Whether you put the pedal to the metal of your old jalopy, or are a roadie on two wheels, you need a plan to tour the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway in the near future. Perhaps you’ve experienced a portion of the 54-mile byway; 2025 is the year to experience it all. It has something for everyone: history, archeology, nature, and recreation. The byway spans across Cass and Crow Wing counties, and intersects the Paul Bunyan biking/walking trail in four different locations, meaning you can enjoy the experience by car or bike. While on the route, you’ll visit the cities of Pine River, Ideal Corners, Crosslake, Breezy Point, Pequot Lakes, and Jenkins.
I had the opportunity to chat with Lynn Scharenbroich recently about the byway and asked what was in the pipeline for 2025, and also about future projects and funding. Lynn is the chairperson for the board of directors who manage the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway. The Byway folks will be a part of all of the usual upcoming events, such as Winterfest, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, events at the Crosslake Log Village, and Crosslake Days. There is a new event coming up on February 15th in Pine River called “Back to Basics 2025,” sponsored by Happy Dancing Turtle (happydancingturtle.org), founded by Paul Hunt. This event will promote sustainable living and will host several vendors and a keynote speaker.
The official website of the byway, PaulBunyanScenicByway.org, contains all of the information you will need to learn about the route (maps), the 14 interpretive panel kiosks along the route, places to stay, things to do, and what to look for. There are also two walking trails along the route: Upgaard, and Veterans Walking Trail. What I found most interesting while visiting the website was listening to the podcasts. They are lively audio clips of different people telling the stories of our area – encouraging people as the website invites us… to: “Explore the Lore.” These podcasts include stories about the legendary Paul Bunyan as well as the rich history surrounding us. Lynn shared with me that there are more stories for our local communities to share, and that is something the board has been working on continuously.
According to their website, “A byway is a set of roads that tell the story of the area’s archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic qualities in a compelling and extraordinary way.” There are 21 scenic byways in Minnesota, and the one in our neck of the woods has been recognized not only as a state destination, but a national one as well. The Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway is managed by an association that organizes events and plans programs, and all of the supporting details necessary to have a flourishing state/national byway. The byway is supported not only by the association, but by donors. Anyone can donate, both money and time, but the “Group of 54” (the name comes from the 54 miles that compose the route) are heavily invested coming into the fold with a minimum donation of $1,000. Fresh volunteers and/or donors are always needed and appreciated, as this group is busy all year round coming up with new ideas and maintaining the byway and its attractions. Whether you are thinking of volunteering, becoming a donor, or interested in experiencing the byway as a tourist, pedal your way to adventure and fun by being a part of it all!
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