Otter Tail Scenic Byway

We left Maplewood State Park for a day of sightseeing, and followed the Otter Tail Scenic Byway through a number of small towns in the area.  First stop was Pelican Rapids, and a trip to the local park to see "The Worlds Largest Pelican".  Built in 1957, at 15 1/2 feet tall,  he stands next to Mill Pond Dam where the Pelican River flows through town. One unusual fact about the Pelican River is that it flows north...

Next stop was lunch in Detroit Lakes, MN.  Along the way into town we passed the site of WeFest.  WeFest is one of the largest outdoor country music & camping events in the nation.  Held at Soo Pass Ranch, visitors can camp and be entertained at one site; shuttle service takes visitors to downtown locations as needed. The entire three day event attracts thousands of fans every summer.

From Detroit Lakes, we stopped in Frazee, MN.  Signs along the highway told to stop and see "Big Tom", the worlds largest turkey gobbler statue in the world!  At 22 feet tall, Big Tom sits at the entrance to the local public park.  Tom has been a fixture in Frazee since 1986, being replaced in 1998 when the original Tom burned to the ground in a renovation blowtorch accident. Large turkey farms located nearby explain the significance of Tom to the community.

Our last stop before returning to the state park was the town of Perham, MN.   Tuffy's Dog Food and Barrel O'Fun snacks are two large industries in this small town.  We also located the homeplace where our neighbor grew up years ago...


From Perham, it was back to the park to relax and enjoy a crackling campfire...