Enjoy Year-Round Activities in the Heart of Itasca County

The Northern MN Resorts area is a Minnesota resort vacation destination full of fun and interesting things to do.  Here you can relax while you enjoy world-class fishing for walleye, northern, bluegill, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass;  re-charge as you bask in the sun on our sandy beaches; and revitalize your spirit with an exhilarating trip on forest trails on a crisp, winter day.

Our resorts and campgrounds offer a range of experiences from relaxing to invigorating.  Looking for a restful Minnesota get-away?  We have resorts that emphasize peace and quiet with their small size and secluded location.  Do you prefer a family vacation with activities for everyone?  We have member resorts that offer scheduled kid's activities and babysitting services.  Would you rather bring a golf bag than a tackle box?  With four 18-hole championship golf courses as well as a host of public courses in the area, your clubs won't get a rest.  Add to that the many cultural, historical and natural attractions and we think you'll agree that the Northern MN Resorts Area holds unparalleled year-round appeal!

For more information about specific activities contact any of the resort properties that are members of the Northern MN Resorts group.

Eagle Viewing & Wildlife Watching

The Chippewa National Forest supports the highest breeding density of bald eagles in the United States outside of Alaska. Large fertile lakes, towering red and white pines, and remote areas provide ideal nesting and feeding habitat.  Many of the most sought-after birds in North America can be found in the Visions North Area. These include the Great Gray Owl, Bald Eagle, Boreal Owl, Northern Goshawk, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Black-backed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Gray Jay, Connecticut Warbler, and the Yellow Rail. In the winter you can also see the Snowy Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Northern Shrike, Gyrfalcon, Snow Bunting, Crossbills, Redpolls and Winter Finches. 

The area is also home to many species of wildlife.  These include timberwolves, raccoons, whitetail deer, moose, bobcats, cougars, black bears, beavers, porcupines, lynx, mink, chipmunks, squirrels, pine martens, foxes, badger, coyotes, rabbits and wolverines.

Area Attractions

If you are interested in a little site seeing while in Minnesota we invite you to explore Itasca County and the Chippewa National Forest.  Here are some great ideas for an afternoon outing:

White Oak Society, Inc.

The members of the White Oak Society provide "living history" interpretations of the fur trade era within the Great Lakes region. They operate The White Oak Learning Centre & White Oak Fur Post located just north of Deer River, Minnesota on US Hwy. 6. Housed within the White Oak Learning Centre are The Great Hall, The Rick Balen Library, The White Oak Society Office and the opportunity of a variety of educational programs for youths and adults alike. Their goal is to expand today's horizons with a "hands on" experience of the past.

The Norwesters, their volunteer and part-time staff of interpreters, portray authentic characters of the fur trade at the White Oak Fur Post and in communities throughout the region. These "interpreters" help you understand the history of the fur trading era by portraying the life style of people from that era. Dressed in authentic costumes, White Oak Society members communicate history by demonstrating the actual working and living conditions of the time.

Each year the White Oak Society sponsors the White Oak Rendezvous and Festival where an 18^th Century Fur Post "comes alive!" The event includes a participant family camp that allows reenactors and the public an opportunity to relive the vibrancy and ambiance of a thriving Northwest Company Fur Post. For more information call them at 218-246-9393 or email them: whiteoak@paulbunyan.net.

Forest History Center

Visit a recreated turn-of-the-century logging camp where you will find the camp blacksmith, saw filer, clerk, cook and lumberjacks. Then, board the moored river "wanigan," a floating cook shack used when the logs, and men, headed downstream to the mills. Or, take a seat on the porch of a 1930s Minnesota Forest Service patrolman's cabin and hear about the ranger's important work protecting woodland resources. Self-guided forest trails and museum exhibits complete the story of in the northern forests of Minnesota from ancient times to today.

The living history features, interpretive building and trails are open June 1 through Labor Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.- Monday through Saturday; and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The interpretive building and trails are open on weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round (closed winter holidays). Cross country ski trails are open daily as snow conditions permit.

For more information visit the Forest History Center website or call 218-327-4482. The Forest History Center is located near US Highways 169 and 2 at 2609 County Road 76, Grand Rapids, Minnesota 55744.

Hill Annex Mine

Hill Annex Mine is the world's largest open pit mine that is open for tours. Located in Calumet, Minnesota, just off Hwy. 169, the history of Hill Annex dates back more than a century. The land was originally leased for mineral exploration in 1892. It was leased again in 1900 for a period of more than 50 years. Mining began in 1913 and continued until 1978. Hill Annex Mine produced 63 million of iron ore, and was the sixth largest producer in the state. Over its 60 years of operation, mining technology changed drastically. In the early days, horses provided the power. Eventually steam and then electrical power replaced the horse-drawn equipment. When the high-grade ore finally played out, the mine was sold to the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) for $1. The IRRRB developed the tour route, the clubhouse into a museum/visitor center, and gave tours of the mine for 10 years. In 1988, the State Legislature made Hill Annex Mine a state park. It is now a national historic site.

The open pit mine has become a lake frequented by osprey, gulls and loons. When the mine shut down in 1978, the pumps that kept it dry over the years were stopped, and the water seeped back in. The tour offers visitors panoramic views of the mine pit lakes and the rock walls in their various hues of red.

Mine tours are led by interpreters who all have a mining background. In addition to mine tours, interpreters also lead park geology tours and fossil hunts during the summer season. Discover the history of mining on the Iron Range, vintage machinery and the beauty of scenic overlooks. Tours are held daily during the summer season and on weekends later into the fall. Office hours are 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. In spring, fall and winter, office is open Mon-Fri. but due to short staffing, it is best to call ahead for hours. For more information call 218-247-7215.

Judy Garland Birthplace Historic House & Children’s Discovery Museum

Visit the house in which American entertainment legend Judy Garland spent the first four and a half years of her life. The restored-to-the-1920's house tells the story of this young performer, her family and her career. At the Oz Exhibit & Children's Museum find interactive activities to charm children of all ages. See the original carriage used in the 1939 MGM Classic The Wizard of Oz.

The Judy Garland Birthplace Historic House and the Children’s Discovery Museum are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. They are located at 2727 Hwy. 169 South in Grand Rapids. For more information call 1-800-664-JUDY or 218-327-9276, visit their websites at www.judygarlandmuseum.com or www.cdmkids.org or email: jgarland@uslink.net

Itasca Heritage Center Museum And Judy Garland Exhibit

The Itasca Heritage Museum captures the flavor of the turn of the century and the stories of the people, places, and resources that shaped this region. Marvel at the resourcefulness of the Native Americans. Learn how the Mississippi River allowed access to the land that provided nation with the resources of lumber and iron ore. Admire the simple life of the immigrants who came to this area for the promise of a good life. Walk down a main street of yesterday. Learn about the simple home life of early residents.

Judy Garland Exhibit: A Family Scrapbook

Judy Garland was born Frances Ethel Gumm in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. During their 12 years in this area, the Gumm family operated the New Grand Theater. The story of this family of entertainers is what you will discover in the exhibit "A Family Scrapbook" which includes rare photographs, artifacts of her childhood, family life, and movie career. It's a must see.

The museum is located on the third floor of the Old Central School in Grand Rapids at the intersection of Highways 169 and 2. It is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday; 9:40 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays; and on Sundays during the summer from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call 218-326-6431.

Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway

Awarded the status of National Scenic Byway in 1996, this 47 mile drive meanders from Grand Rapids to Effie on Minnesota’s State Highway 38.  It shows off spectacular scenery and gives access to a variety of outdoor recreational experiences. Designated as one of the country's first National Scenic Byways, only 20 now exist. Highway 38 is also the only Byway in the country known to have State, National Forest and National Scenic Byway designations.

A Forest History Interpretive Discovery Tour booklet is available. For more information call 218-832-3161 or email: upnorth@bigfork.net.

Chippewa National Forest’s "Lost Forty"

Experience the forests of old at the Chippewa national Forest’s "Lost Forty." The original Government Land Survey in 1882 described the land of the Lost Forty as part of Coddington Lake. This mapping error caused the virgin pine of the area to be left behind by loggers at the turn of the century. The Lost Forty is actually 144 acres.

Most of the mature red and white pine is found on the east end of the Lost Forty. These trees are up to 350 years old and between 22 and 48 inches in diameter. Biologically, pine can live up to 500 years.

A one-mile self-guided trail winds its way through the majestic pines of the Lost Forty. A picnic area is also available at the site.

The Lost Forty is located northwest of Wirt, Minnesota approximately two miles north of the intersection of County Roads 29 and 26. (on the Official Itasca County Map look for the big pine tree in the northwest part of the county.)

Cut Foot Sioux Ranger Station

Cut Foot Sioux Ranger Station is the oldest remaining ranger station building in the Forest Service’s Eastern Region. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, tours are arranged through the Cut Foot Sioux Visitor Information Center.

The ranger station and visitor center is located on State Highway 46 near Cutfoot Sioux Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish.

Trout Lake Semiprimitive Non-motorized Area and the Joyce Estate

Trout Lake Semiprimitive Non-motorized Area and the Joyce Estate offer 6,000 acres of forest with 26 miles of shoreline on 11 lakes. Ten miles of old roads and trails provide for hunting, hiking or skiing. The rolling terrain provides scenic views over area lakes wrapped with maple, aspen, birch and scattered pine.

In the 1880s, William T. Joyce came to the area and started buying land and timber. The area was logged in the early 1900s and the logs were floated out through the chain of lakes to the prairie river and then to the Mississippi River. About 1918, the heir to the family fortune originating in lumber taken from northern Minnesota, David Joyce of Chicago, surveyed the area around Trout Lake with the intention of building a hunting camp. Over the next 17 years he built a 4,500 acre private resort with 40 buildings, a golf course, private telephone line and airplane hangar. The Joyce Family called this place "Nopeming" (meaning place of rest in Ojibwe). The estate operated as a plush private resort for the Joyce Family until 1972 when it was sold to the Nature Conservancy. The Forest Service subsequently acquired it in 1973.

Visitors can tour the grounds of the Joyce Estate and view the rustic log architecture and stickwork characteristic of the Adirondack tradition. The Joyce Estate is located 13 miles north of Grand Rapids, one mile east of the intersection of County Road 60 and State Highway 38.

Suomi Hills

The remote setting of the Suomi Hills semiprimitive nonmotorized area is made up of rolling hills, clear lakes and some of the most spectacular fall color in the area. There are 21 miles of trail, numerous small lakes and several primitive campsites for day or overnight hiking, biking, skiing and canoe trips. The rolling topography offers cross country skiers and mountain bike trails for intermediate and advance skiers and bikers. The trails are groomed and track-set in the winter and mowed in the summer.

North Suomi Hills is the site of the Day Lake Civilian Conservation Camp (CCC), which became a prisoner of war camp during World War II.

Suomi Hills is located 14 miles north of Grand Rapids on the Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway (State Highway 38).

Itasca County Golf Courses

With four 18-hole championship courses and several more nine-hole courses found within Itasca County, you are certain to find a tee-time to suit your needs. Very few northern resort areas offer the many choices we do.  Area courses include a wide variety of golf to accommodate all skill levels.  For the most enjoyable time, call ahead to set a tee time.

Finally, who says price doesn't matter?  You'll find that Northwoods golf offers very affordable golf fees with some of the best values in the Midwest.

Golf Courses in Itasca County

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