The Paul Bunyan State Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail 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 ...

, United States, running between the cities of Baxter/ Brainerd and

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 ...

. It is named after the giant lumberjack

Paul Bunyan Paul Bunyan is a giant lumberjack and folk hero in American and Canadian folklore. His exploits revolve around the tall tales of his superhuman labors, and he is customarily accompanied by Babe the Blue Ox. The character originated in the o ...

of American folklore. The route was part of the Burlington Northern Railroad lines abandoned in 1983. The trail covers a distance of . The southern extension, completed in 2012, moved the southern terminus to

Crow Wing State Park Crow Wing State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Crow Wing Rivers. The park interprets the site of Old Crow Wing, one of the most populous towns in Minnesota in the 1850s and 1860s. The ...

. The route through Bemidji follows city streets until an off-road path can be secured. The Paul Bunyan State Trail intersects with the

Heartland State Trail The Heartland State Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail in north-central Minnesota, USA. It runs between Park Rapids and Cass Lake, intersecting with the Paul Bunyan State Trail around Walker. The entire route is paved, with a parall ...

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 ...

and in Bemidji joins the Blue Ox Trail, which continues to the Canada–United States border. As of 2013, 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 ...

runs on the portion of the trail along Lake Bemidji to Lake Bemidji State Park.

References

External links

Paul Bunyan State Trail

PaulBunyanTrail.com
{{Authority control Burlington Northern Railroad Leech Lake Minnesota state trails Protected areas of Beltrami County, Minnesota Protected areas of Cass County, Minnesota Protected areas of Crow Wing County, Minnesota Protected areas of Hubbard County, Minnesota Rail trails in Minnesota Brainerd, Minnesota