UPDATED 6/18/2026

Guest Travel Alert: Summer 2026 Hwy 71 Detour Guide

We are so excited to welcome you to Little Norway Resort on the shores of Little Mantrap Lake! Before you pack the car and head north for your getaway, please take note of some active road construction that may impact your drive up from Park Rapids.

Highway 71 Closure at Hay Creek

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is replacing an aging box culvert and upgrading the adjacent ATV trail crossing on Highway 71. Because the highway will be completely closed at the creek crossing, you will need to take a detour to reach the resort.

• When: June 22 – August 12, 2026
• Where: Highway 71, exactly 9 miles north of Park Rapids.
• Impact: Highway 71 is fully closed to thru-traffic at Hay Creek.

If you are traveling north from Park Rapids toward Itasca State Park and Little Norway Resort, you will need to bypass this closure.

How to Get Around the Construction

You have two great options to navigate around the closure and get your vacation started:

Option 1: The Local Route (County Road 89)

We recommend this route for our guests as a convenient bypass! Instead of taking Highway 71 all the way up, you can take Hubbard County Road 89. This road branches off to the east and will allow you to bypass the Hay Creek closure entirely, bringing you right back into the pristine lake country near the resort. It's a beautiful, scenic drive through the pines. Please note this route does include majority gravel surface but is the quickest.

Option 2: The Official MnDOT Detour

If you prefer to stick to the state's posted detour signs, MnDOT has set up an official route. It routes traffic around the closure using:

• Hubbard County Road 40
• Hubbard County Road 4
• Highway 200
• Highway 71

Note for Boaters: If you plan on exploring the local waterways during your stay, please note that boat access under the Hay Creek bridge will also be closed from late June through early August due to the overhead construction.

Hwy 10, 29 and 71—Wadena construction

Wadena and Otter Tail counties

Wadena Construction Impacts (Summer 2026)

Here is how the Wadena construction on Highways 10, 29, and 71 could delay your drive:

• Highway 10 (Open, but restricted): The hard closure has been lifted! Highway 10 is now open to one lane in each direction between 620th Ave. and Oink Joint Rd. This setup will remain in place through the fall. Please expect head-to-head traffic, lane shifts, multiple crews at work, and narrow or no shoulders.
• Highway 29 Impacts & Detour: Through early September, Highway 29 is open to one lane each way from Highway 71 to west of Wadena (expect flaggers, lane shifts, and no shoulders). Note: The 4th St. SW/Hwy 29 intersection closed on July 8 for about one week for storm sewer installation.
  • Standard Detour: Fifth St. SW, Aldrich Ave. SW, and Second St. SW.
  • Truck/Large Vehicle Detour: County Road 75, Highway 10, and Highway 71 (due to tight turning radius in the work zone).
• Upcoming Highway 71 Impacts (Late July - Early Sept): From late July to early September, Highway 71 between Highway 10 and Franklin Ave. will have active work. The road will remain open, but expect lane shifts, flaggers, and no shoulders. Because this goes through downtown Wadena, MnDOT asks drivers to slow down and watch for pedestrians.

Recommended Alternate Route: Highway 64 Bypass

To avoid the congestion, heavy equipment, and delays in the Wadena area, we highly recommend trying one of these two alternate routes: (Please reference MnDOTs official site for more updates)

Option 1: The Highway 64 Bypass (Motley to Laporte) We highly recommend this route for the easiest drive! To completely bypass Wadena and the Highway 71 corridor, turn right off of Highway 10 to take Highway 64 North in Motley. You can follow Highway 64 all the way north to Laporte. This is a fantastic, scenic route that offers a smooth drive straight up into the northern lake country. Once you reach Laporte, you are just a short, easy drive straight west to Little Mantrap Lake and Little Norway Resort.

Option 2: The Scenic Backroad (Verndale to Hubbard via County Road 23) If you want to avoid the main Wadena construction but prefer a quieter, off-the-beaten-path drive, this is a great local option. When you reach Verndale on Highway 10, head north on County Road 23. This long, scenic county road cuts straight north through Wadena County's forests and directly into Hubbard County (where it transitions into County Road 6). This will bring you right into the small town of Hubbard, where you can easily connect to Highway 87 and Highway 71 to head into Park Rapids and up to the resort.

Safe travels! If you get turned around or need help navigating the detours on the day of your arrival, please don't hesitate to give us a call. We'll have the cabin ready for you!

Your hosts,

Ben, Steph, Hailey, & Henry