Lake Country Scenic Byway

Overview

Start at the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Itasca Sate Park and travel this 88-mile byway just 3 ½ hours north of the Twin Cities. Many of Minnesota’s thousand lakes are along this route and make for excellent birding as you travel a segment of Minnesota’s Pine to Prairie Birding Trail. Great places to view birds are Itasca and the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. Hike the North Country Scenic Trail which follows much of the byway's corridor. The three “anchor” towns of Walker, Park Rapids, and Detroit Lakes and the entire route offer campgrounds, hotels, lodges and resorts with restaurants, golfing, hiking and biking trails, art galleries, music festivals, and road-side diners.