Explore the Legend of Paul Bunyan in Bemidji, Minnesota

In the late 19th century, logging was all the rage in the American Midwest. In order to amuse themselves and unwind after hours of backbreaking work, loggers began to circulate tales of a burly fictional logger named Paul Bunyan who had the strength of 10 men. Paul Bunyan‘s fame spread nationwide in the early 20th century after a copywriter named William Laughead wrote about Paul Bunyan’s larger-than-life exploits in a marketing campaign for Red River Lumber.

Residents of the state of Minnesota hold the legend of Paul Bunyan very dear. In an effort to drum up tourism in 1937, Construction titan Cyril M. Dickinson built a towering statue of Paul Bunyan and his sidekick Babe the Blue Ox on the shores of Lake Bemidji. Dickinson’s 18-foot-tall Paul Bunyan was such a hit that it ultimately became the second most photographed roadside attraction in the United States—second only to Mount Rushmore.

Paul Bunyan enthusiasts can take a grand tour of Minnesota that includes a satirical Paul Bunyan grave, a giant statue of a fish that was wrestled into submission by Paul Bunyan, and a scenic walking trail that winds through a forest. Visitors can drive a little over 45 minutes from Bemidji to Kelliher, Minnesota to view a 20-foot mound at the Paul Bunyan Memorial Park that local lore states is the final resting place of Paul Bunyan. A weathered gravestone reads “here lies Paul, and that’s all.” The small town of Kelliher has deep ties to the logging community, so it makes sense that the residents have a special love for Paul Bunyan,

A 30-minute drive from Kelliher to Rush City, Minnesota will being you face to face with a statue of a 2,000-pound Walleye that Paul Bunyan allegedly reeled in. If you had your photo taken in front of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, you should definitely have your photo snapped next to the Midwest’s sassiest Walleye.

A stroll on the Paul Bunyan State Trail is an excellent way to close out your grand Paul Bunyan tour. The trail passes through the Chippewa National Forest, so you can spend some quality time imagining Paul Bunyan eating huge quantities of bacon, rounding up hay for Babe, and reeling in a 2,000-pound fish.

If you have a soft spot for folklore that is fused with local history, a trip to Minnesota to explore Paul Bunyan’s larger-than-life legacy is an absolute must.