35 FALL 2019 ISSUE 01 / VOL . 01 maine ’ s magic carpet ride
SNOWGOER . COM 36
After taking a 10-mile ride along the opposite side of the lake – “ the long way back ” – we turned in early for the night , knowing we had miles of riding in the days to come .
DAY ONE FUN
On the first day we decided we ’ d take the Two Inlets State Forest trail system beginning just north of Osage for the first 20 miles or so , and ultimately connect to Park Rapids , then elsewhere .
We took roadside trails to enter the Two Inlets onto Trail 5 . Winding and weaving through the tight groomed trails with ponds and open meadows on both sides of the trail , some areas also presented rolling hills that proved fun with a slight blip of the throttle . It wasn ’ t long until we routed to Trail 12 , which would then lead to Trail 11 and connect to the northern limits of Park Rapids ( a visible trail parallels Highway 48 and leads riders into town proper ).
Park Rapids as a whole is overwhelmingly tourist-friendly when it comes to snowmobiling and has an established legal snowmobile route that weaves through the city limits – passing on local school district woodland property and also supporting business lots to allow snowmobilers to access all corners ( as well as businesses ) of town . Without these reciprocating partnerships , snowmobiling through town legally would be a challenge given the Fish Hook River that runs parallel to Highway 71 essentially through the heart of town ( and it typically does not feeeze solid due to currents ).
Just off the intersection of Highway 34 and 71 in Park Rapids – where Rocky ’ s Pizza is tucked behind Subway , if you ’ re curious – on the banks of the Fish Hook River is Heartland Park , which also serves as the beginning of the Heartland Trail . The mixed-use , 49-mile trail was one of the first rail-to-trail projects in the country and runs between Park Rapids and Cass Lake . In Park Rapids , the old train bridge is now abandoned , but can still be seen clearly from Highway 34 .
You ’ ll know you ’ re in the right place when you spot the home of the former famous , “ red bridge ” which leads through Red Bridge Park to the adjacent Skoe and Heartland Parks – immediate lodging can also be found at Red Bridge Inn , a bed-and-breakfast located along the river . The original iconic bridge has since been replaced and repainted , but it ’ s the only bridge that crosses the Fish Hook River to connect the parks , and its former red glory remains in the heart of many .
The Heartland Trail is located on a level , abandoned railroad grade , but directly parallel to this main trail is one that ’ s even better suited for snowmobilers due to its sharply rolling hills and slightly winding course . The trail system taken as a whole is convenient because it offers nearly 50 miles of worry-free variety given the options of both trails that
( above ) Many snowmobile trails in northwestern Minnesota are well-maintained and marked , leaving little room for confusion . Although the “ red bridge ” is no longer red – as seen here in an old photo in its never-forgotten glory – there ’ s little confusion as to which bridge has replaced it .