Paul Bunyan State Trail
One of the country’s longest paved rail trails links Brainerd, Walker, Bemidji, lakes, forests, wetlands, and dozens of small service towns.
Artwork inspired by Wanda Gág
The former rail corridor makes long-distance riding approachable, but 120 miles still require weather, food, lodging, and return planning. Lakes and wetlands appear repeatedly without the steep climbs of the North Shore, while town spacing allows flexible day segments.
North of Walker, the route connects with the Heartland State Trail and enters different landscapes toward Bemidji. Summer weekends bring mixed speeds and crossings; winter brings snowmobile use on designated portions. Choose a segment for shoreline, forest, or town access rather than chasing a mileage total.
- Length
- About 120 miles
- Route
- Brainerd to Bemidji
- Origin
- Former rail corridor
Quick guide
- Surface
- Expect mostly paved miles with town crossings
- Scale
- Choose one lake-country segment or plan multiple days
Build the ride around lake-country services and seasons
- Start with
- Begin in the Brainerd lakes corridor to understand how resort towns and public trail access intersect.
- Look closely at
- Use Walker as a services checkpoint and compare its busy lakefront character with quieter wooded mileage.
- Connect the story
- Approaching Bemidji, notice how a long-distance recreational trail changes into practical urban connection.
- Plan around
- Plan one named segment with water and return logistics; the full route is not a casual day ride.
Good to know
Snowmobiles use parts of the corridor in winter, and maintenance differs between state and local trail segments.
Notice these
- Brainerd lakes corridor
- Walker connections
- Bemidji approach