North Central Western

North Central Western Minnesota covers the broad lake-and-pine country running north from the Twin Cities suburbs through St. Cloud and Brainerd to the southern edge of the boreal forest. The terrain is glacier-shaped — gently rolling till plain in the south giving way to thousands of small lakes (Mille Lacs Lake alone covers 132,000 acres) and pine-and-hardwood forest as you move north. The Mississippi River cuts through the central part of the region. Thirteen counties cover the region. Stearns holds St. Cloud, the largest city, and St. John’s University at Collegeville; Crow Wing holds Brainerd and the lake-resort country at Gull Lake and Whitefish Chain; Morrison holds Little Falls (the boyhood home of Charles Lindbergh); Mille Lacs holds Onamia and most of Mille Lacs Lake; Cass holds Walker on Leech Lake; Pine holds Hinckley. Crow Wing and Mille Lacs Kathio state parks anchor the central public lands. Most trips here run lake-cabin focused. The Brainerd Lakes area handles the largest single visitor stream — Gull Lake’s resort cluster, Nisswa’s small-town shopping, and Paul Bunyan-themed family stops; Mille Lacs draws walleye anglers year-round (ice fishing in winter); St. Cloud anchors the cultural and shopping side.