8 route & road-trip ideas
Travel this spectacular, winding byway by many pristine lakes, forests, swamps, rolling hills, and other unique features. Outdoor recreation, interpretive sites, and other exciting opportunities await the traveler. During fall, the northwoods is adorned with the brilliant colors of red sugar maples, bronze oak trees and glowing gold aspen and birch.
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The country s longest continuous system of public urban parkways, this has been the preeminent urban parkway system for more than a century. Lovely parks, trails, lakes and parkways surround the city of Minneapolis. Enjoy the Chain of Lakes, Lake Nokomis, Lake Hiawatha, Minnehaha Falls, and much more.
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Throughout history, the Mississippi River influenced many lives: the Dakota, Chippewa, and Hopewell cultures; early French voyagers; African-Americans seeking freedom on the Underground Railroad; and many more. Through its charming river towns and metropolitan cities, historic sites and cultural artifacts, today s Great River Road still links resources, people, and history.
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The Gunflint Trail is best known as the eastern entrance to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA), a unique wilderness of more than a thousand lakes and streams joined by short overland trails called portages.
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In the small communities and scenic beauty of this byway, visitors find art galleries, antique shops, Amish tours, historic sites, cave tours, and museums. Parks, forests and the Root and Mississippi Rivers provide opportunities for many recreation options, including canoeing, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, cycling, wildlife watching, fishing, and photography.
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The Minnesota River Valley is rich with stories of American Indian lifestyle changes entangled with the struggles of Euro-American immigrants making a home in this unfamiliar land. The establishment of agricultural cooperatives, railroad and river transportation, and land stewardship practices make this one of the most productive agricultural civilizations anywhere.
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This byway follows the majestic shoreline of Lake Superior, the world s largest freshwater lake. Experience some of the most spectacular scenery in the country. The drive provides access to eight state parks, and the Superior National Forest and offers unlimited opportunities to enjoy the outdoors in all seasons.
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Like nature s table of contents, the lakes and woods of the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway are chapters filled with many recreational opportunities and adventures just waiting to be discovered. With the wink and wit of Paul Bunyan lore slipped in for fun, sites and events turn easily into sparkling memories.
Explore this route →Multistate routes appear in each relevant state. Some entries describe a byway, others a selected stretch or a broader road trip; routes can overlap.