Destination Up North UpNorth-Spring_19_NB | Page 12

Taking outdoor adventures
to the extreme
IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA
Photos by Brainerd Zip Line Tour
BY RACHEL M. ANDERSON, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
C
entral Minnesota has earned a reputation as
“The Destination” for people who are interested
in outdoor adventure. The region boasts miles of
biking and hiking trails and dozens of streams, lakes and
other waterways to fish and boat on; not to mention plenty
of campsites and cabins.
Among the more popular places to visit: the Cuyuna
Mountain Bike Trail in Ironton, which boasts over 25 miles of
riding spread across 800 acres of paved and single track trails;
Father Hennepin State Park in Isle, Minn., known for having
one of the few public sandy beaches on Lake Mille Lacs; the
Cross Lake Recreation Area; and of course, Lake Mille Lacs.
Stopping off at a tower along the Brained Zip Line
12 destinationupnorth.com
Now thanks to people like adventure business owners Lee
Kerfoot and Jeremy Walker, thrill seekers are flocking to
Central Minnesota too. It is now possible to ride jetpacks and
hover boards high up into the sky over the water, and travel
zip lines that allow you to enjoy the flora and fauna of the
region.