At A Glance: Exploring Walker and Leech Lake Area – Fun and Food

The area of Leech Lake is still the land of stories, rich history, and is a great place to bike. As more and more people discover this beautiful area, where the Heartland Trail intersects with the Paul Bunyan Trail, there are adventures that are sure to turn into a tale that can be shared over and over. Whatever you seek, come to the Leech Lake Area and form your own tale.

A fun place to mountain bike with warmer days ahead is the Godbolt Lake and Hanson Lake Loops, near Walker, MN, just south of Leech Lake.

Where to Bike in the Area

The Heartland State Trail is a multiple-use paved trail between Park Rapids and Cass Lake, with Walker at the center, intersecting with the Paul Bunyan Trail. The trail is located entirely on a level abandoned railroad grade, except a segment of the Paul Bunyan Trail southwest of Walker is on sharply rolling terrain. The 22 mile segment to Cass Lake, north of Walker, offers views of lakes, rivers, and streams and many are accessible from the trail. This trail corridor passes through northern hardwood forests, stands of jack, red pine, white pine, as well as the spruce fir forests for scenic views of nature along the way.

The Paul Bunyan Trail, stretching from Bemidji to Brainerd, intersects with the Heartland Trail in Walker. Built along abandoned rail corridors, both these trails are great venues for easy-going exploration of northern Minnesota.

Mountain bikers will appreciate both the Gadbolt Lake Loop and the Hanson Lake loop in the area.

Available Maps for the Area

HaveFunBiking Walker/Leech Lake Area Map

Heartland Trail Map 
Paul Bunyan Trail Map

Walk/Hiking Opportunities

City and Area Parks
Paul Bunyan and Huntersville State Forests & Trails

Area Bike Shops and Clubs

Northern Cycle | 100 Mill Road, Park Rapids, MN 56470 | 218-732-5971

Where to Play 

405 Minnesota Ave, Walker

218-547-4044

Website

95 Walker Industries Blvd. Walker, MN

 

35295 State Hwy 64, Laporte

218-224-3535

Website

Forestedge Winery | 35295 State 64, Laporte, MN 56461| 218-224-3535
Folklore Theater | 100 Highland Ave., Walker, MN 56484 | 218-547-4044

 Where to Eat

From the Lucky Moose Bar & Grill to the elegant Dancing Fire Restaurant, the Leech Lake/Walker Area also offers several interesting and charming cafes, coffee shops, and ice cream shops ideally suited to a cyclist’s taste.

Benson’s Eating and Drinking Emporium | Menu | 400 Minnesota Ave., Walker, MN 56484 | 218-547-1896 
Walker Bay Coffee Co. | 499 Minnesota Ave. W., Walker, MN 56484 | 218-547-1183

The Boulders | 8363 Lakeland Trail N.W., Walker, MN 56484 | 218-547-1006

Outdoorsman Cafe |  511 Minnesota Ave. W., Walker, MN 56484 | 218-547-3310

Where to Sleep When Visiting

Public Wi-Fi spots:

Along with most hotels, coffee shops and restaurants have Wi-Fi available. Additionally, the public library is another good option.

The Walker Public Library is located at 207 4th St., Walker, MN and can be contacted at 218-547-1019.

See Leech Lake Tourism for more detailed information for exploring Walker, Minnesota.

HaveFunBiking To Akeley on the Heartland Trail

Akeley is located on the Heartland Trail.  Here in town, you can enjoy the Paul Bunyan Historical Museum, the Akeley City Park & Campground, and the Moon Dance Ranch & Adventure Park. This is a great place for family fun all day.

HaveFunBiking to Hackensack on the Paul Bunyan Trail

Situated at the heart of Minnesota’s “ten thousand lakes,” south of Walker, Hackensack is home to the ultimate in fishing, water-skiing, swimming, and canoeing. In fact, you’ll find 127 lakes within a ten mile radius of here. This community along the trail offers several interesting and charming coffee shops and cafés ideally suited to a cyclist’s interest.

At a Glance: Exploring Park Rapids – Fun and Food

The gateway to the headwaters of the Mississippi River begins at Park Rapids. With five state forests surrounding this community, there is something for everyone in the Park Rapids area. You can ride the scenic roads and trails around the many lakes for a true north wood’s experience. Lakes, loons, and legends will help you explore the paved Heartland Trail. The trail starts in Park Rapids and will take you east, passing through several charming towns for treats and unique attractions before connecting to the Paul Bunyan Trail.

A biker on a fat bike riding a single track mountain bike trail.

Where to Bike in the Area

Enjoy the beauty of the lakes and forests around the Park Rapids area. From the park next to Fish Hook River, the Heartland Trail is an easy way to see the countryside as the trail passes several quaint towns along the way. The town of Dorset is just 14 miles away and is known as the “Restaurant Capital of the World.” Here, the streets are lined with shops and many restaurants serving the perfect meal. For the mountain bikers, there are miles of varying terrain in the Paul Bunyan State Forest and Itasca State Park.

The Heartland State Trail is a paved trail between Park Rapids and Cass Lake. The trail is located entirely on a level abandoned railroad grade, except for a segment southwest of Walker which is located on sharply rolling terrain. The 22 mile segment to Cass Lake, north of Walker, was paved in 2002. There are numerous views of lakes, rivers, and streams, many of which are accessible from the trail. The trail passes through northern hardwood forests and stands of jack, red, and white pine, as well as spruce fir forests.

Available Maps for the Area

HaveFunBiking Our Map
Heartland Trail Map
Itasca State Park Map

Walk/Hiking Opportunities

Itasca State Park Map | Mountain Biking Included
Paul Bunyan and Huntersville State Forests & Trails Map

Area Bike Shops and Clubs

Northern Cycle | 501 1st St. E., Park Rapids, MN 56470 | 218-732-5971
Heartland Bike Club | Ride on Tuesdays & Thursdays | 218-652-3936 

Where to Play When Not Biking or Hiking

Jaspers Theater | 17339 Highway 34 East, Park Rapids, MN 56470 | 218-255-1333
Northern Light Opera Company | Park Rapids | 218-237-0400
Nemeth Art Center | 301 Court Ave., Park Rapids, MN 56470 | 218-616-2064

Other Attractions and Points of Interest

All Veterans Memorial Park | Visitors Center & Wayside Rest. US Hwy 71 South, Park Rapids | 218-564-4591

Bike Events

Headwaters 100 occurs annually on September 24th.

Where to Eat

From the deli at the 3rd Street Market to the elegant Necce’s Ristorante, the Park Rapids Area also offers several interesting and charming cafes, coffee, and ice cream shops suited to your taste.

Necce’s Ristorante | 311 Main Ave. S., Park Rapids, MN 56470 | 218-237-4625
Summerhill Farm | 24013 US-71, Park Rapids, MN 56470 | 218-732-3865
Beyond Juice | 203 Main Ave. S., Park Rapids, MN 56470 | 218-732-0422

Where to Sleep When Visiting

When exploring Park Rapids, check out these places for lodging.

Public Wi-Fi Spots in the Area 

Along with most hotels, coffee shops and restaurants having Wi-Fi availability, the public library is another good option. The Park Rapids Public Library is located at 210 1st St. W., Park Rapids, MN 56470 and can be reached by 218-732-4966.

See Park Rapids Tourism for more detailed information.

HaveFunBiking To Dorset On The Heartland Trail

There’s a reason why thousands of people visit Dorset, Minnesota each year. The décor of the “Restaurant Capital of the World” is small-town friendly. The streets are lined with boardwalks, casual porch swings, and flower baskets. The shops are filled with special items from artistically-crafted pottery and lamps to unique décor and antiques that turn houses into homes. Whether casual or formal, the restaurants serve the perfect meal around tables for happy friends and families. This makes a trip to Dorset a must-do event.

HaveFunBiking To Nevis On The Heartland Trail 

Nevis has been a vacation destination since anglers discovered that the area’s lakes were filled with cool, clear water and lots of fish. Hikers and campers have more than 40,000 acres of the Paul Bunyan State Forest to explore on foot or by bike.