Welcome to Park Rapids in Hubbard County MN

Heartland Trail, Main Street, Itasca Park, Mississippi Headwaters, Lakes, Lakes, Lakes

Park Rapids is a great location to reside, visit, and explore. The average winter temperatures in Park Rapids are around 10F, and the average summer temperatures are right around 70F. With those temperatures, and all the sunshine days for most of the year, Park Rapids is an ideal place to be.

According to the 2010 Census, the population of Park Rapids was 3,903. The average household size in Park Rapids is two people. A little over half of the households in Park Rapids are family households. The median household income is below the Minnesota average, however the median house value in Park Rapids is also below the Minnesota average.

When looking to live in a city with a college or university nearby, Park Rapids is the place to check out. There are seven colleges and universities within a 100 mile radius of Park Rapids. From a scale of nearest to farthest, these colleges and universities include: Bemidji State University, Central Lakes College - Brainerd campus, Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Alexandria Technical and Community College, Minnesota State University Moorhead, and North Dakota State University.

The most common industries in the Park Rapids area are construction, high tech, media and entertainment, office support, repair, and transportation. The construction industry has jobs dealing with construction and extraction. The high tech industry has jobs for those who are experienced with technical support, computers, and mathematics. The media and entertainment industry is all about arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media. The office support industry is looking for those with skills in office and administrative support along with Microsoft Office and accounting software applications. The repair industry is for those who have sills with installation, maintenance, and repair service jobs. The transportation industry is mainly looking for truck drivers and transport drivers.

Lakes, Lakes, Lakes

There are more than 400 lakes, rivers, and streams in the area surrounding Park Rapids, making the city an ideal location for a lake home, and a magnet resorts and water recreation like boating, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming. Of course, fishing is one of the main attractions in the Park Rapids area that brings residents and visitors together during all seasons.

Fish Hook Lake is a beautiful lake located just north of Park Rapids. The lake has clear, deep water that reaches a maximum depth of 76 feet, and a developed shoreline with long sandy beaches for swimming and dense tree coverage that comes in handy with camping and wildlife nature tracking. Public access to Fish Hook Lake is located on the southwest shore. There are also rock piles, sand bars, and sunken islands that pull in fishermen because they are spots known for having an abundant supply of trophy fish like walleye. Some other fish that are available at Fish Hook Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, tullibee, and yellow perch.

Potato Lake is a clear, irregular shaped lake located seven miles north of Park Rapids. Some consider Potato Lake to take on the shape of an elongated elephant's head. The lake reaches a maximum depth of 95 feet and has a nice shoreline with a variety of sand, rocks, and shaded trees that make relaxing on the beach or camping ideal. Potato Lake is known for it's changing depths and wide variety of fish. Anglers and fishermen are attracted to the black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, and walleye. There are two concrete public access points located off of County Road 40 on Potato Lake. One is the DNR public access on the north shore, and the other is the County public access on the northern tip of the west arm of the lake.

Big Sand Lake is located east of Potato Lake and is known for it's noteworthy water clarity and maximum depth of 135 feet. The lake has a picturesque heavily wooded backdrop that cuts outside noise and makes Big Sand Lake a peaceful place to fish and enjoy other activities. Big Sand Lake has an inlet from Lake Emma and an outlet from Lake Ida that provides public access for small boats to travel through. There is also public access located on the southeast shore of Big Sand Lake. The lake is known to be an excellent fishing destination for anglers and big fishermen. A few fish available in the lake are bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, and white sucker. Big Sand Lake also has an outstanding walleye fishery that produces large walleyes.

Main Street

Main Street runs through downtown Park Rapids near the Fishhook River and offers a variety of souvenir stores, restaurants, fudge shops, and the farmers market that is populated with tourists in the summer season. Main Street is decorated with brick pathways that connect the unique shops, colorful flowers, and even blue farm buildings. Many people choose to live in Park Rapids because of the positive vibe and welcoming feel of the community in the downtown area and the fact that there is always something to do, see, and enjoy.

There are all kinds of community activities held on Main Street ranging from Fourth of July celebrations, fairs and street festivals, garden home shows, markets, parades, and more. In the fall, Park Rapids hosts one of Minnesota's most famous bicycle tours, the Headwaters 100 Bike Ride and Race, which goes through Itasca State Park and uses the Heartland State Trail. There are three different levels with this event, the 100 mile ride, 75 mile ride, and 45 mile ride. Several food and beverage stops and restroom facilities are located in convenient places along the course.

Itasca Park: Mississippi Headwaters

Just 20 miles of downtown Park Rapids is Itasca State Park and Headwaters of the Mississippi River.

Itasca State Park was established in 1891, making it Minnesota's oldest state park. The State Park includes more than 100 lakes, and is the only spot where someone can walk across the clear, shallow headwaters of the Mississippi River. There are also grassy areas for resting and picnic shelters with bathroom facilities, play grounds, and a volleyball court near a swimming beach. In the winter, a warming area and rest rooms are open in the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center which contains a gift shop and interesting displays.

There are a variety of scenic trails within Itasca State Park of varying lengths and focus points. The trails are perfect for hiking, bird watching, and even learning with the various interpretive sites located throughout the trail break points. Itasca State Park holds many events and activities that can be enjoyed by all ages. Itasca State Park's Music Under the Pines Community Band Concert brings in musicians and visitors from all over the Park Rapids area in June. There are also flower shows like Bugs and Blooms: Orchids of Itasca, the annual North Country Trail Hiking Festival, and the annual Autumn Harvest Festival.

Heartland Trail

The Heartland State Trail, located within Heartland Park near Fish Hook Lake, is one of the many highlights for the Park Rapids area. The multiple-use trail winds through forests and lakes, stretching a total of 49 miles from Park Rapids to Cass Lake. The State Trail is also a hot spot for nature trackers and bird watchers because there is a wide variety of plants and animals. There are various birds to be heard seen throughout the Heartland State Trail, including the bald eagle.

The 27-mile segment between Park Rapids and Walker is paved and popular among bicyclists, joggers, skaters, and afternoon strollers looking to enjoy the calm and peaceful scenery. During the winter season, the trail opens up to snowmobiling and snowshoeing.

With all of the events, activities, and wildlife here in the Park Rapids area, there is always something different for everyone to enjoy. For qualified help with any of your real estate needs in and around the Park Rapids area, be sure to contact Jack Brann today.