W;;; ;;; ;;;; ;;;;; ;;; ;;;;;; season hits, take a lesson from an’s best friend: Roll down the
car windows, lean into the breeze and
joyfully inhale. The fragrance of lilacs and
clover-scented countryside mingles with
pine and spruce forests and whi;s of
campfires at campgrounds and state parks.
As you traverse the lush waterfront
perimeter of the newly designated Lake
Mille Lacs Scenic Byway, point your
gaze outward and marvel as the lake
extends endlessly into the horizon, its
glimmering blue water punctuated by
all manner of anglers, water skiers and
paddle boarders. Whether you’re going
to Mille Lacs to fish or see the fall colors,
picnicking in the two state parks, hiking
or biking the multi-use trails, or simply
relaxing at a cozy resort, this 68-mile
loop around the state’s second-largest
lake o;ers something for everyone in
the family.
There are few landmarks as easy
to spot as Pequot Lakes’ water tower
painted like a giant red-and-white
bobber. Fi;ingly, it o;ers a good spot to
start the 50-mile Paul Bunyan Scenic
Byway, named for the tall tale hero. It
double-loops through the northern end
of the Brainerd Lakes area starting with
County Road 11 as it heads east to Breezy
Point and Pelican Lake. The byway heads
Cruise Control
Central Minnesota’s scenic byways are a destination unto
themselves. | LISA MEYERS MCCLINTICK
north through the Crow Wing State
Forest and to Crosslake, a charming
boutique town and recreation area.
Travelers can choose a northern or
southern route around the Whitefish
Chain of Lakes, a hub for boating,
fishing, exploring and staying at classic
resorts near towns such as Manha;an
Beach and Jenkins.
With a humble start in northern
Minnesota’s Itasca State Park, the
Mississippi River cuts through the
Brainerd Lakes area where Crow
Wing State Park o;ers campsites
and a chance to get on the water.
Travelers can follow the Great River
Road National Scenic Byway to Li;le
Falls to see famed aviator Charles
Lindbergh’s historic boyhood home or
the Minnesota Fishing Museum.
Just a li;le further down the byway
in St. Cloud, you can wander the historic
Munsinger and Clemens Gardens. Keep
going southeast along the road, and a
feast of fri;er bread and summer berries
you pick yourself awaits in Clearwater.
Birders love the 150-mile O;er Trail
Scenic Byway that circles a rolling
region of more than 1,000 lakes plus
prairie potholes where pelicans, herons
and swans can be seen nesting and
feasting along the shores. Fergus Falls’
O;er Tail County Museum o;ers a good
overview of how the area evolved from
native tribes to bustling pioneer towns
thanks to places such as historic Phelps
Mill, also on the byway.
Hiking trails thread through Pelican
Rapids’ Maplewood State Park with
sweeping views of Lake Lida. Families
can camp here and at Glendalough
State Park between scenic O;er Tail
and Ba;le Lake. Head up the 1,750-foot
Inspiration Peak west of Urbank for
O;er Tail County’s most dramatic view.
Meandering more than 200 miles,
the Glacial Ridge Scenic Byway starts
in the Willmar Lakes area with Spicer
and New London, home to Green Lake,
a winery and taproom, the Li;le Crow
Ski Team’s weekly summer water ski
shows and Sibley State Park. Hike to
Mount Tom for a sweeping view of the
landscape carved by melting glaciers.
Prairie flowers dot the ditches as
the byway ambles through farmlands
and Glacial Lakes State Park. Take a
leisurely drive around the shore of Lake
Minnewaska at Starbuck, Long Beach
and Glenwood before branching east to
Sauk Centre (home of author Sinclair
Lewis) or north to Alexandria, a hub for
more lakes, shopping, Nordic history
and the Legacy of the Lakes Museum
with its vast collection of vintage and
wooden boats.
LITTLE FALLS
