By Jim Umhoefer
Trails Reporter
Ottertail County. 7 miles east of Pelican Rapids on Highway 108. Highway map index: D-11.
From the crest of Hallaway Hill in Maplewood State Park, the view sweeps over a green-blue world of lakes, fields and woods. Boats below on Lake Lida are like water spiders gliding swiftly across the water, leaving widening wakes behind them. It's peaceful and breezy up here, the kind of place that is tailor-made for relaxed trail lunches and lazy afternoons under blue ski and white puffy cloud.
Maplewood State Park (over 9,000 acres) is blessed with a peaceful natural beauty that encompasses more than 20 lakes interspersed among hilly woodlands, and an extensive trail system. Two of the lakes, Lida and Beers, have drive-in boat landings. Lake Lida also features a guarded swimming beach and a large picnic area that is spread out across a hilly peninsula.
