Best Route to Red

[Iron Cowboy]

Planning on going up to west wind for the first time. From north west of the metro Google maps gives two options virtually the same miles. #371 to 39 thru walker and the Chippewa nat. forest or a little west of there up #71 thru Bemidji. Considering factors like traffic, cell coverage, road maintenance, gas stations. What is the preference of you guys that could almost do it blindfolded :-)

Edited November 19, 2015 by Iron Cowboy

[Hoey]

I like 169 to Garrison.  18 Towards Brainerd, then 8 up through Remer, then the Short Cut to Deer River.

Then 46 up to Northhome.  Then 71, 1, and 72 through Kelliher.

This saves 30 minutes versus Brainerd/Bemidji or Grand Rapids routes.  

[leechlake]

3 hours ago, Iron Cowboy said:

Planning on going up to west wind for the first time. From north west of the metro Google maps gives two options virtually the same miles. #371 to 39 thru walker and the Chippewa nat. forest or a little west of there up #71 thru Bemidji. Considering factors like traffic, cell coverage, road maintenance, gas stations. What is the preference of you guys that could almost do it blindfolded :-)

I live in NW suburbs, Medina and head up south of Bemidji to our place all the time.  Get to Walker go north a few miles to hwy 200 and go left (West) into Laporte and head to Bemidji from there.  Then through Blackduck, Kelliher OR take 10 to Motley and take 64 to Akeley head north 14 miles then you will skirt the west side of Laporte and then head west on 200 to Bemidji.  That route has less small towns than taking 371 and less traffic by far.  Good road too, redone in the last year or so.  My cabin is on Kabekona lake just south of Laporte and I take the hwy 10 motley route unless the weather is bad.  If it's crappy then 371 is the safer route.

Edited November 20, 2015 by leechlake

[bturck]

I've been this route from St Cloud for many years, very few slow downs as opposed to #371 route.  Hwy 10 to Motley, 64 from Motley through Ackley to 200.  200 to Bemidji cutoff (71) north to Blackduck, take Intl Falls exit in Bemidji.....71 to Shooks, turn left 72 to Red.  Can make it to Westwind with good roads in 4 hrs.  Only a couple of slow downs

[MLee]

I live in the west metro and google maps gives me 3 ways to go all within 5 miles of each other. My preference is to go through Brainerd and Bemidji in the winter and Grand Rapids in the summer. I don't like going through Grand Rapids in the winter because 46 is heavily tree lined and can have a lot of icy patches.

[Guru57]

Anyone know if the Pennington Road is open yet? I know it was closed most of the summer but when I drove through Blackduck recently I didn't see the road closed sign up anymore.