Today we were lucky to see two adult trumpeter swans and their five cygnets very close to the Paul Bunyan bike trail in the Chippewa National Forest. In the videos below the adult swans are seen waddling back and forth apparently stirring up muck from the bottom of the pond. The FAQ page of The …
Tag Archives: Paul Bunyan Trail
Signs of Fall in August
Already in August there are clear signs of approaching fall in North-Central Minnesota. It may be that leaves are turning early this year because of our dry conditions. Alder and hazel bushes rimming the shores of our lake are starting to yellow. Staghorn sumac along roadsides is starting to turn red. This maple was red …
Paul Bunyan Trail in mid-August
The Paul Bunyan Trail is a paved recreational trail in northern Minnesota that runs 120 miles from Brainerd to Bemidji. It is an ideal route for biking and running in the summer and for snowmobiles in the winter. The photos below are from a recent bike ride in the middle of the trail, between Hackensack …
Quaking Aspen and Paper Birch
Quaking Aspen and Paper Birch are both fast-growing trees common in Northern Minnesota. While they are similar in some respects, they actually belong to different plant families. Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) belongs to the birch family, Betulaceae. Paper birch is distinguished by its white bark that readily peels off of the tree. The leaves of paper …
Fall Colors; Tamaracks
The tamarack is unusual because it is the only conifer native to Minnesota that is not evergreen. The photos below show how local tamaracks have changed color from September to October prior to dropping all their needles. A disadvantage for deciduous trees is that they must expend considerable resources to make new leaves each year. …
Paul Bunyan Trail in October
Photographs in this posting show off fall scenery near Walker, Minnesota along the Paul Bunyan Trail, a Rails-to-Trails route between Crow Wing State Park and Bemidji (115 miles). This hilly and remote section of the trail, between highways 34 and 371, runs through the Chippewa National Forest. Scenic Overlook Fir and Aspen Forest Views
September Scenery
We took a walk along the Paul Bunyan Trail, north of Hackensack MN, on a gorgeous day in mid September. This post simply intends to share some of the views from along the way. Sumac turning red among paper birch Virginia Creeper climbing in a Green Ash Virginia creeper and its similar species Woodbine are …
Fall Colors in August
Surprisingly to me, there already are hints of fall colors here — prior to September! This post features pictures of these early signs of season change. The conditions here in late August are nearly perfect — crisp days with nearly no bugs. Sugar Maple — August 22 Viburnum; Guelder-rose — August 28 Amur Maple — …
State Flower and More
Yesterday while biking around the area, I managed to get a few interesting photos The best find was this clump of Showy Lady Slippers (Cypripedium reginae), the state flower of Minnesota. Previously I had only seen blooming Lady Slippers in late June, so I was surprised and pleased by this fine display on July 8. …
North MN Outdoors 