Baxter and wide trails with garden and nature views, are easily handicap accessible.

Crow Wing State Park and the Pillsbury State Forest also are close to Brainerd/Baxter and offer excellent birding opportunities. The Crow Wing State Park has 230 bird species on its park checklist and over 18 miles of trails. The Pillsbury State Forest has 25 miles of trails, and over 175 bird species have been documented.

Using a local guide increases your chances of seeing birds. Judd Brink is the owner and guide of MN Backyard Birds. Contact Judd at 218-838-4784 to plan a bird watching tour.

Historic Fire Tower

When traveling on Hwy 371 towards Pequot Lakes, chances are you’ve seen a giant metal structure towering over the trees. Decades ago, these fire towers gave foresters a bird’s eye view of spotting smoke—a telltale sign of wildfires. With advancements in technology, these towers became obsolete with many disappearing across the state.

The Paul M. Thiede Fire Tower Park opened to visitors June 2020. You can walk the Fire Tower Trail and the Wildlife Loop. Interpretive signs are along both trails. Pack a picnic lunch and eat under the pavilion. The 135 steps on the 100 ft. tower are worth the climb. At the top, you’ll be rewarded with a panoramic 20 mile view in each direction.

The fire tower is open for you to climb from dawn to dusk daily. It’s closed in the winter for safety.

ATV and UTV Trails

Perhaps you like the idea of riding an ATV or UTV and traversing the trails with a little throttle. We have an expansive trail system covering hundreds of miles that cover all of the Lakes Area regions: Brainerd, Cuyuna Lakes, Emily and Outing, and Pine River.

The Spider Lake Trails, located in the Foot Hills State Forest near Pine River, is one of the most popular trail systems in Minnesota. You’ll travel 29 miles on diverse terrain. From smooth and sandy to rough and rocky, it’s exciting, challenging, and a great place to improve your riding ability. While riding the trails, you’ll also see lakes, ponds, and climb hills and slopes around the forest.

If you’re looking to rent UTVs, check out Seaberg Motor Sports or The Power Lodge.

THE 135 STEPS PAUL M. THIEDE FIRE TOWER ARE WORTH THE CLIMB. 100 FEET UP AT THE TOP, YOU’LL BE REWARDED WITH A PANORAMIC 20 MILE VIEW IN EACH DIRECTION.

Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing

There’s something peaceful about trekking through the woods on skis or snowshoes. The Northland Arboretum, which is within the Brainerd/Baxter city limits has 12 miles of trails with nearly 5 km lighted for evening skiing.

The Crow Wing State Park would be a great place to snowshoe, especially the beautiful trails that follow the Mississippi River.

You can snowshoe on the trails around the Paul Thiede Fire Tower Park just outside of Pequot Lakes.

Easy Riders in Brainerd rents snowshoes and cross country skis. The Crosslake Community Center also rents snowshoes.

Snowmobiling

If you’d like to experience snowmobiling but don’t have sleds, you’re in luck. You can rent snowmobiles and enjoy the hundreds of miles of groomed trails.

→ Cragun’s Resort on Gull (rentals available to the public)

→ Nisswa Adventure Rentals

→ The Power Lodge

→ Seaberg Motorsports