Bear Lake - Northeast Itasca

Itasca County, Minnesota

Bear Lake is in Cook, Minnesota, under 55 miles from Grand Rapids. For another big-city trip, Duluth is under 115 miles away.

The Range Regional Aiport is under 55 miles away, and the Fairview Range Medical Center is under 50 miles away. For international travel, the Duluth International Airport is under 115 miles away.

Groceries and snacks can be found at Super One Foods. Locals recommend restaurants such as Junction Bar & Grill, Viking Bar, Bimbo’s Octagon, and Riverside Inn.

Happy Medium

At 344 acres, Bear Lake offers its residents privacy and lots of space for recreation and relaxation.

Popular activities include boating, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, fishing, and enjoying the views. Many homes have docks, but a public access point is on the northern tip of the water.

Anglers can find black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, yellow perch, shorthead redhorse, white sucker, bluntnose minnow, central mudminnow, golden shiner, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, and tadpole madtom.

Visit Grand Rapids

If you’re interested in learning the history of logging in this part of the state, head down to the Forest History Center. You can see a recreation of a white pine logging camp from 1900, listen to stories from loggers and forest service patrolmen from different eras, or get a bird’s eye view from a 100-foot fire tower.

Follow the yellow brick road to the Judy Garland Museum, where you can get a glimpse at the world’s largest Judy Garland and Wizard of Oz collection, including the world-famous ruby-red slippers from the movie.

If you’re getting hungry, you can check out the great restaurants that Grand Rapids has to offer, like Mitu Srilankan and Indian Cuisine, Donkey Taqueria, and Heritage Restaurant.

A Place to Call Home

Whether you are looking to buy a family home, a full-time retirement residence, or a waterfront property, Bear Lake is an excellent choice.