Baxter offers several distinct nature-focused experiences for a stay: the Northland Arboretum centers on trails and protected habitats, while Whipple Beach Recreational Area features a beach, fishing pier and paved trails. Mississippi River Overlook Park can be understood by its location on a large open-space property in the southwestern part of the city; the property has river frontage at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. These places can help you tailor your choices to the kind of outing you want before looking for hotels in Baxter.

Trails and wildlife at the Northland Arboretum

The Northland Arboretum is located in Brainerd and Baxter, Minnesota. It covers more than 400 acres of land and has 12 miles of trails. The combination of size and trail network gives travelers looking to choose based on extensive trails a concrete point of reference. Consider what role hiking should play in your plans and whether you want to make the trail mileage a focus of your stay.

The arboretum also maintains hundreds of acres of protected habitats in Minnesota. These are home to a variety of wildlife, including bald eagles and river otters. So the arboretum is known not only for its trails but also for its wildlife habitats. If you are interested in observing nature, the protected habitats offer a specific point of interest. When choosing an outing, you can weigh whether the trails, the habitats and their wildlife, or both matter more to you.

Beach, fishing pier and paved trails

Whipple Beach Recreational Area has different features: a public beach, a fishing pier and paved trails. If the beach and fishing are what matter most to you, this combination offers a different point of reference from the arboretum’s trails and habitats. The paved trails are another feature of the area and can be considered alongside the beach and pier. There are no lifeguards on duty at the public beach. Keep this condition in mind when deciding whether to visit the beach.

These three features can help you define your priorities more precisely: a public beach, a fishing pier and paved trails appeal to different interests, even though they are part of the same area. This lets you consider Whipple Beach specifically as a beach or fishing destination, while the arboretum is defined primarily by its trails and protected habitats.

Mississippi River Overlook Park and its surroundings

Mississippi River Overlook Park offers another geographic reference for planning your trip. The existing park is at the southeastern corner of an 880-acre open-space property in southwestern Baxter. The 880-acre open-space property has river frontage at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. For travelers interested in the Mississippi as a geographic point of reference in its headwaters region, this open-space setting adds to Baxter’s other nature-focused experiences.

The places therefore differ mainly in the focus you can choose: the arboretum centers on trails and protected habitats, Whipple Beach on a beach, fishing pier and paved trails, and Mississippi River Overlook Park on its location within the open-space property and its river frontage.

Find hotels in Baxter based on your travel interests

When looking for a place to stay in Baxter, you can start by deciding what you want to focus on during your trip. If you are interested in trails and protected habitats, the Northland Arboretum is a fitting point of reference; for a beach, fishing pier and paved trails, Whipple Beach offers a different combination. Mississippi River Overlook Park adds the open-space property’s geographic connection to the headwaters. These differences can help clarify your priorities before you search for hotels in Baxter. Base your search on the features that matter most to your trip.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Brainerd, Merrifield, Deerwood, Nisswa and Pequot Lakes.

Go to the main travel overview: Crow Wing County.