Fall Leaves and Scenic Byways

The Beautiful fall leaves and scenic byways in and around Grand Rapids, Minnesota makes for the perfect fall getaway. Drive the scenic byways where you will discover gorgeous fall colors of the mixed hardwoods and pine forests that wind around Minnesota lakes and bogs. Enjoy a horse drawn forest trolley ride, pick apples an orchard, attend fall festivals and live entertainment. cozy lodging, new places to eat and drink. Fall is a beautiful time of year to be up north with an opportunity to relax, reconnect with loved ones, and recharge in Minnesota’s nature.

Grand Rapids, Minnesota has over 1M publicly accessible forest acres surrounding that includes 2,000 miles of well-maintained trails and over 1,100 area lakes. Come ATV, bike, fish, hike, hunt, mountain bike, and paddle. These lakes and trails are all located within several Scenic Byways.

Scenic Byways & Fall Leaves

There are three Scenic Byways in and around Grand Rapids, Minnesota. There is the Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway which starts in Grand Rapids and runs 47-miles to Effie, Minnesota. This winding and curvy road is perfect for a slow drive in a motorcycle and vintage vehicle as well. There are many historic sites, outdoor recreation opportunities, places to get gas, snacks, drinks, and public restrooms, and places to eat & drink and shop along the way. The Avenue of the Pines Scenic Byway starts in Deer River and runs to Northome, Minnesota (approximately 41 miles). Drive through dense stands of 100+ year old red and white pines. The Great River Road runs between Bemidji and Grand Rapids, and Grand Rapids and Brainerd. From Bemidji to Grand Rapids is a 100 mile wild and beautiful northwoods drive following the young Mississippi River past iconic lakes, rich pine forests, and cultural heritage sites. The segment between Grand Rapids and Brainerd is part of the Minnesota Mines and Crossroads region. Runs roughly 90 miles south through dense pine forests, rural wetlands, the Cuyuna iron range, and quiet river communities.

Fall Festivals and Live Entertainment

In the Grand Rapids, Minnesota area the area craft breweries, restaurants, area attractions, and area communities host Fall Festivals and Events that are fun for all ages. Kicking off in September is the Bovey Farmers Day that takes place over Labor Day weekend each year. Then the following weekend is the Itasca County Pickleball Association hosts the Lakes and Loons Pickleball Tournament which brings ages 14+ from all over the midwest to compete on the YMCA pickleball courts.

And then there are annual fall events like the Bargains Are Great on Hwy 38 (47 miles of garage sales) the third weekend in September each year. The third weekend in September the Blackberry Farm hosts their annual Fall Fest with snowmobile drag races, farm equipment shows, good food, raffles and more. And the Loon Country Quilters also host their annual quilt show the middle of September as well.

Then Oktoberfest Events happen throughout September at area restaurants, craft breweries, and area attractions like the Ravenstone Abbey Oktoberfest Annual Klocktoberfest which is the end of September, Rapids Brewing Oktoberfest at the end of September, and the Greenway Area Community Foundation the first part of October.

And then for live music and theater performances at area craft breweries and Reif Center, and the Grand Rapids Eagles.

Outdoor Recreation Opportunities

There are many fall outdoor recreation opportunities around the fall leaves and scenic byways in the Grand Rapids, and Itasca County, Minnesota area. There is over 2,000 miles of trail to enjoy. From ATVing, biking, hiking, hunting, and mountain biking. Both the Avenue of the Pines Scenic Byway and the Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway are located within the Chippewa National Forest. For ATVing we suggest the Wilderness Wheelers Bigfork to Balsam (B&B ATV Trail) that now runs from Talmoon to Marcell to Bigfork to Balsam. For biking we suggest the Mesabi Trail for paved bicycling or Chippewa National Forest forest roads for gravel biking. For hiking we also suggest the Chippewa National Forest (Simpson Creek, Lost Forty or Suomi Hills). And then for mountain biking we suggest Tioga Recreation Area. For hunting we suggest grouse hunting in the UPM Blandin forest, which has a high concentration of grouse habitat. See resource links below.

Try New Bites & Sips

In the Grand Rapids, and Itasca County Minnesota area there are over 50 places to eat & drink. From bars and grills, local favorite sit down restaurants, farm to table, and chef inspired dining options. Then there are the restaurants with lake views, and some that you can boat up to. There are breweries, a winery, and places that offer entertainment options like bowling and axe throwing.

Find Cozy Lodging

You will find a wide variety of overnight lodging to choose from. There are in town Hotels and Motels that are conveniently located near in town trails, shops, and places to eat & drink. Then you will find a charming B&B located on Pokegama Lake, and close the the golf course and in town trails. There are in town Air B&B’s that are located above or near the downtown business district. These are close to the downtown restaurants, shops, public art and historic sites. And there are Minnesota Resorts and Lakeside Vacation Rentals that are all located on beautiful northern Minnesota lakes.

Fall Fun For Everyone in Grand Rapids, Minnesota

Fall Fun in Grand Rapids, Minnesota

Come enjoy fall fun in Grand Rapids, Minnesota! Beautiful fall colors, a pumpkin patch farm, horse drawn forest rides, apple orchards, fall festivals and events, live music and theater performances, cozy lodging, new places to eat and drink. Fall is a beautiful time of year to be up north with an abundance of nature. Grand Rapids, Minnesota has over 1M publicly accessible forest acres surrounding that includes 2,000 miles of well maintained trails and over 1,100 area lakes. So, in addition to fun fall things to do, there is an abundance of outdoor recreation to take part in as well.

A Pumpkin Patch

The Cowhorn Crosing Pumpkin Patch & Farm offers an authentic farm experience that features a pumpkin patch, hayrides, get close encounters with friendly farm animals, walk through the corn stalk maze, let the kids play on the hay mound and playground equipment, purchase pumpkins, gourds, and homemade items. The Farm officially opens for the season starting September 20, 2025, open Thurs & Fri from 4-6pm and Sat & Sun 10am-6pm through October 31, 2025. This family-owned hobby farm puts on a great family-friendly experience that all ages will enjoy. Take a hayride through the cow field and the forest trail where you will experience familiar character cutouts. Costumed farm helpers will assist with the petting farm where you can pet the horses, a donkey, rabbits, goats, and more. Then when the kids have played their hearts out, have them pick out a pumpkin that you can carve into a jack-o-lantern for Halloween festivities. The Farm is open special hours over MEA weekend (October 17-19, 2025) too. Check them out on FACEBOOK.

APPLE ORCHARDS

Another fun outdoor family friendly activity is picking apples at the apple orchards in Grand Rapids, MN. Lavalier’s Berry Patch and Apple Orchard is family owned and operated. In the summer they have sweet strawberries and blueberries, and in the fall they have apples, pumpkins, gourds and squash. Some years they even have brussels sprouts that you can cut right off the stalk from their garden. If you don’t feel like picking apples, they also offer pre-picked. Both are by the pound.

TimberSweet is also a family-owned and operated apple orchard that offers blueberries in the summer, apples in the fall, and award winning maple syrup year round. The Fideldy family prides themselves on harvesting the best produce and maple syrup. At their farm site they offer pick your own and pre-picked, and maple syrup. You can also find them at the Grand Rapids MN Farmers Market selling blueberries, apples, maple syrup, and honey.

Both berry patches and farms are perfect to let the kids participate in harvesting MN grown produce, and then going home and cooking or baking with them. The experience is a wonderful educational and bonding memory. You could even start a new fall tradition.

Fall Festivals & Events

In the Grand Rapids, Minnesota area the area craft breweries, restaurants, area attractions, and area communities host Fall Festivals and Events that are fun for all ages. Kicking off in September is the Bovey Farmers Day that takes place over Labor Day weekend each year. Then the following weekend is the Itasca County Pickleball Association hosts the Lakes and Loons Pickleball Tournament which brings ages 14+ from all over the midwest to compete on the YMCA pickleball courts.

And then there are annual fall events like the Bargains Are Great on Hwy 38 (47 miles of garage sales) the third weekend in September each year. The third weekend in September the Blackberry Farm hosts their annual Fall Fest with snowmobile drag races, farm equipment shows, good food, raffles and more. And the Loon Country Quilters also host their annual quilt show the middle of September as well.

Then Oktoberfest Events happen throughout September at area restaurants, craft breweries, and area attractions like the Ravenstone Abbey Oktoberfest Annual Klocktoberfest which is the end of September, Rapids Brewing Oktoberfest at the end of September, and the Greenway Area Community Foundation the first part of October.

And then for live music and theater performances at area craft breweries and Reif Center, and the Grand Rapids Eagles.

FUN PLACES TO EAT & DRINK

While in town for the pumpkin patch & apple orchards in Grand Rapids, MN, you will want to check out the fun places to Eat & Drink. Grand Rapids is home to two craft breweries, a Minnesota wine bar, a tap house, and locally owned restaurants that make their menu from scratch and with locally grown produce, meat and eggs. Brewed Awakening and NoPo are both great places to start the day off right with locally sourced coffee, baked goods, and made from scratch recipes. For lunch you will want to check out Unwined Up North and Rapids Brewing Co; both offer made from scratch and locally sourced products. Unwined is the MN wine bar that also sells MN craft beer. Rapids Brewing is one of two craft breweries in town that has a log fired oven that they create pizza, a smash burger and other made from scratch recipes. For dinner we suggest Timberlake Restaurant, Pickled Loon Saloon on Pokegama and Forest Lake Restaurant. All three of these restaurants offer a full menu from burgers, salads, pasta to steak and seafood specialties. For a full list for Places to Eat & Drink in Grand Rapids, click HERE.

Beautiful Fall Colors & Abundance of Outdoor Recreation

Grand Rapids is surrounded by the Chippewa Nation Forest, UPM Blandin Forest and the George Washington State Forest just to the north of Grand Rapids. Over 2,000 miles of trails to ATV, hike, bike, and hunt. There are over 300 miles of ATV Trails with the closest one being only nine miles south of Grand Rapids (UPM Blandin ATV Trail). There are over 1,000 Hiking Trails, our favorites are in town (Legion Trail) and (Suomi Hills Trail) located just 30 minutes north of Grand Rapids. There is lots of public Hunting Land, just make sure that you look up the hunting regulations and requirements for the land you are seeking to hunt on. Resources to check with are the Chippewa National Forest, Itasca County, and MN DNR. For biking we suggest the Mesabi Trail a 80+ miles paved trail, and Tioga Recreation Area for mountain biking. Tioga is a 25 mile, single track trail that has a skills course (Pathfinder Playground) and multi-level trails for the entire family. Explore all of the Outdoor Recreation you can enjoy around the Grand Rapids, MN area HERE.,

Cozy Lodging

Don’t just come for the day, stay overnight. Grand Rapids, Minnesota is known as the outdoor recreation mecca of the north. Over 1,400 lakes, and over 2,000 miles of trails that are located on over 1 million publicly accessible forest acres. Come for the fall fun, and stay for the cozy lodging and beautiful fall colors!

You will find a wide variety of overnight lodging to choose from. There are in town Hotels and Motels that are conveniently located near in town trails, shops, and places to eat & drink. Then you will find a charming B&B located on Pokegama Lake, and close the the golf course and in town trails. There are in town Air B&B’s that are located above or near the downtown business district. These are close to the downtown restaurants, shops, public art and historic sites. And there are Minnesota Resorts and Lakeside Vacation Rentals that are all located on beautiful northern Minnesota lakes.

Now that you have read through the Fall Fun Blog that features a Pumpkin Patch, Horse Drawn Forest Rides, Apple Orchards, Fall Festivals and SO much more…what are you waiting for? Click the below button and BOOK YOUR FALL GETAWAY TO GRAND RAPIDS, MINNESOTA!

What To Expect In A Fall Getaway To Grand Rapids, MN?

Fall Fun in Grand Rapids, Minnesota

Come enjoy fall fun for everyone in Grand Rapids, Minnesota! Beautiful fall colors, a pumpkin patch farm, horse drawn forest rides, apple orchards, fall festivals and events, live music and theater performances, cozy lodging, new places to eat and drink. Fall is a beautiful time of year to be up north with an abundance of nature. Grand Rapids, Minnesota has over 1M publicly accessible forest acres surrounding that includes 2,000 miles of well maintained trails and over 1,100 area lakes. So, in addition to fun fall things to do, there is an abundance of outdoor recreation to take part in as well.

A Pumpkin Patch

The Cowhorn Crosing Pumpkin Patch & Farm offers an authentic farm experience that features a pumpkin patch, hayrides, get close encounters with friendly farm animals, walk through the corn stalk maze, let the kids play on the hay mound and playground equipment, purchase pumpkins, gourds, and homemade items. The Farm officially opens for the season starting at the end of September , open Thurs & Fri evenings and Sat & Sun during the day through October 31, 2025. This family-owned hobby farm puts on a great family-friendly experience that all ages will enjoy. Take a hayride through the cow field and the forest trail where you will experience familiar character cutouts. Costumed farm helpers will assist with the petting farm where you can pet the horses, a donkey, rabbits, goats, and more. Then when the kids have played their hearts out, have them pick out a pumpkin that you can carve into a jack-o-lantern for Halloween festivities. The Farm is open special hours over MEA weekend. Check them out on FACEBOOK.

APPLE ORCHARDS & Farmers Market

Another fun outdoor family friendly activity is picking apples at the apple orchards in Grand Rapids, MN. Lavalier’s Berry Patch and Apple Orchard is family owned and operated. In the summer they have sweet strawberries and blueberries, and in the fall they have apples, pumpkins, gourds and squash. Some years they even have brussels sprouts that you can cut right off the stalk from their garden. If you don’t feel like picking apples, they also offer pre-picked. Both are by the pound.

TimberSweet is also a family-owned and operated apple orchard that offers blueberries in the summer, apples in the fall, and award winning maple syrup year round. The Fideldy family prides themselves on harvesting the best produce and maple syrup. At their farm site they offer pick your own and pre-picked, and maple syrup. You can also find them at the Grand Rapids MN Farmers Market selling blueberries, apples, maple syrup, and honey.

Both berry patches and farms are perfect to let the kids participate in harvesting MN grown produce, and then going home and cooking or baking with them. The experience is a wonderful educational and bonding memory. You could even start a new fall tradition. Typically apples are ready end of August into September.