Fall in the Heartland Lakes Area: A Time for Change, Exploring, and Making Memories!
As the days grow shorter, whistles blow under the Friday night lights, the harvest begins, and the landscape offers hints of color that will wash across our north woods. Park Rapids and the Heartland Lakes area provide a gorgeous backdrop from which to enjoy everything the Outdoors offers!
Best Places to Find Fall Colors
Itasca State Park may be best known for towering Norway and white pines, but the Main Park Drive and Wilderness Drive are lined with birch, oak, maple, and other deciduous trees. Visitors will also find breathtaking views from Lake Itasca, along the park bike trail, or on a hike.
At Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, many lakes, rivers, and marshes invite viewing fall colors and migrating waterfowl.
Enjoying your favorite lakes via boat, canoe, or kayak creates a beautiful new perspective with the changing leaves along the shoreline. Whether fishing, relaxing, or enjoying the sunset on or off the water, there is something beautifully unique about this time of year.
Grab a map at the Chamber Visitor Center and see equally spectacular fall colors in the Smoky Hills, Paul Bunyan, or other nearby state forests on less traveled roads. Whether you travel by bike, on foot, in your vehicle, or ATV/UTV, maps are available to ensure you get the most out of your fall leave-peeping adventure. Miles and miles of adventure await!
To time your visit, check out the DNR’s fall color map that follows the progression of leaf color at
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fall_colors/index.html.
Don’t Miss These Fall Events:
When fall colors are often at their peak at the end of September, there are also many fun events to consider attending with nature’s backdrop:
The Headwaters 100, always the 4th Saturday in September, showcases beautiful fall scenery on a well-organized bike ride. Riders depart from the Century School in Park Rapids between 8 and 10 a.m. for 100-mile, 75-mile, and 42-mile rides with food and beverage stops along the way. For route maps, information, costs, and a link to register online, go to http://itascatur.org.
Heartland Arts will sponsor Art Leap 2024 on Saturday, September 28, and Sunday, September 29. Art Leap is an annual fall driving tour of Heartland Lakes artists’ studios and Park Rapids area cultural destinations. This year’s 28 sites will feature more than one hundred artists skilled in various artistic expressions. Sites will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. All Art Leap studios and events are free and open to the public. Event guides with maps are available at the Park Rapids Chamber Visitors Center, Park Rapids Area Library, and other locations can be downloaded at https://www.heartlandarts.org/pages/events/events.php.
Family fun awaits at Carters’ Fall Festivals, starting Saturday, September 28, and Sunday, September 29, and continuing on weekends in October. Each day is different at the farm. Check out the giant corn maze, wagon ride, theater, drama, live musical and magic performances, and many autumn-themed games and activities. Also, don’t forget to pick up a pumpkin or two and try delicious food from local vendors. For dates, times, special events, and other information go to https://cartersfarm.org/fallfestival/.
Of course, there are many more things to see and do while you’re here. The Park Rapids Farmers’ Market is open through September 21, and an Everything Fall Weekend Market is open the last weekend in September in Nevis. Shops will delight you with fall fashion, decor, and gifts to take home. Learn when many pubs and restaurants have live music and other activities from the Chamber’s calendar of events. Click here for the entire calendar.
