As early resorts flourished, tourism soon followed
From totin' trees to totin' tourists.
This Byway has been a well trod trail ever since me and Babe and the fellers first cleared it back in the day. We used the trails for totin' supplies back to the camps. When we moved on, some of those lumber camps turned into resorts, and the trails became full-fledged roads, for totin' building supplies and settlers and tourists. No wonder they called 'em tote roads.
Pretty soon, the resort business was boomin' and hundreds of folks would ride the railroad into Jenkins and hop a buckboard up north into 'God's country' to get away from it all. Oh sure, they probably had to share a ride with some sacks of sugar and flour and a few chickens and maybe a pot-bellied stove, but gettin' there is half the fun, right?
-Paul L. Bunyan
Resorts along the Byway have been welcoming recreational visitors for over 75 years.
Collectively, from the family resort to the grand resort, they define the towering role of
recreation, keep the heartbeat of the area strong and deliver a heritage of fun in all kinds of
packages to travelers who come in all kinds of packages themselves; from families to
couples, golfing groups to girlfriend getaways.
Listen to podcast about early resorting on the Whitefish Chain of lake, as told by long-time residents Addie Johnson and Irene Myers.
Visit Minnesota's S'Mores Capital to see Scenic Byway area resorts and hotels.