June 2020 Shelter at our place
It’s been a tough couple of months with students at home, possibly challenging our math skills, while working at home demands time and attention. Or maybe you’ve done a 1,000-piece puzzle and learned how to bake bread. Now the outdoors is calling and, while we want everyone to stay safe, let us help you find a way to take a break.
Photo Credit: Denise Cathlina Wildman.
Choose a classic northern Minnesota resort, campground, bed and breakfast or lodging in town. Your options are still open and so are the experiences to try: biking, hiking, trail riding, kayaking, fishing, birdwatching or star gazing. Take time to read a good book or just dip your toes in the water at the end of a dock. Rediscover nature.
Itasca State Park facilities are open for the season with some limitations. Park buildings are closed, but primitive toilets are available throughout the park. Social distancing is in order as the park gets busier. It’s still possible to ride the bike trails and explore the park’s 21 hiking trails. Deane Johnson’s book, The Best of Itasca, includes a comprehensive hiking guide. The author, a resident of Park Rapids, is also a great photographer and adds historical notes so hikers can learn more about what you are seeing.
Or head to the Paul Bunyan, Two Inlets, Smoky Hills, White Earth, Huntersville and other state forests in the Heartland Lakes area where there are hiking, ATV and off-highway motorcycle trails as well as opportunities for dispersed camping. Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge and the Chippewa National Forest also are in driving distance.
Local restaurants and retail shops are opening following state guidelines. Elsewhere on the Chamber website, visitors can find current information on take out and delivery options in a changing environment.
We’re Open
Nearly all early summer events have been postponed until 2021 out of concern for the safety of volunteers and the public. Fishing, campfires and other outdoor activities will make great memories, too.
The Park Rapids area welcomes you any time. If you need help planning a memorable and affordable visit, need more information about the area or have questions, call our friendly staff at 800-247-0054 to learn more.