GREAT OUTDOORS Maplewood State Park FALL For one of the most magnifi cent views of fall color in Minnesota, hike the half-mile trail from the picnic area to the top of Hallaway Hill at Maplewood State Park in Pelican Rapids in the state’s central region. You’ll be rewarded with a panoramic view overlooking South Lida Lake and the surrounding maple trees and sumac. Other great views await along the park’s fi ve-mile scenic drive. The park’s foliage typically bursts into its brightest oranges and reds around the last week of September and the fi rst week of October. On your way to or from the park, it’s worth stopping by Adams Park in Fergus Falls for photo ops that include Otto, the adorable 40-foot-long otter, and, on a tiny island in Grotto Lake, a rookery where you can see more great egrets, black-crowned night herons and double-crested cormorants than you’ve probably ever seen up close in one place in your life. Hike the colorful trails, do some fall fi shing and climb the fi re tower for a panoramic view at Mille Lacs Kathio State Park in Onamia, Minnesota. Follow Highway 61, the Great River Road National Scenic Byway, to Great River Bluffs State Park for gorgeous views of fall color along the Mississippi River. Stop for apples at the orchards along the way. 62 | EXPLORE MINNESOTA .COM
Explore Minnesota Travel Guide 2025 Explore Minnesota Travel Guide: Page 62
