7 Most Scenic Small Towns In Minnesota For Nature Lovers

Minnesota is a beloved state in the Midwestern region that oozes natural appeal. From its over 10,000 lakes to its vast forest areas and rich wildlife, almost everything about this state revolves around nature. Even its name translates to Sky Tinted Water, further adding to its natural allure. Thankfully, several small towns are spread across the state’s 86,900 square miles, offering unfiltered access to its natural endowments. The towns on this list, however, are particularly appealing as they are uncrowded and near the state’s most famous features. Park Rapids, for instance, is famous for its proximity to the starting point of the 2,300-mile journey of the Mississippi River to the Gulf. In another town, the state’s largest arboretum awaits to delight nature lovers, while another serves as a launch pad into the pleasures of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Visit these scenic small towns in Minnesota today to enjoy quality time in nature.

Taylors Falls

Taylors Falls is a charming little town on a hill overlooking the St. Croix River with a handful of things to delight nature lovers. First, it is home to Interstate State Park, which offers kayaking on the river and four miles of hiking trails. Notably, this park was formed by an ancient lava flow, and today, several glacial potholes and other interesting rock formations can be seen while hiking the trails. The park is also a haven for rock climbing and has a developed campground and picnic area.

A few miles north of this town, the Wild River State Park offers a quieter experience on the St. Croix River. The park offers modern campsites, cabins, backpacking campsites, canoe campsites, and 35 miles of hiking trails. Moreover, laid-back visitors to this park are always welcome to paddle on the river. For wine lovers, the Wild Mountain Winery is in town, offering locally produced wines, a beautiful vineyard overlooking the river, and frequent live music.

Ely

Ely will forever remain one of Minnesota’s most beloved towns for nature-centric vacations due to its proximity to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. From this town, it’s easy to explore the over 1,200 miles of canoe trails, 12 hiking trails, and thousands of campsites available in the wilderness area. Moreover, the wilderness area is home to a wide range of wildlife, including moose, wolves, black bears, and an abundance of birds. The town also features the North American Bear Center and the International Wolf Center, where visitors can learn about and see two of the continent's top wildlife species.

Nearby, Bear Head Lake State Park also offers adventures and scenery similar to the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area. This park covers a 4,000-acre area and has multiple lakes, including the 670-acre Bear Head Lake, where visitors can enjoy boating and fishing. Around the lakes, 17 miles of hiking trails offer access to the beautiful woodlands featuring developed campsites and wildlife like deer, black bear, wolves, and moose.

Grand Marais

Grand Marais is a delightful small town on the North Shore of Lake Superior with a long list of attractions to keep nature enthusiasts hooked. The Judge C.R. Magney State Park is nearby, featuring hiking trails, wildlife like black bears and timber wolves, campsites, and the Brule River, which is ideal for fishing and white water rafting. Notably, this river creates several beautiful waterfalls in the park as it flows into Lake Superior, with a considerable volume disappearing into a huge pothole known as Devil’s Kettle.

Grand Marais is also the start of the Gunflint Trail, which stretches 57 miles, offering views of Lake Superior, access to the Devil Track Wildflower Sanctuary, and fishing opportunities. The trail ends at the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, which is a delightful place to learn about the cultural and natural history of the Gunflint Trail. At the nature center, visitors will see a variety of plants, animals, and insects that call the Gunflint Trail home. In the meantime, a visit to Grand Marais is always an opportunity to witness the inspiring scenery at Artist’s Point. This flat rock peninsula on the shore of Lake Superior is magical, featuring stunning rock formations and consistent waves.

Winona

Winona is a gorgeous town on the Mississippi River endowed with some of Minnesota’s famous natural jewels. It is where to find the famous Sugar Loaf, an 85-foot-tall bluff overlooking the river and the town. Visitors are invited to take the short, steep trail to this iconic bluff's top for breathtaking views. For similar experiences, the Garvin Heights Park and the Great River Bluffs State Park both feature trails leading to aerial views of the area. The latter, particularly, has trails leading to multiple overlooks with jaw-dropping scenery and developed campsites and picnic areas.

Winona also has Bluffside Park, where over 15 miles of trails bring hikers and bikers to bluffs offering more scenic views of the Mississippi River valley. Additionally, Garvin Heights Vineyards is a family-run farm winery in town, inviting nature lovers to enjoy tastes of locally made wines and soak in the views that earned the winery the prestigious title of Minnesota’s most scenic winery.

Park Rapids

Park Rapids appeals with its proximity to some of Minnesota’s iconic attractions, particularly Itasca State Park. Covering an area of around 32,000 acres, this park is the oldest state park in Minnesota and is the starting point of the Mississippi River, which flows more than 2,300 miles across multiple states into the Gulf of Mexico. Nature enthusiasts are invited to this park to see the headwaters of the Mississippi River, hike or bike, see old-growth pine trees, and fish, boat, or paddle in one of more than 100 lakes. The park also features abundant birds and wildlife, plus a variety of camping and lodging options.

Park Rapids is also close to multiple forests, including Chippewa National Forest, Badoura State Forest, and Two Inlets State Forest, all of which offer opportunities for hiking, boating, fishing, wildlife watching, and camping. For thrill seekers, the Character Challenge Course Company is nearby and offers zip line tours and other exciting adventures in an area featuring beautiful pine trees and a pristine lake.

Two Harbors

Two Harbors is one of Minnesota’s most beautiful and naturally appealing destinations. Beautifully located along Lake Superior, this town is a few miles from the famous Gooseberry Falls State Park, where the Gooseberry River, waterfalls, aspen, spruce, cedar, and pine forests await to delight all. Moreover, the park offers year-round camping and 20 miles of hiking trails for easy viewing of the area’s basalt rock formations, waterfalls along the river, and wildlife such as deer and black bear.

Additionally, the Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is in town, combining history with natural beauty. For history enthusiasts, the park is home to the Split Rock Lighthouse, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world, built in 1910 and sitting above a stunning rock formation carved by the waves of Lake Superior. As for nature lovers and adventurers, the park has around a dozen miles of hiking trails offering close-up views of its rock formations, Split Rock River waterfalls, beaches, and forests. Notably, Two Harbors is home to Iona’s Beach, a unique beach characterized by pink rhyolite stones and serenity.

Chanhassen

Chanhassen’s proximity to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum alone makes it a fantastic place for a memorable nature-centric vacation. Covering a 1,200-acre area, this arboretum is the largest and most diverse in Minnesota, featuring nearly 50 gardens and over 40 collections, including pine, maple, roses, and ornamental grasses. Besides the arboretum, Chanhassen hosts the Lake Minnewashta Regional Park, which offers a swimming beach, a fishing pier, a paved boat access, and easy hiking trails with birdwatching opportunities.

Also nearby, the Carver Park Reserve is an ideal place to escape from it all. This park offers over 25 miles of trails winding through woodlands and swamps, lakes for paddling, boating, fishing, and over 57 campsites. Additionally, wildlife such as white-tailed deer, ospreys, and waterfowl can be observed in the park, while the Lowry Nature Center offers interactive exhibits, educational programs, and a wildlife viewing area to further delight nature lovers.

Final Thoughts

Spending time in nature is one of the best things anyone can do, as it helps improve mental and physical well-being. Across the United States, several destinations offer opportunities for this, but the. Still, these small towns in Minnesota are just amazing places to disconnect from it all and plug into the refreshing pleasures of nature. These towns have been carefully selected as they either serve as launch pads to the state’s top natural attractions or host similarly appealing attractions within their borders. At Winona, for instance, driving several miles from the downtown area is required to enjoy quality time in nature, as there are incredible natural features at every turn. Although it is always a huge flex to have thrilling natural attractions within a few miles of one’s hotel, these towns in Minnesota offer that luxury. Visit today and enjoy some of the pleasures this massive planet has to offer.