Bemidji, Minnesota

Tom Hilpert - January 2010

True North
If you talk to someone from Fergus Falls or Brainerd they might be slightly offended if you refer to their home as “Northern Minnesota.” They have a point. Geographically speaking, a lot of what we call “Up North” is merely on the northern edge of central Minnesota.  But you will find no such modesty when speaking to folks from Bemidji. They truly are in Northern Minnesota, and they know it. Call them in spring when the ice is breaking up on Lake Minnetonka, and you’ll get an earful about just how far “up north” they are. Their own ice will be two weeks or so behind.

Two particular things about Bemidji make it a Minnesota icon. First, the city is the home of Paul Bunyan, and his Big Blue Ox, Babe. In 2003, Midwest Living reported that the statues of Paul and Babe in Bemidji were the most photographed landmarks in the entire Midwest. In fact, in a 2006 article from Newscom, Kodak Company reported that the Lumberjack and his Sidekick were photographed more than any other statue (or group of statues) in the United States, except for Mount Rushmore. Right next to the pair, is a museum containing some of their personal effects, which are quite impressive in size.

The second iconic aspect of Bemidji is that it is the first city through which the Mississippi river flows on its 2,340 mile journey from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. In fact the name of the city (and of the lake) is taken from an Ojibwe word that roughly means, “lake that crosses a river.”  And indeed, the great stream flows into Lake Bemidji in the south, and out again on the lower east side. Not only that, but Bemidji is one of the most convenient places from which to explore nearby Lake Itasca State park, which contains the actual headwaters of the river.

Diverse Recreation
Doug Fuller is the owner/broker of First Realty GMAC in Bemidji. “One of the greatest draws to our town has got to be the quality and diversity of recreational activities here,” he says. It’s hard to argue with that statement. Bemidji and the surrounding area supports an incredibly diverse array of recreational activities. It is one of the best places in the state to hook up to some of Minnesota’s 14,000 miles of snowmobile trails. Two of the  major Minnesota Interconnecting Trails System routes cross here, one running North-South (MITS-71), the other East-West (MITS-2). The MITS-71 could take you anywhere from Brainerd to International Falls and even to Winnipeg, with innumerable spurs and off-trails in between. You’ll pass through ancient forests, over lakes, and into quaint small towns.

For those who prefer a slower traverse through the snow, Bemidji plays home to eight different cross country ski trails, with a total of more than one-hundred and sixty kilometers of groomed snow. Twelve miles from town, Buena Vista Ski Area features slopes for downhill skiing and snowboarding, including 16 runs, two terrain parks and a tubing park.

As the weather warms, trail activities switch to biking, rollerblading and hiking. There are eight miles of paved bike trails in and around the city, which can also be used for walking and rollerblading. State forest trails and old logging roads are available for mountain biking.  Hiking trails can be found in area parks like Lake Bemidji state Park, Itasca State Park, Three Island County Park and in the Chippewa National Forest. These areas also feature swimming, interpretive centers and campgrounds. Bemidji itself has nineteen designated parks with additional picnic areas, swimming beaches, playgrounds and more.

The burgeoning sport of geocaching is alive and well, in and around Bemidji. If you haven’t heard of it before, geocaching is a sport where a small “cache” is left in a waterproof container. The cache may be a logbook or small trinket. The one who leaves it uploads a link to the cache location on GPS and others try to locate it and record their success and experiences online. Bemidji is already home to more than 225 caches within a twenty mile radius, including some labeled, “Paul’s Pocket,” “Muggle Proof” and “Lake Bemidji State Park: Overlook.”  To find a cache near Bemidji, go to www.geocaching.com and enter zip code 56601.

Three major ecological biomes come together near Bemidji: conifer forest, deciduous forest and native prairie. This makes the area, among other things, a thrill for bird watchers. More than 200 species of feathered friends can be found nearby, including  snowy owls, boreal chickadees, rednecked grebes, northern shrikes, loons, northern goshawks and prairie chickens. The largest nesting population of bald eagles in the continental United States is found here. Different species can be found all year round, and the natural beauty of the environment makes it a treat to spend hours in bird observation.

Have you noticed that the lakes have not yet received any attention? The point is, you could spend days and weeks in the outdoors around Bemidji without even going out on the water.  But this is northern Minnesota, and though it should go without saying, we’ll say it anyway:  there is an abundance of excellent lakes nearby. In fact, if you wished to fish on a different lake every single day, with no weekends off, it would take you a year and one month, but only if you agreed to stay within twenty-five miles of Bemidji. The fishing is excellent, featuring all major species of game fish: Northern Pike, Walleye, Muskie, Bass, Perch and panfish. If the sheer number of opportunities is overwhelming, the town is home to at least thirteen fishing guide services and numerous bait shops, which can help get you started.

Fishing, of course, is only part of the story. You can waterski, sail, kayak, canoe and swim also. There are nine canoe routes featured in the nearby Chippewa National Forest. One popular canoe trip is to float the first fifty miles or so of the Mississippi river, from its source in Itasca, to Bemidji. The banks are sparsely populated, and the wildlife and fish are abundant.  It should take two or three days, and there are designated campsites along the way.

Diverse Town
Bemidji is far more than just a tourist town, according to Doug Fuller. “We are essentially a regional center in terms of services and education, but we still have the feel of a nice small town. We pretty much have it all.” Cindy Habedank, of the Visit Bemidji organization, would agree. “There is something here for everyone,” she says. “There are outdoor activities all year round, as well as museums, shopping and a very active community drama organization: The Paul Bunyan Theater.” 

One thing that is not well known is that Bemidji is a vibrant center for the arts. “There are as many artists here, per capita, as in the Twin Cities,” says Habedank. Several galleries in town, as well as other businesses, display the work of local artists and offer it for sale. Other types of artists thrive here as well. In addition to the theater performances, Bemidji hosted twelve musical performances during February alone. With the University and a few other post-secondary schools, Bemidji is backwoods, but not backwards.

Opportunities In and Near Bemidji
Doug Fuller, whose company has been in business for fifty years, notes that cabins and lake homes in the Bemidji area are often half the price of similar listings elsewhere in the state. He thinks of lakes in terms of “tiers”. A tier one lake would be that perfect spot with excellent fishing, hard sand bottom and old growth trees, the most desirable and ideal type of lakeshore. Tier two would still be a good fishing lake, with maybe less than ideal shoreline, and perhaps further from town, or off the beaten path. Tier three lakeshore property would still be on the water, but with other drawbacks not found on a tier 1 or two piece. Fuller notes that there are properties available on all three types of lakes, with of course, the better prices being on the lower ranked types. He also notes that not all lake shore dwellings are equal. A summer family cabin, for instance, is a different proposition from a second home with all the amenities.

Fuller advises people who are interested in lakeshore property to do their research. “Spend a lot of time on web sites like lakeshoredreams.com,” he says. “Google ‘Bemidji Real Estate.’” Above all, he recommends finding a good Realtor. Of course he would say that, considering his business, but he’s also right. Connecting with someone who understands your goals and is willing to work with your agenda, should be a top priority when considering a purchase.

The mighty Mississippi makes it home, at least some of the time, up north in the Bemidji area. Maybe you should consider doing the same.