A recreated wooden sidewalk, and a building representative of 1800s architecture, mark the place where, in 1850, a town that some estimates say was home to 600 people, once stood. Today visitors to Crown Wing State Park can see where the community of Crown Wing, Minn., once stood. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch.

Northland Outdoors 8:00 am, May 20, 2021

Minnesota's Backyard: A perfect confluence of rivers, history and nature at Crow Wing State Park

The third stop on our 20-site tour of Minnesota's state parks brings us to the center of Minnesota, where two rivers meet and people gathered, traded, battled and passed through, both long before and some time after European settlers came to the region. Crow Wing State Park is a perfectly preserved slice of nature and history.

Cottontails are coming! This is the time of year that baby cottontail bunnies are born.

Northland Outdoors 3:21 pm, May 16, 2021

Northwoods Wildlife Rescue: Four common myths about cottontails

Lacey Lupien of Lancaster, Minn., shot this trophy bull elk Sept. 6, in Kittson County near Lancaster in northwestern Minnesota. (Submitted photo)

Northland Outdoors 6:20 pm, May 20, 2021

Apply by June 11 for limited Minnesota elk permits

The yellow-bellied sapsucker has a distinctive “ratatatatata...tata..tata...tata...tat...tat” cadence when it drums. The white line on the wing is also diagnostic.

Northland Outdoors 7:00 am, Apr. 25, 2021

BIRDWISE: Avian signs of spring in the lakes area

Detroit Lakes resident Kay N. Larson, at right, was accompanied by her son, Brooks Larson, and daughter, Alexa Larson-Thorisch, when she went to Upstream Sucker Creek on Friday, May 28, to view the new sign that she had donated to the nature preserve. The sign stands next to another that was installed after the passing of her husband, C. Leroy Larson, in 2012. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)

Northland Outdoors 7:00 pm, Jun. 13, 2021

Sign installed at Minnesota preserve extols its natural treasures

Opportunities to cool off in the water are attracting many visitors to state parks. Swimmers at Sibley State Park enjoy the cool waters of Lake Andrew on June 9.
Tom Cherveny/West Central Tribune

Northland Outdoors 12:57 pm, Jun. 13, 2021

Minnesota state parks remain a 'hot' destination

Joanne Davidson of Duluth heads to the dock with help John Lindgren of Duluth during the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute Northland fishing contest on Saturday, June 5, 2021, on Fish Lake Reservoir north of Duluth. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)

Northland Outdoors 8:00 am, Jun. 13, 2021

Courage Kenny clients treated to day of fishing, fun and friendship on Duluth-area reservoir

Steve Vilks of Naples, Fla., landed a walleye on Lake Winnibigoshish on Saturday, the opening day of the 2021 Minnesota inland fishing season. Dennis Anderson / Minneapolis Star Tribune / TNS

Northland Outdoors 6:00 am, Jun. 12, 2021

Column: The time is now for fishing the peak of the Minnesota season

Legion Lake (here on July 19, 2020) in Custer State Park is a popular spot for kayaking and canoeing in the Black Hills. (Christopher Vondracek / Forum News Service)

Northland Outdoors 8:03 am, Jun. 11, 2021

'Be ready for a wilderness experience': five spots for paddling South Dakota's waters

Photo / North Dakota Game and Fish Department

Northland Outdoors 7:30 pm, Jun. 10, 2021

Drought likely to impact duck production in North Dakota, Game and Fish Department says

Northland Outdoors 7:00 pm, Jun. 10, 2021

When thick weeds pose a fishing challenge, try a power drop

Northland Outdoors 10:00 am, Jun. 10, 2021

Northland Outdoors Forecast: Sunny and breezy afternoons

For generations, young visitors like this one have come to the beach at Zippel Bay State Park, on Lake of the Woods, to cool off during the hottest days of a Minnesota summer. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources photo.

Northland Outdoors 7:20 am, Jun. 10, 2021

Minnesota's Backyard: Woods, wildlife, water access, and free A/C, at Zippel Bay State Park

A flight of anglers wait to head out fishing during the 2016 ALS fishing tournament on Island Lake north of Duluth. The 26th annual fundraising event, held June 5, raised $200,000 to battle ALS. (Clint Austin / News Tribune File)

Northland Outdoors 12:58 pm, Jun. 8, 2021

Father-son teams dominate dynamic ALS fishing tournament

A deer tick, left, is dwarfed by a regular wood tick. Brad Dokken / Forum Communications Co.

Northland Outdoors 11:49 pm, Jun. 7, 2021

Talking ticks with a U of M expert

This unexpected male, black-throated green warbler decided to take up residence on Marshall Howe's property.

Northland Outdoors 7:10 pm, Jun. 7, 2021

BIRDWISE: Snapshots of this May’s bird life

Quinton Johnson, 7, of South Minneapolis enters another sunny in the kids fishing derby, held on Spirit Lake Saturday afternoon. Omega Hardwoods bought pikes and prizes for the event, taking over for the conservation club which disbanded. "I didn't want this to end," said Lori Tomperi. Seventy-five children entered the contest this year.

Northland Outdoors 2:21 pm, Jun. 7, 2021

Take a Kid Fishing is this Friday through Sunday, June 11-13

A wood turtle carries a transmitter that allows researchers from UMD's Natural Resources Research Insitute to track its movements. (Steve Kuchera / 2016 / News Tribune)

Northland Outdoors 3:38 pm, Jun. 6, 2021

Wood turtles declining in Minnesota

A snapping turtle moves across a highway near Ely, encouraged a bit by the photographer. Wildlife experts are encouraging Northlanders to slow down when driving near lakes and wetlands in June and to help turtles cross the road as they make seasonal migrations. But be careful with snappers! (Bob King/ 2010 file / News Tribune)

Northland Outdoors 3:30 pm, Jun. 6, 2021

In June, turtles need our help crossing the road

Three wild roosters take flight across the open grasslands. Lower-light periods like this in the early morning or late evening are often the best times to capture the best wildlife photos. (Photo by Steve Oehlenschlager)

Northland Outdoors 8:00 am, Jun. 6, 2021

Minnesota hunter replaces his shotgun for a camera to capture beautiful wildlife images

The surface of the water was glassy calm on the Mississippi River near Green's Point Thursday, June3, 2021, north of Brainerd. The river is the centerpiece of the Mississippi River watershed. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

Northland Outdoors 1:30 pm, Jun. 5, 2021

Soil health proposals garner mixed support in Minnesota Legislature

Boaters will once again fill Lake Belle Taine near Nevis next Saturday when the Cirks Brothers Memorial Fishing Tournament returns after being cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Submitted photo)

Northland Outdoors 10:51 am, Jun. 4, 2021

Cirks fishing tournament returns to Lake Belle Taine

Mountain biking trails offer picturesque views throughout Minnesota's Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area. Photo by Steve Wagner / Forum News Service

Northland Outdoors 6:54 pm, Jun. 3, 2021

How a weekend mountain biking tour to Duluth and Cuyuna changed my summer

The red dirt of the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area is a unique feature of the region, including on Bobsled Trail near Crosby, Minn. Photo by Steve Wagner / Forum News Service

Northland Outdoors 11:24 am, Jun. 3, 2021

Where to explore Minnesota's mountain biking destinations

Northland Outdoors 10:00 am, Jun. 3, 2021

Northland Outdoors Forecast: Hot weekend for the region

Fall color is abundant at Wolf Creek Falls on the Wolf Creek Trail. Photo courtesy Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Northland Outdoors 7:40 am, Jun. 3, 2021

Minnesota's Backyard: Waterfalls, whitewater and a historic quarry site compel a stop at Banning State Park

Lake Itasca as viewed from the Peace Pipe Overlook in Itasca State Park. Researchers found a widespread decline in oxygen in both the surface water of most lakes and especially in deep water, a trend that could lead to a loss of biodiversity. William Lager / MPR News file photo

Northland Outdoors 5:59 pm, Jun. 2, 2021

Study: As temps warm, deep waters in Minnesota lakes are losing oxygen

A deer with advanced stages of chronic wasting disease. (Forum News Service/file photo)

Northland Outdoors 5:18 pm, Jun. 2, 2021

Deer farmers reject DNR's emergency rule pausing movement of deer amid CWD spread

...