We are very fortunate to have many miles of paved and unpaved trails in the Leech Lake area. The Paul Bunyan State Trail may be the most popular paved rail-to-trail system in the Leech Lake area. However, there are other paved trails; and, of course, miles and miles of unpaved trails. The multi-use Paul Bunyan State Trail is approximately 120 miles of paved trail from Crow Wing State Park (just south of Brainerd) to Bemidji State Park (in Bemidji). This trail and other trails in the area are used year-round for walking, hiking, biking, inline skating, or snowmobiling. With about 15 towns near the trails, there are many choices for lodging and dining. Of Continue Reading
Deep Portage Learning Center
Deep Portage Learning Center is definitely a gem of the Leech Lake area. If you own real estate on Leech Lake, Woman Lake, Ten Mile Lake, or any of the area lakes, you have visitors. Deep Portage Learning Center offers a variety of activities for you and your guests. As mentioned on their website, Deep Portage Learning Center (Deep Portage) offers hiking trails, an interpretive center, and educational programming year-round. Deep Portage is located near Hackensack in the Leech Lake area and has over 6,300 acres to explore. Along the almost 11 miles of hiking or cross-country ski trails, you can see lakes, rivers, and bogs. The trails are well marked and are Continue Reading
Mississippi River Headwaters
The Mississippi River Headwaters is located in Itasca State Park and is only 34 miles from Walker MN and Leech Lake. The Mississippi River is 2,552 miles long and winds its way from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. For those of you who have seen the Mississippi River south of Walker or photos of it, you are probably visualizing a wide river. However, at the headwaters of the Mississippi River, you can walk across it…it’s a shallow stream or creek! Regardless of age, everyone I have taken to the headwaters has enjoyed walking across the Mississippi River. The MN DNR has a panoramic tour you can view online…just to make sure it’s something you want to see Continue Reading
Woodtick Trail
Whether you own property in the Leech Lake area or are looking for a lake home, cabin, land, or waterfront real estate for sale, there are so many things to do and see in the Walker, Hackensack, Longville MN area. Introduction Although there are trails for non-motorized use, such as cross-country skiing, hiking, and biking, there are also miles and miles of trails in Cass County MN available for motorized use. On some of the motorized trails, travelers will need an ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) because autos are not allowed. However, the Woodtick Trail is one of the motorized trails that allows trucks and cars! Travelers do not have to use an ATV to travel on the Continue Reading
Leech Lake Area: North Country Trail
Leech Lake Area: North Country Trail includes Solitude, Incredible Scenery…Don’t Forget the Dedicated Volunteers The North Country National Scenic Hiking Trail (NCT) is a 4,600-mile long, non-motorized trail stretching from New York to North Dakota. We are fortunate that part of the NCT goes through the Leech Lake area. The National Trail System offers scenic hiking, backpacking, and primitive camping opportunities – and part of it is in our backyard! Along segments of the NCT, in addition to hearing birds calling, hikers will see lakes, ponds, bogs, and streams. There are massive pines, oaks, birch, and other trees along the Trail. Many backpackers Continue Reading
The BLT Season
Living in the little village of Whipholt (approximately 13 miles straight east of Walker), my husband and I don’t have much of a back yard, per say. But every year, my husband uses what little backyard we have to plant a few tomato plants. Once the tomatoes have been planted, I then begin to scour the Super One ads each week for bacon coupons and sales. We do our best to stock up for what we refer to as “The BLT Season”. When our tomato plants begin to “bear fruit”, we rarely eat anything BUT homemade BLTs. When it is not “The BLT Season”, I love to order BLT’s from some of our local restaurants. If you can’t tell, I like to think of myself as something of Continue Reading
Winter in Leech Lake Area
Winter in the Leech Lake Area – Step Away from the Fire! On some of the beautiful winter days we have in the Leech Lake area, you or your visitors may be interested in getting away from the warm, inviting fireplace to hike, cross country ski, or snow shoe. No, we are not kidding! The Cass County (Minnesota) website has helpful information and maps of the many trails in the Leech Lake, Ten Mile Lake, and Woman Lake area. Here’s information about 3 ski trails: Located near Ten Mile Lake and Hackensack, the Hiram Cross Country Ski Trail has almost 5 miles of classical trails ranging from Easy to Most Difficult. There is one shelter on the Continue Reading
Veterans Day – Thank you Veterans!
Veterans Day - Thank you Veterans! Veterans Day is a great opportunity for us to honor and celebrate all veterans – living and deceased. World War 1 ended on November 11, 1918 – 100 years ago. Since November 11, 1919, veterans have been honored formally on the Armistice Day holiday. The Armistice Day holiday was renamed in 1954 to Veterans Day. The Heather Hauser Group is honored to have veterans in our lives. We appreciate all the men and women who are serving and have served, sacrificed, and protected the U.S.A. The following are three "formal" ways we have heard of so far that veterans are being honored and celebrated in the Leech Lake Walker Continue Reading
Memorial Day – Remembering
Memorial Day is a day to remember men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military. Although Memorial Day has been observed since 1868, it wasn’t until 1971 that it became an official federal Monday holiday. According to the U. S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, between 1775 and 1991 almost 42 million American’s have served in the military. That’s an incredible number of incredible people. Almost 1.2 million men and women have lost their lives in battle, in theater, or in service non-theatre. They lost their lives to ensure our freedom. All over the United States there will be Memorial Day services. We, of course, have local Memorial Day Continue Reading
MN FISHING OPENER…FINALLY!
The MN fishing opener is a really big deal! That’s an understatement – it’s a HUGE deal; if you fish the opener, you are already starting to prepare and are getting excited! Could this be the year you catch the biggest walleye AND the most walleyes? I hope so. According to the DNR, Minnesota has about 1.4 million licensed anglers! Most of us are getting ready for May 12, 2018, fishing opener. That’s the day in the Leech Lake area that you can keep Walleyes, Sauger, Northern Pike, and, of course, panfish. Many of us have favorite spots to fish. Every year we get up early…or don’t go to bed…to make sure we get on the lake and are the first boat on Continue Reading
