The Chippewa National Forest and the surrounding area is such a wonderful place to visit, vacation and adventure in. Whether you are coming for the Lakes or the trails and golf courses, it has an immense amount of opportunity to get outside and find fun. Our forests are lush, wild and very breathe taking – they hold mystery, they hold calm, and as night falls they sound their orchestra.
Outdoor Activities:
ATV, Snowmobile, Hiking, and Skiing Trail Maps
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has maps and stocking information about many of the lakes in Minnesota. Click here to go the DNR website and get information about the lakes in our area you are interested in.
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Winter sports in Deer River include cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Snowmobile trails were developed and are maintained by the local Minnesota snowmobile clubs and the Department of Natural Resources. A free copy of our Itasca County Snowmobile Map is available online. The cross-country skiers’ will enjoy the lake and hills of Blueberry Hills Nordic skiing trails as well as many other groomed trails are also in our area.
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There is no better way to see the Chippewa National Forest than on a trail. Hike and view spring wildflowers, bike along a tranquil wetland, hunt grouse on a hunter/walking trail, or ski through winter woods. The Chippewa National Forest offers over 298 miles of non-motorized trails. Click here for more information about walking or ski trails.
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Biking on the Chippewa National Forest has changed dramatically over the last ten years. Ten years ago, mountain bikes were the only option to travel a limited number of bike trails. Today, 41 miles of paved bike trails line the west side of the Forest and mountain bikers can travel over 43 miles of unpaved trails on the east side between Deer River and Marcell. Click here for more information about local bike trails
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The Chippewa National Forest offers nine canoe routes, ranging from the mighty Mississippi and the unpredictable Leech Lake to the slow moving Shingobee River and other small creeks. Click here for more information about canoe routes.
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Make sure you take a drive up the Avenue of Pines Scenic Byway on Hwy 46. See how huge some of the few remaining virgin pine trees that once covered northern Minnesota are by going to Dora Lake and see Lost Forty .Take a ride from Grand Rapids to Effie along the Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway.
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Minnesota Trails magazine is a statewide, quarterly magazine that features the quiet sports that take place in and on our state parks and trails. They also feature the state’s scenic byways and the communities along them. They are building what we hope will become the best website for Minnesota’s parks, trails and byways.
Tioga Mountain Bike Trails
Tioga Recreation Area is a premier outdoor adventure destination on the Iron Range in Northern Minnesota. 500 wooded acres located on two of the region’s most unique lakes features 25 miles of world-class mountain biking, snowshoe trails, beaches, and access to hundreds of miles of waterways.
The Lost 40 Scientific and Natural area
Lost 40 owes its old-growth pine forest to a surveying error that occurred during the Public Land Survey in 1882. As the story goes, the pines were missed by loggers because surveyors mistakenly mapped the area as Coddington Lake (the lake is actually located half of a mile to the southeast). The site was re-surveyed and the error corrected in 1960. Shortly after, it was incorporated into Big Fork State Forest and its old trees have since endured.
A 2009 study found the oldest individual trees within the SNA to be red pines 230-240 years old. The stand on adjoining land within Chippewa National Forest reportedly originated as early as 1745, and includes the “champion red pine” of Minnesota’s Native Big Tree Registry, measured at 115″ in circumference and 120′ high
An interpretive trail passes through the site. This site is in an Audubon Important Bird Area and Watchable Wildlife Viewing Area. This site is within the Chippewa National Forest.
Robin Baker Blueberry Hills Trail
Suomi Hills Recreational Area
The remote and stunning Suomi Hills has 19 miles of hiking, biking (unpaved) and ski trails and is part of a semi-primitive nonmotorized area. The rolling topography offers mountain bike trails for intermediate and advanced cyclists. Trail runs through rolling hills and lakes, with maple, basswood, and aspen forest. Short stretches of trail suitable for beginning or intermediate skiers, but majority of trail is for expert skiers. Maps along trail.
Simpson Creek Recreational Area
13 mile trail system. Mostly intermediate level trails. Located from Deer River 18 mi NW on MN Hwy 46 start at Cut Foot Sioux Visitor Center. Enjoy rolling topography through pines and along glacial eskers, with overlooks onto Cut Foot Sioux Lake and journeys into the cedar swamp. Cyclists travel on both old tote roads and dirt trail. Maps along trail.
Golf:
Eagle Ridge Golf Course
Welcome Golfers!
Eagle Ridge offers an enjoyable round for all players, breathtaking views, wide fairways and large greens, while challenging the serious golfer with many great holes. Also enjoy our practice range, pro shop, and clubhouse with full bar and restaurant.
Their Course is beautifully tree lined and sits 100 feet above Trout Lake. There are lake views from several holes that will make you want to play again and again. When you are done playing sit on our large deck overlooking Trout Lake and have a nice lunch or enjoy a beverage.
Eagle Ridge golf course is cut out of Minnesota’s north woods overlooking scenic Trout Lake. Open for play in 1996, this 18-hole par 72 championship course layout was designed by Garrett Gill of Williams, Gill & Associates.
Blueberry Hills Golf Course
Northern Minnesota is home to some of the best golf in the state. Blueberry Hills golf course is located 1.5 miles north of Deer River, Minnesota.
Built by a small group of local business owners in the 70’s, the course is set on gently rolling hills with stands of mature, native trees.
At Blueberry Hills, we are proud of our course and the natural beauty that surrounds it!
Pokegama Golf Course
Welcome to Pokegama Golf Course, a Northland favorite. Our beautiful 18-hole course, designed along the picturesque shores of Pokegama Lake, offers an unparalleled golfing experience that caters to enthusiasts and professionals alike. Pokegama Golf Course has had the honor of being selected by numerous golf associations, including Men’s, Women’s, Senior’s, Junior’s, and the Minnesota PGA, as the preferred venue for local, regional, and state golf events.
Our well-maintained course welcomes players of all skill levels, providing a challenging yet accessible game. The course’s design prioritizes playability, with carefully managed forest floors, to allow for ease in finding an occasional errant shot. Fancy a stroll? Our course is perfect for a leisurely walk. But if you’d rather ride, hop into one of our quiet, electric carts equipped with GPS to keep you on track.
Don’t forget about Pokegama Grill, our on-site dining facility, which presents a wide selection of classic, freshly-prepared dishes alongside breathtaking views of the lake and golf course from our front veranda. The Pokegama Grill is a versatile venue, perfectly suited for hosting a variety of private events, including weddings, receptions, birthday celebrations, retirement parties, and more. To start planning your event today, please visit the Host an Event section of our website.
Pokegama Golf Course is committed to delivering a golfing experience that is both memorable and unmatched in the Northland. Discover for yourself why it remains a favorite choice. We look forward to welcoming you.
Food and beverage:
Rapids Brewing Company
We’re a craft brewery in northern Minnesota and we celebrate the spirit of the north in our beers, our locally sourced menu, and our atmosphere. From our logo to our ‘mascot’, Barley Bill, you’ll find the elements that are essential to the lifestyle in our great region. The woods and the water, fire and arts, and most of all, community.
This community is the heart and soul of what we do and we’ve made it our mission is to provide a unique gathering place for locals and visitors alike. This is a place to come together over a beer, enjoy great food and live music, and gather for events big and small…or no reason at all.
No compromises here. Made from scratch with local ingredients in our custom-made wood-fired oven. We offer rotating food and beer offerings throughout the seasons, from the tried-and-true brews to kitchen and brewhouse collaborations.
Klockow Brewing Co.
WE ARE ANDY AND TASHA KLOCKOW,
a husband and wife team and owners and operators of Klockow Brewing Company. Andy is the head brewer and business/sales guy. Tasha manages the taproom and schedules music and events. We enjoy the beauty of northern Minnesota with our daughter, Lisey.
WHY DID WE OPEN A BREWERY?
Glad you asked! Andy was a homebrewer for several years before becoming a commercial brewer at HammerHeart Brewing Company in Lino Lakes where he worked for 3 years. We always talked about starting our own brewery together and every time we would say “Grand Rapids still doesn’t have one…” So when we decided to start a family and raise our child in the same environment in which we grew up (a small town surrounded by nature), we finally took the plunge.
Arts – Theater – Music – dance
MacRostie Art Center
MacRostie Art Center; inspiring a creative community.
OUR VISION
We make our communities strong and vibrant by providing all people the opportunity, access, tools, and inspiration to realize their creative potential.
OUR VALUES
We believe:
Art encourages community growth. It gives courage, breaks boundaries, and kindles empathy. It inspires creative thinking, revels in diversity, and shapes new connections.
Art is for everyone. Accessibility is imperative for a community art center. When more people experience art as makers, viewers, buyers, collaborators, teachers, and learners, we all benefit. Public art and a culture of curiosity are hallmarks of a vibrant community.
Artists play a vital role in society. Art is not a luxury, but an important engine for economic growth and community development. It is central to the quality of life in northern Minnesota, and the artists who live and work here should be supported and valued.