Paul Bunyan State Forest
Encyclopedia
The Paul Bunyan State Forest is a state forest
located in Hubbard
and Cass
counties in Minnesota
. The forest borders the Chippewa National Forest
and the Welsh Lake State Forest to the east, and the Mississippi Headwaters State Forest
to the northwest. The forest is managed
by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
and the land department for Hubbard County.
The establishment of a sawmill
on the eleventh lake of the Crow Wing Chain of Lakes
near Akeley
by the Red River Lumber Company in 1898 led to the systematic logging
of the old-growth red pine and eastern white pine which covered the land in the early twentieth century. By 1908, there were eight to ten logging camps in the area, which led to the construction of a railroad which extended to Lake Alice Township and further logging, which ceased in 1915 when the Red River Lumber Company moved to California
. Many of the present-day recreational trails in the forest are old railroad beds.
Aspen
species became the dominant forest cover following a series of wildfire
s between 1913 and 1926, which nearly eliminated the remaining red and eastern white pine. Today, around 82% of the forest is aspen, 10% is red, eastern white, and jack pine, with the remaining 8% a mix of northern hardwoods. Forester
s are currently working on harvesting mature aspen in order to reinstate pine in the forest.
Popular outdoor recreation
al activities in the forest include dispersed camping. Trail
s are designated for such varied uses such as mountain biking
, with 18 miles (29 km) specifically for hiking
, 37 miles (59.5 km) for Class I and II all-terrain vehicle
use, and 87 miles (140 km) for off-highway motorcycling. In the wintertime, trails are designated for cross-country skiing
and 60 miles (96.6 km) are set aside for snowmobiling. The Paul Bunyan State Trail
, the Heartland State Trail
, and the North Country National Scenic Trail all pass through the forest.
State forest
A state forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign state.The precise application of the term varies by jurisdiction...
located in Hubbard
Hubbard County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,376 people, 7,435 households, and 5,345 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 12,229 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
and Cass
Cass County, Minnesota
Cass County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 28,567. Its county seat is Walker. A portion of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation is in the county.-Geography:...
counties in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The forest borders the Chippewa National Forest
Chippewa National Forest
Chippewa National Forest is a National Forest located in northcentral Minnesota, United States, in the counties of Itasca, Cass, and Beltrami. Forest headquarters are located in Cass Lake, Minnesota. There are local ranger district offices in Blackduck, Deer River, and Walker.-History and...
and the Welsh Lake State Forest to the east, and the Mississippi Headwaters State Forest
Mississippi Headwaters State Forest
The Mississippi Headwaters State Forest is a state forest located near the town of Wilton in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Portions of the forest extend into the neighboring counties of Clearwater and Hubbard. The majority of the forest is managed by the respective counties, with the Minnesota...
to the northwest. The forest is managed
Forest management
200px|thumb|right|[[Sustainable development|Sustainable]] forest management carried out by [[Complejo Forestal y Maderero Panguipulli|Complejo Panguipulli]] has contributed to the preservation of the forested landscape around [[Neltume]], a sawmill town in Chile...
by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recreational trails, and recreation areas as well as managing minerals,...
and the land department for Hubbard County.
The establishment of a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
on the eleventh lake of the Crow Wing Chain of Lakes
Crow Wing Chain of Lakes
The Crow Wing Chain of Lakes is a chain of eleven shallow lakes along the Crow Wing River in Hubbard County, Minnesota, approximately upstream from the Crow Wing's confluence with the Mississippi River. Although connected, there are a few dams between a few of the lakes that are impossible to...
near Akeley
Akeley, Minnesota
Akeley is a city in Hubbard County, Minnesota, USA. The population was 432 at the 2010 census.Minnesota State Highways 34 and 64 are two of the main arterial routes in the community.-Demographics:...
by the Red River Lumber Company in 1898 led to the systematic logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
of the old-growth red pine and eastern white pine which covered the land in the early twentieth century. By 1908, there were eight to ten logging camps in the area, which led to the construction of a railroad which extended to Lake Alice Township and further logging, which ceased in 1915 when the Red River Lumber Company moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Many of the present-day recreational trails in the forest are old railroad beds.
Aspen
Aspen
Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...
species became the dominant forest cover following a series of wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
s between 1913 and 1926, which nearly eliminated the remaining red and eastern white pine. Today, around 82% of the forest is aspen, 10% is red, eastern white, and jack pine, with the remaining 8% a mix of northern hardwoods. Forester
Forester
250px|thumb|right|Foresters of [[Southern University of Chile|UACh]] in the [[Valdivian forest]]s of San Pablo de Tregua, ChileA forester is a person who practices forestry, the science, art, and profession of managing forests. Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including timber...
s are currently working on harvesting mature aspen in order to reinstate pine in the forest.
Popular outdoor recreation
Outdoor recreation
Outdoor recreation or outdoor activity is leisure pursuits engaged in outside, especially in natural or semi-natural settings out of town...
al activities in the forest include dispersed camping. Trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
s are designated for such varied uses such as mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, with 18 miles (29 km) specifically for hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, 37 miles (59.5 km) for Class I and II all-terrain vehicle
All-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...
use, and 87 miles (140 km) for off-highway motorcycling. In the wintertime, trails are designated for cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
and 60 miles (96.6 km) are set aside for snowmobiling. The Paul Bunyan State Trail
Paul Bunyan State Trail
The Paul Bunyan State Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail in north-central Minnesota, USA, running between the cities of Brainerd and Bemidji. Named after the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan of American folklore, the trail is one of the longest continuously paved rail trails in the United...
, the Heartland State Trail
Heartland State Trail
The Heartland State Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail in north-central Minnesota, USA. It runs between Park Rapids and Cass Lake, intersecting with the Paul Bunyan State Trail around Walker. The entire route is paved, with a parallel grass trackway along the southern half for...
, and the North Country National Scenic Trail all pass through the forest.