Lake Bemidji State Park is a state park of

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 ...

, United States, on the north shore of

Lake Bemidji Lake Bemidji is a small glacially-formed lake, approximately in area, in northern Minnesota in the United States. Located less than downstream from the source of the Mississippi River, it both receives and is drained by the Mississippi. Name L ...

. The northern half of the park preserves a spruce-tamarack bog. A district of National Park Service rustic structures built by the

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...

and

National Youth Administration The National Youth Administration (NYA) was a New Deal agency sponsored by Franklin D. Roosevelt during his presidency. It focused on providing work and education for Americans between the ages of 16 and 25. It operated from June 26, 1935 to ...

in the 1930s is on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. The park is located north of the city of

Bemidji Bemidji ( ) is a city and the county seat of Beltrami County, Minnesota, Beltrami County, in northern Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,574 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. According to 2021 census estimates, the city ...

Geology and landscape

The landscape in the park is the last stage of the

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...

in Minnesota. As the ice melted 10,000 years ago, soil, gravel, and rock were deposited creating the park's rolling topography. Many swamps and bogs were formed when chunks of ice separated from the receding glacier and left depressions which filled with water.

was created by two huge blocks of ice being left behind by the retreating glacier. The present landscape is not fixed. The land continues to change slowly due to the erosion by wind and water, shoreline wave action, and other acts of mother nature.

History

For hundreds of years, ancestors to the Dakota people fished and hunted around Lake Bemidji. Around 1750 the

Anishinabe The Anishinaabeg (adjectival: Anishinaabe) are a group of culturally related Indigenous peoples present in the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States. They include the Ojibwe (including Saulteaux and Oji-Cree), Odawa, Potawatomi ...

settled. The Anishinabe called the lake "Bemiji-gau-maug" meaning "cutting sideways through" or diagonally. This was a reference to the path of the Mississippi River through the lake. Later Europeans, unable to pronounce the Anishinabe name, simply referred to it as "Bemidji". In the late 19th century, European immigrants migrated to this region to harvest the

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

and Norway pine trees. During the peak of logging, the lumber mill on the south shore of Lake Bemidji was the center of logging in the nation. When the government purchased the land, a few areas within the park boundaries were in a virgin state, preserving the towering forests. In 1923, the Minnesota State Legislature set aside , establishing Lake Bemidji State Park. Today, the park has grown to over to serve 150,000 plus visitors a year.

Wildlife

The vegetation in the park supports many wildlife species.

Birding Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, ...

is popular. Campers may hear the sounds of red-eyed and warbling vireos, rose-breasted grosbeaks, and many other song birds.

Loons Loons ( North American English) or divers (British / Irish English) are a group of aquatic birds found in much of North America and northern Eurasia. All living species of loons are members of the genus ''Gavia'', family Gaviidae and order ...

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...

herons The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

gulls Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari (bird), Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and Skimmer (bird), skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders ...

, even

osprey The osprey (''Pandion haliaetus''), , also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor reaching more than in length and across the wings. It is brown o ...

can be seen by the lakeshore. A hike on one of the park trails can yield a glimpse of a doe with her fawn, a porcupine having lunch halfway up a jackpine, or even an occasional

black bear Black bear or Blackbear may refer to: Animals * American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species * Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species Music * Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...

. Eastern

chipmunks Chipmunks are small, striped rodents of the family Sciuridae. Chipmunks are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia. Taxonomy and systematics Chipmunks may be classified either as ...

and

red squirrels The red squirrel (''Sciurus vulgaris'') is a species of tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus'' common throughout Europe and Asia. The red squirrel is an arboreal, primarily herbivorous rodent. In Great Britain, Ireland, and in Italy numbers ...

also adapt to the park's recreational areas. In the wetland areas of the park, waterfowl, beaver, muskrat, and mink can be found. In the evening, the park is filled with sounds of gray treefrogs, spring peepers, and chorus and wood frogs. The woodland sound of a

barred owl The barred owl (''Strix varia''), also known as the northern barred owl, striped owl or, more informally, hoot owl, is a North American large species of owl. A member of the true owl family, Strigidae, they belong to the genus '' Strix'', whic ...

, the flute-like song of the veery, and the hammering of a

sapsucker The sapsuckers are species of North American woodpeckers in the genus ''Sphyrapicus''. Taxonomy and systematics The genus ''Sphyrapicus'' was introduced in 1858 by the American naturalist Spencer Baird with the yellow-bellied sapsucker (''Sphyr ...

all add to the wilderness experience. In all, nearly 50 species of mammals and almost 200 different kinds of birds can be seen throughout the year in Lake Bemidji State Park. Contact the park naturalist for current information on where and when to observe the variety of wildlife.

Recreation

Lake Bemidji State Park offers recreational activities year round. Activities include camping, hiking, biking,

cross country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreatio ...

, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, picnicking, swimming, volleyball, fishing, boating and interpretive programs.

Camping

The park has 95 drive-in sites, including 43 electric sites, 4 pull-through sites, and 4 handicapped accessible sites. In winter, only one site is available to drive-in. This is a non-electric site. Other sites are available on a walk-in basis after deep snow cover. Two group camp sites are available. Bass Creek is a tent-only group camp that can accommodate up to 30 people. Water is available in the nearby parking area. The North Group Camp site accommodates up to 50 people and has three spaces for small trailers or pick-up campers. The group camps are available in winter but access is on foot. For group camp reservations, contact the state park reservation service at 1-866-85PARKS or online at www.stayatmnparks.com.

Trails

In the summer, there are of handicapped accessible trails, including the boardwalk and Rocky Point trail; of easy to moderate hiking trails that take you through areas of maturing pine, aspen and hardwoods; of paved bike trails which connect with the Paul Bunyan state trail; 5 Miles of mountain bike trails; and a 1/4 mile Bogwalk which is accessible by a hike. The course for the

Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon The Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon is a race in Bemidji, Minnesota, first run in 2013. The race runs around a lake, along a state trail and through a state park. It takes place in October, when many of the forest surroundings are bright with color. Th ...

, first run in October 2013, travels through the park on the paved trails. In the winter, there are of groomed cross country ski trails, of

snowmobile A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...

trails that connect with an extensive trail system beyond the park, and you can showshoe anywhere in the park except the groomed trails. Showshoes can be rented at the park office.

Recreational facilities

In the summer, park visitors can use the lakefront picnic and beach area which has picnic tables, an enclosed shelter with a fireplace, a volleyball court, a shower, restrooms, and pedestal grills. The shelter building and the sanitation building in the park were built by the

and the

, and are of rustic style log construction. These buildings are now listed on the

. The Shelter can be reserved by calling the park office. There is a boat landing located next to the picnic area for those that wish to go fishing or boating. Canoes and fishing boats are available for rent from May 10 through October 13. There is also a handicapped accessible fishing pier. In the winter,

snowshoes Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...

are available for rent at the park office. Or, visitors can park in the picnic area parking lot, bring their own

ice fishing Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice fishers may fish in the open or in heated enclosures, some with bunks and amenities. Shelters Longe ...

equipment, and walk onto the lake to go fishing. There is a warming house located in the Trail Center, in the park's Visitor Center

Naturalist and interpretive programs

Throughout the year, the Visitor Center is a place where information about the park's trails, animals, geology, and other interesting features can be found through exhibits, films or slide programs. A complete list of programs and special programs or organized groups is available upon request. Naturalist programs are offered Wednesday through Sunday from mid-June through Labor Day. Fall, winter and spring programs are generally offered on weekends. The Interpretive Center is open for schools, scouts and other community organizations upon request. Programs focus on the lake and wetland environments found in the park. Interpretive programs in the summer include, morning hikes, boat tours of Lake Bemidji, evening films, and campfire talks. Winter programs include snowshoeing, candlelight skiing, and

animal tracking Tracking in hunting and ecology is the science and art of observing animal tracks and other signs, with the goal of gaining understanding of the landscape and the animal being tracked (the "quarry"). A further goal of tracking is the deeper unde ...

. The Visitor Center is open daily and sometimes serves as a gathering place for interpretive programs where visitors share experiences by the warmth of the woodstove.

Images

Sources

DNR Website
* Lake Bemidji State Park Flyer. (12/2007). State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources

National Register of Historic Places Registration Form

References

External links

{{authority control 1923 establishments in Minnesota Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota Park buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota Protected areas established in 1923 Protected areas of Beltrami County, Minnesota Protected areas on the Mississippi River National Park Service rustic in Minnesota State parks of Minnesota National Register of Historic Places in Beltrami County, Minnesota National Youth Administration