This Little-Known Trail Is Quite Possibly the Best Biking and Walking Path in Minnesota

As a state that helped pioneer the rails-to-trails movement in the United States, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that there are a whole bunch of awesome biking and hiking paths in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. One of the first was the Heartland State Trail, which was established by the Legislature in 1974. At 49 miles, the Heartland is still one of the best multi-use trails in Minnesota, even if it doesn’t receive the same level of attention that some of its better-known counterparts do.

The official start to the Heartland State Trail is in the aptly-named Heartland Park in the charming town of Park Rapids. The trail leaves Park Rapids and heads toward several quite superlative small towns. Traveling west to east, the first stop on the Heartland Trail outside of Park Rapids is the tiny community of Dorset.

Dorset is the self-proclaimed Restaurant Capital of the World. It’s also home to a famous mayoral race, wherein the elected mayor is usually not an adult. For being such a small community, there's quite a lot to see and do in Dorset, so it's a wonderful place for a pit stop. After Dorset, trail users continue eastward to Nevis.

Nevis is, perhaps, best known as the home of the world’s largest tiger muskie—a man-made wonder in Minnesota that defies all expectations. The next stop on the Heartland Trail is Akeley, which one could argue is the hear of Paul Bunyan country in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Not to be outdone by its superlative neighbors, the charming community of Akeley is home to the world’s largest Paul Bunyan statue, which sits alongside the Heartland Trail, next to its Paul Bunyan Historical Museum.

From there, the trail passes through the communities of Wilkinson and Walker, onward to its eastern terminus at Cass Lake.

There may not be a more awesome multi-use trail in Minnesota—but the Heartland State Trail is about to become even more awesome. In the fall of 2023, the DNR broke ground on a 20-mile extension that will connect the Heartland State Trail to Itasca State Park and its network of multi-use trails and roadways. The first segment of the extension is set to open in spring 2026. This connection between Minnesota’s oldest state park and one of its most venerable state trails will open up all kinds of opportunities for users of both. Have you used the Heartland State Trail?

Also, if you use your phone to navigate when you’re out on the trail, you may want to check out AllTrails Plus. Its downloadable maps feature, so you can use it offline, is particularly awesome in the Northland, where cell coverage is not always reliable.

Ready for more adventures on the trails of the Bold North? Check out Only In Your State’s itinerary planner for some additional Minnesota inspiration.