A small but key property will soon be added to Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, thanks to the efforts of Parks & Trails Council (P&TC). This state park in central Minnesota is near popular Mille Lacs Lake, though only a small, little-used area actually touches the shoreline. Instead, Hwy. 169 serves as a border, creating a buffer between the park and the lake, with various homes, cabins, and businesses lining the roadway.
One modest modular home along this section of Hwy. 169 recently came up for sale. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) let the owners know of their interest in buying it for the state park, but their acquisition timeline was longer than the landowners could wait.
Meanwhile, the property offered a prime opportunity for new private owners to swoop in, demolish it, and build a high-value home, which would have thwarted any chance for the land to be added to the state park. Instead, P&TC acquired the property in March 2025 and plans to hold it for as long as the MNDNR needs to secure its acquisition for the state park.
Now, the property offers a whole new kind of opportunity to increase recreational access to nature. Converting the developed land into a small parking lot could serve as a trailhead for scenic hiking trails.
A minimally maintained trail already leads from this property to beautiful Black Bass Lake, a quite, pristine lake fully encompassed within the state park. It is referred to as a Heritage Lake due to its special regulations against using motors or technological fish-finding devices. The park has established one backpacking site on this lake, accessible via a 2-mile hiking trail from the park office. The trail from the newly acquired land to the lake is closer to one mile in distance.
Yet, even if the MNDNR chooses not to develop recreational access, the property would allow emergency access to this part of the park. Moreover, with most of the property classified as wetlands, its inclusion into the park helps protect the water quality of the nearby Mille Lacs Lake.
