The Paul Bunyan Loop is a 315-mile route starting and ending in Grand Rapids, MN, and circles around Leech Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish on bike-legal sections of the North Country Scenic Trail, gravel roads, ATV/snowmobile trails, and paved bike path. Overall, the route is ~75% unpaved.
I’d consider this to be a beta version of the route- I’ve been working on it for a while and rode the full route late last summer. Since then, I’ve made a few minor revisions and am ready to release it to a wider audience. I’m hoping some other folks would be interested in riding this and providing some feedback/trip reports. Please feel free to reach out if you have questions or comments! I’m also located in Duluth so may be able to provide some logistical support if you’re interested in riding it.
# Details
**Distance:** 315 miles
**Elevation Gain:** 10218′
**Riding time:** 5-6 days
**Camping:** There are numerous campgrounds and campsites along the route. Dispersed camping is allowed within Chippewa NF and Paul Bunyan SF. Finding a campsite may be trickier on weekends (though the MN DNR does have a no-turn-away policy for people traveling by bike or foot), so I’d recommend starting the route on a Saturday or Sunday to avoid the worst of the weekend traffic.
**Bike:** While the route could be ridden on tires as small as 35c, I’d recommend riding something in the 44c-2.25” range. The NCT has a lot of roots, and many of the gravel roads and ATV trails are quite sandy. Larger tires will be more comfortable over the rough stuff and float better over the sand.
**Food/Water:** Water is plentiful along the entire route (except the section between Itasca SP and Bemidji)- bring a good water filter and you’ll have an easy time. Walker and Bemidji both have full service grocery stores, offering easy resupply.
# Description
**Section 1:** Grand Rapids to Walker
*Recommended camping: NCT campsites*
After leaving Grand Rapids, the route runs through Blandin Industrial Forest (open to recreational use; watch for logging trucks) before joining the NCT north of Remer. From this point until Walker, the route follows the NCT. This section of the trail is mostly doubletrack and weaves in and out of tall stands of red and white pines, through small wetlands, and skirts small, hidden lakes that offer ample opportunities to swim, fish, and filter water. The NCT can be slow-going- chest-high ferns and blowdowns can make progress difficult, depending or recent trail maintenance and weather. Some on-the-fly rerouting may be necessary if a section is impassible (or if you want a break)- fortunately, most of the NCT has easy gravel road alternate routing; I’ve flagged a number of possible reroutes in the map.
**Section 2:** Walker to Bemidji
*Recommended camping: Gulch Lake Campground, Itasca State Park*
After reaching Walker, the route continues along the Paul Bunyan State Trail before turning off into Paul Bunyan State Forest, where it follows sandy ATV trails and forest roads over to the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Lake Itasca State Park. Here, you can see some of the oldest red pines in Minnesota, grab a sandwich at the Headwaters Cafe, and wade the first few hundred yards of the Mississippi as it begins its journey to the Gulf of Mexico. There are also canoes available for rental for those wanting a break to paddle around Lake Itasca.
From Itasca, the route continues north to Bemidji along gravel roads and ATV trails through farmland. Though Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, this section of the route has none of them. Make sure to fill up on water before leaving Itasca, as these roads are more exposed and can be hot and windy in the summer.
**Section 3:** Bemidji to Grand Rapids
*Recommended camping: Lake Bemidji State Park, Webster Lake Campground, multiple National Forest campgrounds on Cut Foot Sioux Lake, Schoolcraft State Park*
After admiring Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, the route rejoins the Paul Bunyan State Trail and travels north to the Blue Ox Trail, before turning to the west in Tenstrike. From Tenstrike, the route heads into Chippewa National Forest. Be sure to make the short detour into Rabideau CCC Camp, which is incredibly well-preserved and offers guided tours (currently Wednesdays, weekends, and holidays). The gravel roads through the National Forest are generally quiet, though fishing traffic will be more frequent on weekends.
1 Comment
The Paul Bunyan Loop is a 315-mile route starting and ending in Grand Rapids, MN, and circles around Leech Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish on bike-legal sections of the North Country Scenic Trail, gravel roads, ATV/snowmobile trails, and paved bike path. Overall, the route is ~75% unpaved.
I’d consider this to be a beta version of the route- I’ve been working on it for a while and rode the full route late last summer. Since then, I’ve made a few minor revisions and am ready to release it to a wider audience. I’m hoping some other folks would be interested in riding this and providing some feedback/trip reports. Please feel free to reach out if you have questions or comments! I’m also located in Duluth so may be able to provide some logistical support if you’re interested in riding it.
# Details
**Distance:** 315 miles
**Elevation Gain:** 10218′
**Riding time:** 5-6 days
**Camping:** There are numerous campgrounds and campsites along the route. Dispersed camping is allowed within Chippewa NF and Paul Bunyan SF. Finding a campsite may be trickier on weekends (though the MN DNR does have a no-turn-away policy for people traveling by bike or foot), so I’d recommend starting the route on a Saturday or Sunday to avoid the worst of the weekend traffic.
**Bike:** While the route could be ridden on tires as small as 35c, I’d recommend riding something in the 44c-2.25” range. The NCT has a lot of roots, and many of the gravel roads and ATV trails are quite sandy. Larger tires will be more comfortable over the rough stuff and float better over the sand.
**Food/Water:** Water is plentiful along the entire route (except the section between Itasca SP and Bemidji)- bring a good water filter and you’ll have an easy time. Walker and Bemidji both have full service grocery stores, offering easy resupply.
# Description
**Section 1:** Grand Rapids to Walker
*Recommended camping: NCT campsites*
After leaving Grand Rapids, the route runs through Blandin Industrial Forest (open to recreational use; watch for logging trucks) before joining the NCT north of Remer. From this point until Walker, the route follows the NCT. This section of the trail is mostly doubletrack and weaves in and out of tall stands of red and white pines, through small wetlands, and skirts small, hidden lakes that offer ample opportunities to swim, fish, and filter water. The NCT can be slow-going- chest-high ferns and blowdowns can make progress difficult, depending or recent trail maintenance and weather. Some on-the-fly rerouting may be necessary if a section is impassible (or if you want a break)- fortunately, most of the NCT has easy gravel road alternate routing; I’ve flagged a number of possible reroutes in the map.
**Section 2:** Walker to Bemidji
*Recommended camping: Gulch Lake Campground, Itasca State Park*
After reaching Walker, the route continues along the Paul Bunyan State Trail before turning off into Paul Bunyan State Forest, where it follows sandy ATV trails and forest roads over to the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Lake Itasca State Park. Here, you can see some of the oldest red pines in Minnesota, grab a sandwich at the Headwaters Cafe, and wade the first few hundred yards of the Mississippi as it begins its journey to the Gulf of Mexico. There are also canoes available for rental for those wanting a break to paddle around Lake Itasca.
From Itasca, the route continues north to Bemidji along gravel roads and ATV trails through farmland. Though Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, this section of the route has none of them. Make sure to fill up on water before leaving Itasca, as these roads are more exposed and can be hot and windy in the summer.
**Section 3:** Bemidji to Grand Rapids
*Recommended camping: Lake Bemidji State Park, Webster Lake Campground, multiple National Forest campgrounds on Cut Foot Sioux Lake, Schoolcraft State Park*
After admiring Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, the route rejoins the Paul Bunyan State Trail and travels north to the Blue Ox Trail, before turning to the west in Tenstrike. From Tenstrike, the route heads into Chippewa National Forest. Be sure to make the short detour into Rabideau CCC Camp, which is incredibly well-preserved and offers guided tours (currently Wednesdays, weekends, and holidays). The gravel roads through the National Forest are generally quiet, though fishing traffic will be more frequent on weekends.