Discover Pequot Lakes

Pequot Lakes can be explored through a variety of themes: Sibley Lake, parks in the town center, a natural area, and regional routes. If you’re looking for a hotel for your stay, these features can help guide you toward the things that interest you. The waterfront, town center, nature, and history each offer a distinct focus.

At Sibley Lake and in the Town Center

Sibley Lake Park is located on Sibley Lake. There is a boat landing on North Oak Street, and the park also has a fishing pier. These provide two specific ways to access the lake: the boat landing and the fishing pier. Trailside Park offers a different focus: it is in the center of Pequot Lakes, and the Paul Bunyan Trail runs through it. The park is also home to a veterans’ memorial and Dru’s Garden, a memorial honoring Dru Sjodin.

Bobber Park also combines a park with a distinctive historic feature. It is located beneath the city’s historic “Bobber” water tower. The park is home to Babe, Paul Bunyan’s blue ox. The places are clearly distinct: Sibley Lake focuses on its boat landing and fishing pier; Trailside Park is defined by its central location, the trail running through it, and its memorial sites; Bobber Park is known for its water tower and Babe.

Nature and History Along Different Routes

Mayo Lake Nature Preserve encompasses 67 acres of land with upland forests and low-lying shrub swamps. The preserve has trails used for recreational activities. If you want to get a sense of the area’s landscapes, you’ll find not only forests here but also shrub swamps. This distinguishes the preserve from the parks by the lake and in the town center.

History and walking trails are the focus of Paul M. Thiede Fire Tower Park. Its historic observation tower was built in 1935 and is open to the public to climb. The park also has more than 3,000 feet of walking trails with interpretive signs. A tower with a specific construction date and trails with interpretive signs offer two different experiences. If you’re looking for a historical connection during your stay, you can put the tower in its historical context; the walking trails complement this focus with their signs.

Distinguishing the Paul Bunyan Trail from the Scenic Byway

When planning, it’s worth distinguishing between the Paul Bunyan Trail and the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway: despite their similar names, they are different routes. The Paul Bunyan Trail runs through Trailside Park. Regionally, it is 112 miles long and paved all the way from Brainerd to Bemidji. By contrast, the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway is a 54-mile driving route in the form of a double loop between Pequot Lakes and Crosslake.

Near Pequot Lakes, part of the Scenic Byway has wide, smooth paved shoulders for cycling. This applies to part of the route, not the entire double loop. If you’re planning to bike on the Byway, keep this limited route information in mind. The Trail and Byway differ not only in name but also in the route features described: the Trail runs through a park, while the Byway is designated as a driving route in the form of a double loop.

Seasonal Events and Markets

In summer, the “Bands in the Park” concerts take place every Saturday evening in the park pavilion; they are open to the public and free. Pequot Lakes also has farmers’ markets during the season. If you’d like to plan your stay around a concert or market, check the dates in advance. This keeps the seasonal nature of these events in mind without assuming a specific date.

The Pequot Lakes Area Historical Society archive is in the heart of downtown and adds another specific point of interest to the town’s historical attractions.

Discover more destinations: Merrifield, Deerwood, Nisswa, Brainerd, Baxter.

For the broader travel overview: Crow Wing County.