Fall color hikes abound in Brainerd MN area

Crow Wing State Park, Brainerd, Minn.

There’s no better way to experience autumn colors in the Brainerd area

than a hike.

The brilliant yellows, oranges and red

of maples to the scarlet and russets

of oaks...the crisp, fresh autumn air

and the last warm rays of sunlight

before winter arrives...the crunch of fallen leaves and acorns beneath your boots...stopping to enjoy a warm 

mug of apple cider or a caramel apple pulled from your backpack – it all calls for an afternoon on the trail.

Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails around Brainerd to hike. Some are right out your back door,

while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Crow Wing State Park (Brainerd)
Colorful maple, oak and aspen line the riverbank at Crow Wing State Park. The 3.2-miles round trip Hiking Club Trail runs roughly in a loop, mostly along the Mississippi River. Historic sites, wildlife, and a picnic area can be found along the way. From Brainerd, take Minn. Hwy. 371 south. Turn right/northwest onto County Road 27 into the park. The county road ends at your parking lot, from which the trail heads north.

Pillsbury State Forest (Brainerd)
Hikers can enjoy great fall colors at Pillsbury State Forest. The 8.2-mile round trip Pillsbury State Forest Trail heads through a mixed forest of gold aspen and basswood, crimson maples and oaks, and green jack and white pine. Half-way through the hike, large, old red pines rise at an old logging road, marking a good turnback spot. From Brainerd, take Minn. Hwy. 210 west. Go right/north onto County Road 18 SW then left/west onto County Road 77 SW. Next, turn left/west onto Pillsbury Forest Road SW and park in the Pillsbury Forest Horse Camp South. The trail heads east from it.

Savanna Portage State Park (McGregor)
Among the best spots in Minnesota to see fall colors is Savanna Portage State Park. Its fairly flat 4.25-mile Continental Divide loop heads through a forest of tall maple, oak, poplar, and birch sprinkled heavily with white and red pine. From McGregor, take Minn. Hwy. 65 north. Turn right/east onto County Road 14; it comes Lake Place upon entering the park. Leave your vehicle in the parking lot on the left/west just before Loon Lake Road. Cross Lake Place and take the Old Schoolhouse Trail north. Make it a loop by going right/south onto the Continental Divide Trail then right/west onto the Anderson Road Trail, which leads back to your trailhead.

Mille Lacs Kathio State Park (Onamia)
Hikers can climb a 100-foot observation/fire tower for a fantastic view of Mille Lacs Lake and the surrounding fall colors at Mille Lacs Kathio State Park. To reach the tower, you’ll hike a series of connecting trails for about two miles through dense woodland in one of the state’s most popular parks. The collection of trails to the tower route you through a second-growth forest, consisting mainly of aspen, birch, maple and oak. Autumn leaves typically peak from late September to early October. In Onamia, take U.S. Hwy. 169 about 8 miles north of Onamia. At the Kathio Arrowhead sign, turn onto County Road 26. After a mile, you’ll come to the park entrance where a small fee is required. Follow the park road past the observation tower. At the first and second intersections, continue driving straight; just past the Ogechie Campground is a parking lot. Pick up the Hiking Club Trail at the lot’s northeast end and go right.

Lake Alexander Woods Scientific and Natural Area (Cushing)
An upland forest of mature oak, large-toothed aspen, and birch await hikers at Lake Alexander Woods Scientific and Natural Area. The woodland sits on the higher ground that weaves around small lakes and wetlands, a classic example of central Minnesota’s kettle and knob topography. There are no maintained trails in the natural area, so you’ll have to rely on game trails and degraded footpaths to wend through the woods, which is quite colorful in autumn. From Little Falls, take U.S. Hwy. 10 northwest. In Cushing, turn right/north onto Bison Road then right/northeast onto County Road 5/Bear Road. Park in the grassy driveway for the natural area on the road’s left/west side.

Yaeger Lake Wildlife Management Area (Wadena)
Hikers can enjoy an oak woodland in an area more known for its jack pine at Yaeger Lake Wildlife Management Area. About 1.5 miles of four stacked loops heads through the oak woods on Yaegar Lake’s northeast side. From Wadena, travel north on U.S. Hwy. 71. Turn right/east onto County Road 13. Then right/east onto County Road 15. In about 0.95 miles, look for a driveway on the road’s right/south side. Park in the driveway and walk south onto the stacked loops.

Hike to, climb 100-foot observation tower

Entry to Mille Lacs Kathio State Park in Minnesota.

Hikers can climb a 100-foot observation/fire tower for a fantastic view of Mille Lacs Lake and the surrounding countryside at Minnesota’s Kathio State Park. To reach the tower, you’ll hike a series of connecting trails for about two miles through dense woodland in one of the state’s most popular parks.

From Onamia, take U.S. Hwy. 169 about 8 miles north of Onamia. At the Kathio Arrowhead sign, turn onto County Road 26. After a mile, you’ll come to the park entrance where a small fee is required. Follow the park road past the observation tower. At the first and second intersections, continue driving straight; just past the Ogechie Campground is a parking lot. Pick up the Hiking Club Trail at the lot’s northeast end and go right.

The park’s 35 miles of trails all are well maintained but easy to get lost on as they meander and frequently intersect. Watch for the trail junction markers to stay on track.

Paralleling the road you just drove in on, continue walking in a roughly eastern direction. At trail junction marker 20, depart Hiking Club Trail by heading right; you’ll then cross the road you came in on.

The park itself is a section of a terminal moraine, a geological term for where glaciers stopped advancing during the last ice age. The glaciers left behind gravel and boulders carried here from Canada. Upon melting, this region was underwater and slowly has been draining ever since.

Wildlife abundant in second-growth forest
At marker 21, go right/south. The collection of trails to the tower route you through a second-growth forest, consisting mainly of aspen, birch, maple and oak. When you spot conifer stands, you’re glimpsing what this region looked like more than a century ago before loggers canvassed the area. Closer to the ground in June, you may notice pretty white trilliums blooming.

Go left/east at marker 33. You’ll then cross another park road. To give you a sense of where you’re at, this is the road that made the second intersection with the park road that you came in on.

At marker 32, go straight/east. Despite the number of trails and roads, by this time you’ll probably have noticed the great variety of wildlife in the park. White-tailed deer, squirrels, chipmunks and even black bear scurry about at ground level while high overhead eagles, osprey, Canadian geese, and loons abound. When coming across small clearings and aspen stands, watch for ruffed grouse.

Go straight/east at marker 29. You may be wondering where the park’s name, “Mille Lacs Kathio,” comes form. “Mille Lacs” is a French term meaning “1,000 Lakes,” which is what early European explorers and fur traders called the region. Blame “Kathio,” however, on poor handwriting – when explorer Daniel Duluth wrote that he called the area “Izatys” – which the native Mdewakanton Sioux living here called themselves – the “Iz” looked like a “K.” One more error turned “Katys” to “Kathio,” which doesn’t translate to anything.

Ascending Isle Harbor tower
At marker 3, go left/north. People have lived in what is now “Kathio” State Park for at least 9,000 years, or since that last ice age ended. In fact, the park can boast that it’s one of the most important collections of archeological sites in the state. Nineteen ancient sites have been identified. You can visit one of them when you return to the parking lot where your vehicle is located; the Cooper Site, an ancient Sioux village, is within walking distance and southwest of the parking lot, sitting on the shore of Ogechie Lake.

But first, let’s get to the observation tower. At marker 4, go right/east. In this area, watch your step: Some trails are for both equestrian riders and backpackers, so be careful of horse manure that sometimes is on the path. You’ll cross another park road (this road leads to the first intersection with the park road that you came in on). You’ll then come upon marker 5; continue straight to the observation tower.

The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the Isle Harbor tower in 1936, and it was moved to the park in 1982. Anyone can go up it during daylight, but be aware that the open stairways makes this unsuitable for young children, who easily could fall or be scared; older children, teens, and the height-averse certainly may find it a worthy challenge as well. The views from the top make it worthwhile, though.

Return the way you came. If you have the whole day, the park offers picnic areas, swimming beaches, a visitor center, and several quality interpretive/nature programs.

Click map for larger version.

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.