Beltrami County: Bogs, Trails and History

In Beltrami County, outdoor experiences range from boardwalks through bog landscapes to cross-country ski trails and horse camping. The areas also differ in how their trails can be used: some are suitable for several activities, while others are specifically reserved for a particular sport. When planning your trip, considering the landscape and how the trails are used can help you choose what to focus on.

Bog Landscapes and Trails

Big Bog State Recreation Area covers a total of 9,121 acres in Beltrami County. In Lake Bemidji State Park, swamps and bogs lie in depressions formed by retreating ice. The Bog Walk Trail there is 1.25 miles long and follows an easy boardwalk with gravel sections through a black spruce and tamarack bog.

The Big Bog Boardwalk is flat, about one mile long, and accessible to people with disabilities. From the boardwalk, you can see orchids, carnivorous plants and mosses, as well as a stunted tamarack and spruce forest. The trail descriptions highlight different features: the Bog Walk Trail alternates between boardwalk and gravel sections, while the Big Bog Boardwalk is notable for its flat surface and explicitly stated accessibility.

Routes for Biking, Running and Winter Sports

Movil Maze is a 913-acre recreation area for day use. You can reach it via a gravel parking lot next to Wildwood Road NE, also known as County Road 305. The area has more than 8 miles of designated mountain bike trails, which can also be used for biking, walking or running. There are also more than 14 kilometers of designated ski trails, which are open exclusively for cross-country skiing. This means the ski trails have stricter usage limits than the mountain bike trails: keep this difference in mind when choosing an activity.

Grant Creek Horse Camp offers several non-electric campsites for horse camping and day-use opportunities. More than 42 miles of natural-surface trails are accessible from the camp. Horse camping is free and offered on a first-come, first-served basis; the camp is exclusively for horses. For your planning, both the camp’s connection to the natural-surface trails and these specific camping conditions are important.

Lakes and Winter Routes

Three Island Park is a 2,915-acre day-use facility on Three Island Lake, about 12 miles north of Bemidji. It has more than 28 kilometers of cross-country ski trails and 7 miles of snowmobile trails. The two figures differ both by activity and by distance: the ski trails are designated for cross-country skiing, while the shorter snowmobile trails offer another way to enjoy winter.

Rognlien Park on Grant Lake offers a different focus on the water. Facilities there include a swimming beach and a boat ramp. Along with the ski trails and paths in the other areas, these options broaden the range of possible activities, though not every location offers the same kind of outing.

History, Art and Tradition

The Beltrami County History Center is housed in the historically restored Great Northern Depot, built in 1912. Archives, collections, changing and long-term interpretive exhibits, and educational programs explore different chapters of the region’s history: railroads, the timber industry, Ojibwe life, pioneer immigration, and sports history in northern Minnesota. The subject matter spans work and everyday life, as well as culture and sports.

In downtown Bemidji, the Sculpture Walk has displayed works by regional artists since 1999, with new pieces added to the program each year. The Spring PowWow is also an annual event, dating back to 1973. The Spring PowWow is open to the non-Indigenous public as well; because participation requirements may vary from one event to another, check the details for your preferred date in advance. Dates and programming may change.

This lets you focus on the experiences that matter most during your stay, then use the booking link to search for a hotel.

Discover more destinations: Bemidji, Blackduck, Olmsted, Polk County, Steele County, Benton County, Rock, Todd County

Go to the broader travel overview: Minnesota.