The Heartland State Trail is a multi-use recreational

rail trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...

in north-central

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, USA. It runs between Park Rapids and Cass Lake, intersecting with the

Paul Bunyan State Trail The Paul Bunyan State Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail in north-central Minnesota, United States, running between the cities of Baxter/ Brainerd and Bemidji. It is named after the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan of American folklore. ...

around

Walker Walker or The Walker may refer to: People *Walker (given name) *Walker (surname) *Walker (Brazilian footballer) (born 1982), Brazilian footballer Places In the United States *Walker, Arizona, in Yavapai County *Walker, Mono County, California * ...

. The entire route is paved, with a parallel grass trackway along the southern half for

horseback riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

and

mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...

. The northern half of the trail has some parallel trackway for snowmobiles. A segment north of Walker traverses very hilly terrain to appeal to snowmobilers; other users can follow a marked alternate route on paved road shoulders. Established by an act of the

Minnesota Legislature The Minnesota Legislature is the bicameral legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota consisting of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators are elected from 67 single-member districts. In order to account for decennia ...

in 1974, the Heartland State Trail is one of the state's oldest rail trails. A westward extension was approved in 2006 to run from Park Rapids to Moorhead. This section is still in the planning stages and the exact route has not been finalized. Red Bridge Park, city of Park Rapids, Minnesota

Red Bridge Park, city of Park Rapids, Minnesota

The trail's current route runs from Park Rapids through

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

Nevis Nevis is a small island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. Nevis and the neighbouring island of Saint Kitts constitute one country: the Federation of Saint Kitts and Ne ...

, Akeley, and

to Cass Lake. The trail connects the communities of Park Rapids, Dorset, Nevis, Akeley, Walker and Cass Lake.

References

External links

Heartland State Trail
{{Authority control Minnesota state trails Protected areas established in 1974 Protected areas of Cass County, Minnesota Protected areas of Hubbard County, Minnesota Rail trails in Minnesota 1974 establishments in Minnesota National Recreation Trails in Minnesota