Mille Lacs Lake Loop from Father Hennepin State Park Campground

Tucked away in the trees next to the popular Lake Mille Lacs and roughly 90 minutes from Minneapolis, MN, lies Mille Lacs Kathio State Park. Of great importance to the Native American tribes that originally inhabited the area, this park is a wooded oasis from the big city. With 35 miles of wooded hiking trails, 27 miles of horse trails and only 1 mile of wheelchair hiking trail, this park off...

Just off of Highway 35 near Sandstone, Minnesota, Banning State Park provides several areas to explore including the Kettle River, Historic Sandstone Quarry, and my favorite - Wolf Creek Falls. While the Kettle River is a popular attraction for hikers as well as kayakers, the scenic hike to Wolf Creek Falls is well worth the trip. Added time to explore other areas of Wolf Creek is highly recom...

The Quarry Loop is an easy hike in Banning State Park, which draws its name from the abandoned sandstone quarry you pass along the way. The trail's rival attraction is the whitewater of the Kettle River, visible as you hike, including the Blueberry Slide, Mother's Delight, and Dragon's Tooth rapids. Accordingly, this also makes the park a popular place with canoeists and kayakers.

Cuyuna is widely known for its world class mountain biking. However, did you know it's also one of the best places to watch the sun rise and set. Not to mention it's so rarely frequented that only the locals use it as a campground. There are two different options when going to Cuyuna to watch a sunset. The first is the easiest, and it's in the main parking lot for the Cuyuna Mountain Biking ran...

Cuyuna Lakes Recreation Area has put a lot of time, money and resources into building this amazing IMBA trail system. There are 5 different trail sections with varying degrees of difficulty and length. They boast "over 30 purpose-built routes to choose from" and "everyone from beginner to pro can enjoy the breath-taking rides and overlooks. The trails are enhanced by the deep-red soil, turquois...

Whether you're stoked on mountain biking or want to get out on a canoe or SUP, Cuyuna is an awesome outdoor rec spot. There's plenty of parking and bathrooms near the landing here, plus handicap-accessible ramps to the water and adaptable trails nearby (great for people with mobility devices and kid bike trailers!). Plus, you can fish for rainbow and brown trout here! I recommend stopping f...