Hackensack, MN

Tucked along the eastern shore of Birch Lake on Highway 371, Hackensack is a small, welcoming northwoods community about 15 miles south of Walker. With around 300 year-round residents, the town offers a quiet, relaxed pace of life that swells with cabin owners and vacationers during the summer months. Downtown has an easygoing up-north charm, anchored by lakeside green space, local cafes, and the town's famous landmark, Lucette, a 17-foot statue of Paul Bunyan's sweetheart overlooking City Park.

ATTRSkvader / CC BY-SA 4.0

Outdoor recreation is right outside your front door all year long. Birch Lake borders the town center with a convenient public boat launch, serving as the gathering spot for the popular summer children's fishing contests every Tuesday morning. The paved Paul Bunyan State Trail runs directly through town, giving walkers, cyclists, and winter snowmobilers miles of continuous riding through the woods. Nearby Ten Mile Lake and Pleasant Lake provide even more options for boating, fishing, and swimming in some of the clearest water in the region.

ATTRSteve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA / CC BY 2.0

Families in town are served by the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School District, with school buildings located a quick 15-minute drive north in Walker. While Hackensack provides daily essentials, friendly local businesses, and quiet residential streets, Highway 371 makes it simple to run into Walker or travel south toward Brainerd for larger stores and healthcare services. It is an ideal setting for anyone looking for a tight-knit lakeside lifestyle surrounded by northern Minnesota's lake country.