Visit the Hidden Gem Small Town Right Next Door to Savanna Portage State Park

When you head Up North in Minnesota, you're probably looking to ditch the crowds and enjoy the Land of 10,000 Lakes' natural beauty—I know I do. One of my favorite places to escape is Savanna Portage State Park. At 15,000 acres, it's an expansive, slightly off-the-beaten-track gem of lakes, bogs, and historic fur trade routes. But after a long day hiking, even I enjoy a hot meal and a real bed (not that there's anything wrong with camping). McGregor, the gateway small town near Savanna Portage State Park, fills the bill. It's a perfect basecamp that affords easy access to the park and a bunch of other nearby adventures without depriving you of on-grid comforts.

Why This Town Is the Perfect Base for Savanna Portage State Park

Located in Aitkin County just northeast of Mille Lacs Lake, McGregor is less than 20 minutes from Savanna Portage State Park. The park is named for the 6-mile Savanna Portage Trail, which fur-trading voyageurs and Native Americans used to cross the Continental Divide, hauling heavy canoes through waist-deep mud and mosquito-infested swamps to move between the Mississippi River and Lake Superior watersheds. Today, at this beautiful state park in Minnesota, you can hike the route over trails and boardwalks without carrying a 90-pound canoe on your back (unless, of course, you really want to). The park is also home to four beautiful, undeveloped lakes—including Loon and Wolf Lakes—where you can paddle with little more than the call of loons for company.

The park's wilderness vibe is further enhanced by the adjacent 238,000-acre Savanna State Forest. This gives you thousands of extra acres of bogs, unpaved logging roads, dispersed camping, and remote woods to explore if you want an even wilder experience. Unlike packed tourist towns elsewhere, like those along the North Shore, McGregor keeps things refreshingly low-key. You won't battle traffic or crowded sidewalks, which makes it an excellent hidden gem town in Minnesota for a getaway.

What To Do in McGregor

The state park and forest, as well as Big Sandy Lake, a popular resort lake just north of town, are the big draws, but McGregor is an ideal launchpad for plenty of outdoor adventures. One of my favorites, though, is Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge, located about 5 miles south of town. This 10,000-acre sanctuary is centered around a vast shallow lake that's famous (unsurprisingly) for its wild rice. It's a significant traditional gathering site for the Ojibwe people, who still harvest rice there today, and a critical stopover for migrating birds.

If you visit during the spring or fall, you can stand on the observation deck and watch thousands of ring-necked ducks, mallards, and trumpeter swans gather on the water. The refuge also features a beautiful 9-mile auto tour—and every time I drive it, I see something new: black bears, foxes, sandhill cranes, swans, bald eagles, loons, and all kinds of songbirds. On a recent trip to Rice Lake, I watched an eastern bluebird catching caterpillars and feeding them to her fledglings in a nesting cavity. Don't pass up a stop here on your visit to McGregor.

If you're an ATV, snowmobile, or mountain biking enthusiast, you can jump onto the Soo Line North Trail right in town (you can hike it, too, of course). Built over an old railroad grade, this 105-mile route passes through McGregor and offers prime access to wild, unspoiled terrain. Head to Big Sandy Lake for great walleye fishing or book a tee time at the beautifully groomed Minnesota National Golf Course, both just minutes from town. With so much to do, McGregor is easily one of the most charming small towns near a state park in Minnesota.

Where To Stay and Eat Nearby

With a couple of hotels and several resorts scattered around the nearby lakes, figuring out where to stay near Savanna Portage State Park is a breeze. The Crossroads Hotel is right in town. Big Sandy Lodge and Resort is also a favorite among visitors, offering cozy lodge rooms and private cabins tucked into the woods north of town and just minutes from the park. You don't even have to leave to eat well—the lodge's restaurant features a full menu of tasty classics, which you can enjoy near a huge stone fireplace and a deck overlooking the water.

If you want a bite in town, Fireside Inn is a classic northern tavern famous for pizza, prime rib on weekends, and Friday fish fries. Grab your morning coffee, breakfast, or lunch at the School House Cafe. Ukura's Big Dollar grocery store is the spot to pick up trail snacks and cold drinks before heading out on your adventures.

I love all that Savanna Portage State Park and this part of Minnesota have to offer—but having a warm bed and a friendly local tavern waiting at the end of the day puts a cherry on top of the experience for me. Don't forget you'll need a state park vehicle permit to enter the park, and you may need an ATV or snowmobile permit for parts of the Soo Line North Trail. Entrance to Savanna State Forest and Rice Lake NWR is free. For more information on the area, visit the McGregor Chamber of Commerce website. There are plenty of awesome small towns near state parks in Minnesota, but for all its access to outdoor adventure without the typical crowds, McGregor is hard to beat.