Hubbard County Between Lakes and Culture

Hubbard County can be explored through a variety of places: the Fish Hook River in Park Rapids, Paine Lake near Lake George, and the western part of Lake Itasca State Park. For planning your trip, it helps to choose a theme as your starting point: water, trails or local history. Each place and activity offers its own highlights and gives you specific points of reference for a stay in the county.

Lakes, Rivers and Public Access Points

Lake Itasca State Park extends into Hubbard County in the west. It covers more than 32,000 acres and includes 100 lakes. In Itasca State Park, the Mississippi begins as a river about 18 feet wide and knee-deep. If you want to experience the river at its source, you’ll find a particularly tangible point of reference here.

Closer to Park Rapids and Lake George, waterways also help orient visitors. Heartland Park is in Park Rapids on the Fish Hook River. Lake George Community Park is on Paine Lake in Lake George. Hubbard County maintains 25 public boat accesses and four public beaches: on Stony Lake, on the Fish Hook River at Heartland Park, on Garfield Lake near Laporte, and on Paine Lake at Lake George Community Park. These named beach locations are distinguished by their respective waterways and points of reference.

Trails and Places Around Park Rapids

Heartland Park is at the start of the Heartland Trail. There is also an access point to the Heartland State Trail at Heartland County Park in Park Rapids: on Mill Street, 0.25 miles north of Highway 34. In Park Rapids, you’ll find both the start of the Heartland Trail and an access point to the Heartland State Trail.

Three off-highway trails are associated with Hubbard County: the 122-mile Forest Riders Trail, the 97-mile Martineau Recreational Trails and the 113-mile Round River Drive Trail. Their lengths allow for a direct comparison: Forest Riders is the longest of the three, Round River Drive falls in between, and Martineau is the shortest. Their names and lengths help you distinguish between the designated trails.

History and Culture

The Hubbard County Historical Museum is dedicated to educating the public and showcasing Hubbard County’s heritage. It is housed in a Victorian building originally constructed as a courthouse in 1900; the museum opened there in 1978. The two dates mark different chapters in the building’s history: its original function and its later beginning as a museum.

Giiwedinong offers a distinct cultural focus: it is Minnesota’s first museum dedicated to treaty rights and culture. Together with the Historical Museum, which focuses on Hubbard County’s heritage, this place offers a different perspective on the region. If you’d like to include culture in your trip, you can take these different focuses into account when planning.

A Seasonal Look at Park Rapids

The Park Rapids Farmers’ Market takes place seasonally in Park Rapids, from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through the last Saturday in September. Dates are subject to change, so check the dates for your planned visit. The market adds a seasonal event to the area’s nature and cultural attractions in the host community of Park Rapids.

Park Rapids, Lake George and Lake Itasca State Park, which extends into Hubbard County in the west, offer different points of reference. This lets you tailor your trip planning to your interests before choosing a hotel.

Discover more destinations: Park Rapids, Watonwan County, Lake Of The Woods County, Dakota, Aitkin County, Pipestone County, Brown County, Waseca County

For the full travel overview: Minnesota.