Scenic State Park, Minnesota

The name does not mislead you at Scenic State Park. In the southern edge of Minnesota’s northwoods, the town of Bigfork plays host to some of the state’s most mesmerizing scenery. The trail not to miss is Chase Point, weaving along a glacial esker to a ridge that offers breathtaking views of Zaiser Island and Sandwick Lake (no, not Sandwich, though a chicken salad sammy on a sesame roll makes the views here that much better). A bog boardwalk leads you through marshlands, and rustic WPA cabins and historic lodges abound. The big skies visible from the boardwalk make this the park’s best sunrise spot, and the perfect place for birders to check out one of Minnesota’s best collections of rare airborne species.