Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox

Pose with the 18-foot concrete lumberjack and his blue ox on the shore of Lake Bemidji, then step into the visitor center.

300 Bemidji Ave N · Bemidji, MN

About Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox

These concrete statues of the legendary lumberjack and his blue ox were unveiled in January 1937 for a Bemidji winter carnival. Paul stands about 18 feet tall and Babe about 10 feet, on the shore of Lake Bemidji next to the Tourist Information Center. Inside you can see Paul Bunyan memorabilia and the Fireplace of States, built from rocks from every state and Canadian province. The pair is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

#roadside attraction
#giant statues
#photo spot
#paul bunyan
#lake bemidji

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What's around here?

The closest stops to Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, ordered by straight-line distance.

Sports & Outdoors
Outdoor Adventure
Lake Bemidji State Park
Under $25
Walk a boardwalk into a spruce-tamarack bog, swim from the beach on Lake Bemidji and bike the paved trail toward town, 10 minutes north of Bemidji.
5.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Sports & Outdoors
Sports & Outdoors
Iconic
Itasca State Park
Under $25
See where the Mississippi River begins at Lake Itasca, then explore old-growth pine forest.
22 mi awaySwitch it up: Sports & Outdoors
Museums
Giiwedinong Treaty Rights and Culture Museum
Under $25
An Indigenous-led museum in Park Rapids, Minnesota, focused on treaty history, rights, and culture.
39 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
Sports & Outdoors
Big Bog State Recreation Area
Check prices
A northern Minnesota recreation area made up mostly of wetlands and raised upland patches, located near Waskish.
53 mi awaySwitch it up: Sports & Outdoors