Looking for the best things to do in Battle Lake from where to eat to adventure activities? Continue reading to plan your Battle Lake adventure!

Why this blog? Hi there! My name is Maddy and I’ve worked hands-on as an outdoor guide since 2018 and still lead women’s trips to this day! I got my start here in the Midwest and have lived in Michigan, Minnesota and now Wisconsin. Today, I still work as an outdoor guide and writer and I’m dedicated to helping you find the best real and authentic adventures for you! Thanks for being here!

Oh hey there! This blog uses affiliate links. That means if you choose to make a purchase, I make a small kickback at no additional cost to you.

Best Things to do in Battle Lake

From wood-fired pizza to exploring fairy pools, Battle Lake, Minnesota is a little bit of a hidden gem destination. Just two hours outside of Minneapolis, this summer destination is located at the edge of the (highly endangered!) tallgrass prairie and hardwood forest. I kind of believe that where biomes like this intersect makes for some of the best outdoor magic (think: Glacier National Park or the Boundary Waters).

Read on for a little bit of Minnesota magic:

1) Hike Restored Tallgrass Prairie

Now at just 4% of it’s native range, the Tallgrass Prairie once covered the middle of North America from the Mississippi to the Rockies, from Saskatchewan to Texas (source: NPS). This is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, now carved up into farmland. Here in Battle Lake, you can find restored Minnesota Prairie in and around Glendalough State Park (trail map linked here!)

I really enjoyed the short and scenic Prairie Hill hike, which offers views of the lakes and rolling farmlands below. I imagine this spot would be especially beautiful at sunset, but I chose to hangout by Sunset Lake instead, which was also really nice!

2) Grab Coffee and doughnuts at Esprésso

Start your Battle Lake morning with coffee and doughnuts (or a breakfast sandwich) at Esprésso in downtown Battle Lake. The coffee is great, the doughnuts are beautiful and there’s plenty of space and outlets to pull out your laptop and check emails for work if needed (important to me as a travel writer because work and play are sort of inseparably melded!).

Esprésso was the perfect place to fuel up before some morning adventures!

3) Kayak the Chain of Lakes & Streams

I’ve been working as a kayak guide for years so I might be biased, but I think the coolest thing to do in Battle Lake is to hop on the water and experience some of those clear blue streams and lakes for yourself! If you don’t own your own kayak or simply don’t want to transport one, check out Galloping Goose Rentals where you can rent a kayak, life jacket and paddle on-site via QR code and phone call then hit the water.

A couple of logistical notes for your paddling adventure:

There is SO much to explore here, and I would note that the rivers here flow north — fun fact, you’re actually in the Hudson Bay watershed here! All of these rivers will eventually end up in the Hudson Bay via the Hayes River. Wild.

Anyhow with that in mind, you’ll likely want to begin your paddle by heading south so that you fight the current first, not on the way back. Obviously there are other factors to consider when planning your paddling route (wind, current speed, ect), but I found the current to be fairly easy to paddle upriver against with the exception of one extremely small rapid that could be walked or portaged easily. Whichever route you choose, always remember to wear your life jacket! It could save your life and is very very cool!

4) Stay at The Grove Glamping

I was in Battle Lake to visit The Grove Glamping (hosted stay!) and it was kind of the perfect little spot in the woods, major fairytale vibes. The Grove is also right next to one of the rivers that is great for kayaking or tubing!

This was a super fun spot for a solo getaway, but I also feel like it would be great for couples or families. The tents each have an outdoor picnic table and fire put, and I could just imagine how fun it would be for a kid to stay in such a magical little place. The tents are all decently spaced from each other for privacy, and there are showers and flushing toilets on the property as well. This is a really good spot if you want all the ammenties of a hotel room but the aesthetics and fairytale vibe of staying in the woods.

5) Get an Acai or Grain bowl at Never Better

Okay so if you watched my YouTube vlog (above) on this trip, you may know that I carried the kayak for a little while rather than paddle up the little rapid and against the wind! It wasn’t a super far carry and it would’ve been find to kayak or if it were warmer out, walk the kayak up the small, ankle-deep rapid, but it was cold and windy and frankly I just needed to prove I could carry the boat that far.

Basically I was starving after and beelined for Battle Lake and Never Better, a small restaurant/wellness market with super filling grain bowl style foods. I got a burrito bowl and a lavender lemonade and it was very delicious. I’m writing this blog post around lunch time two days after I finished this trip and I can still taste it.

Highly recommend Never Better for your filling, midday adventure lunch stop. If I could manifest this burrito bowl out of my laptop screen and onto my desk in front of me right now, I would. Maybe this is a sign that it’s time for a lunch break…

6) Hike Molly Stark Lake

One of the prettiest hiking trails near Battle Lake, MN is the Molly Stark Lake Trail in Glendalough State Park. If you park at the Prairie Hill Parking lot then cross the road, you can find this little overlook pretty quickly into your hike.

There’s a nice bench up here as well and a lovely little view of the Lake below. You can continue on along Molly Stark Lake until you reach the creek connecting Molly Stark Lake to Annie Battle Lake.

7) Visit ABC Brewing

I hit up ABC Brewing my last night in town and I think this was the first time on my solo trip that I really wished I had someone else there with me to share it with. I think that’s sort of the double-edged sword of solo travel — it’s really beautiful and fun to be on your own schedule and do exactly what you want, when you want it.

At some point though you’ll find yourself watching the most spectacular sunset of your life or eating a really good pizza with a beer that just hits the spot and want to turn to the person next to you and remark how good and wonderful and special everything is. That was kind of the point I reached in the Brewery. I liked it there so much that I wished my best friend had been able to make the trip, or my sister, or my partner.

For real though, the IPA was so good I got a growler to go (above, left). Super refreshing and hoppy in a way that isn’t overwhelming.

8) Bike Glendalough State Park

I’m not huge into biking myself, but in walking around Glendalough State Park it became pretty clear that this is a park made for biking. You can find rentals at Galloping Goose, and a paved bike path circles Annie Battle and Molly Stark lakes.

9) Find hidden Fairy Pools

In my opinion one of THE coolest things to do in the area and in Glendalough State Park is find these crystal clear little fairy pools throughout the region. I won’t tell you exactly where I found this spot so that you can have the fun of hiking and exploring throughout the area yourself!

I’ll give you a few hints and places to look though:

• Glendalough State Park is a great place to look
• Check out the little streams connecting lakes
• Don’t be afraid to hop into a kayak and explore!

Love finding hidden Midwest destinations? Check out…

• Wisconsin is highly underrated for sure! Check out the secret hikes of the Driftless Region
• In it for the clear water swimming holes? These seven natural pools in Michigan are hard to beat!
• Ready for a road trip? Check out these top ten Midwest Road Trip ideas!

Love reading about the best things to do in Battle Lake, Minnesota? Share this article on social media!