The Lady Slipper Scenic Byway runs through the same forest, lake, and river country where the Ojibwe tribe of Native Americans lived at the head of the Mississippi River. Chief Oziwindib (Chief Yellowhead), who guided the explorer Schoolcraft to the true headwaters of the Mississippi, lived in villages on Star Island and at Knutson Dam.

The natural scenery along the byway includes close forests and open wetlands in succession, for a unique contrast. This contrast is especially brilliant in the autumn, when blazing islands of color appear among the wetlands around them.

Travel back in time at Camp Rabideau, where the Civilian Conservation Corps housed its workers were housed beginning in the late 1930s. Camp Rabideau became a National Historic Landmark in 2006 as one of the nations best preserved Civilian Conservation Corps Camps. Guided tours are available from June through September. The CCC planted thousands of the trees seen along the byway route.

Getting to the Byway:

The byway can be reached by turning south on Beltrami County Highway 39 from US Highway 71 in Blackduck. Or travel east from Cass Lake on US Highway 2 and take a left on Cass County Highway 10.

Navigating the Byway:

Start your drive on the Lady Slipper Scenic Byway in the Chippewa National Forest at the junction of County Route 10 and U.S. 2 east of Cass Lake. Drive north on County Route 10 to its junction with County Road 39. Continue straight onto County Road 39. Follow County Road 39 north through Pennington and forest lands to the end of the byway at the junction of County Road 39 and US-71 near Blackduck.