North Country Trail & Hiking — A Real Bed, Less Than a Mile From the Trail

Here's a fact about us that, until now, wasn't anywhere on our website: the North Country Trail itself passes less than a mile east of our resort — about eight-tenths of a mile, straight across. The nearest trailhead parking, the State Highway 113 Trailhead, is about two and a half miles from us by road.

The North Country National Scenic Trail is the long one — thousands of miles across the northern United States, and its Minnesota miles run right through our part of the state, including a stretch through Itasca State Park. If you're walking it — a section at a time, or a longer trip — we're a natural place to step off for a night or two.

What a stop here looks like:

• A real bed and a shower, in your own cabin, instead of a tent.
• A full kitchen, so you can cook a real meal and eat it at a table.
• A place to reset before the next stretch — charge everything, dry out, sleep in.
• Coin-op laundry on site. There's a washer and dryer at the resort for all guest use, so you can wash trail clothes and start the next stretch clean.
• Resupply, handled. With advance notice, we can pick up restock groceries from the Walmart in Park Rapids and have them waiting here when you arrive — just send your list and schedule it with us before your stay.

Getting between the trail and the resort: the trail's closest point to us is east of Pickerel Lake, about eight-tenths of a mile straight-line from the cabins. We don't run a trailhead shuttle or offer rides. In the off-season, the snowmobile-trail corridor is the direct way across: it crosses the North Country Trail east of Pickerel Lake and follows the trail west, south of the ponds, and in along Hoot Owl Lake to the resort — about 1.3 miles following the trail from the crossing. If you're coming by car, the State Highway 113 Trailhead (parking, trail information, and a boot-brush station, on Highway 113 west of County Road 37) is about two and a half miles from us by road — west on Highway 113, then north on Hoot Owl Lake Road to the resort. There's also a North Country Trail campsite about a mile and a half southeast of us, just north of Highway 113. In winter that same corridor is snowmobile country.

Not thru-hiking? Neither are most of our guests. The same trails make a good day:

• Day hiking from here: from the Highway 113 Trailhead, the North Country Trail north to the County Road 39 / Old Headquarters Trailhead is about 3.8 miles one way, passing the Pickerel Lake country just east of us — or walk north from the trailhead about a mile and a half and turn back, for a roughly three-mile out-and-back, and be back at the lake by afternoon.
• Itasca State Park is about 30 minutes away, with the headwaters of the Mississippi and miles of its own trails, including its North Country Trail segment. It's the day trip nearly everybody here makes at least once.
• Back at the resort: 72 acres, two lakes, a sandy beach in summer, and our sauna (new for 2026) after a long day's walk.

We're 45 minutes northeast of Detroit Lakes and 45 minutes northwest of Park Rapids, in Waubun. Heather and Christian Davis — we're the owners, and we live on site.

If you're planning a section hike and trying to figure out where the beds are, call us at 218-204-0219 and tell us where you're coming off the trail. We'll help you work out whether we fit your route.

Frequently asked questions

How far is the resort from the North Country Trail?

The trail itself passes about eight-tenths of a mile east of the resort, near Pickerel Lake. The nearest trailhead parking is the State Highway 113 Trailhead on Highway 113, about two and a half miles from the resort by road.

Is there laundry?

Yes — there's a coin-op washer and dryer on site for all guest use.

Can I stay just one or two nights?

Yes. If you only need one night, book the Short Stay plan — it allows a one-night stay year-round. If you're settling in for a longer reset, our regular off-season stays start at two nights, and peak-season stays at three.

Is there food nearby?

Every cabin has a full kitchen. Our restaurant is open seasonally — Friday and Saturday, 3 to 8 PM in summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), and Thursday through Saturday, 11 AM to 8 PM in winter once the snowmobile trails have a base. For resupply: with advance notice, we can pick up restock groceries from the Walmart in Park Rapids and have them waiting here when you arrive — just send your list and schedule it with us before your stay.

What's the hiking like at Itasca?

Itasca State Park, about 30 minutes from here, has the Mississippi headwaters and miles of trails, including a segment of the North Country Trail. Most of our guests do it as a day trip and come back to the cabin at night.

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