Even on the quietest of days, Banning State Park resounds with the operatic roar of the Kettle River as it pounds through its boulder-strewn course. The river adds a pulsing soundtrack to the experience of snowshoeing or cross-country skiing on the park's pine-shrouded trails. Banning is a great place to beat a hasty retreat from the exhaust-stained snow of the city. Natural beauty is one reason to seek it out. History is another. The Quarry Trail that parallels the river also follows the road that once bustled with quarry workers, train cars, massive hoists and deafening rock saws. Ski or hike the trails, then head to Askov and Hinckley for less physical diversions. EXPLORE THE PARK

The 1.8-mile Quarry Trail is Banning's signature route. The raw material of several Twin Cities landmarks -- including the Hennepin County Courthouse and Pillsbury Hall at the U -- was carved from these rocky slopes in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Mossy ruins, such as the barn-sized stone powerhouse, rise from the woods at unexpected junctures, adding to the atmosphere of an already dramatic setting. The park's 6,237 acres include a 10-mile stretch of the Kettle, popular with anglers and kayakers in warmer months. There are 12 miles of cross-country ski trails.

Banning State Park: The entrance is off Interstate 35 at Highway 23, about 90 miles north of the Twin Cities. 1-320-245-2668, www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/

DO THE RUTABAGA

Lena's Scandinavian Gifts and Coffee House in Askov (population 371) is notable for a couple of reasons. Originally a general store, the clapboard storefront is crammed with an appealing array of foods, kitchen utensils, textiles and other artifacts from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. Second, the coffee house is famous for its rutabaga malts, which actually include the savory root vegetable (but not so much as to overpower the ice cream, maple syrup and malt powder). The unusual concoction is a nod to Askov's rutabaga-rich heritage, which is celebrated each August during Rutabaga Days.

Lena's: Askov is 3 miles from Banning on Highway 32. Lena's can't be missed on Askov's very short Main Street. Open Saturdays until April, when it opens daily. 1-320-838-3784.

EAT LUNCH

Also on Askov's Main Street, the Daily Bread bakery and cafe serves a mean cup of soup and hearty homemade sandwiches (on freshly baked bread). I walked out with three loaves of the bakery's dense but delectable pumpernickel rye. The bakery also sells many gluten-free breads, cookies and pastries.

Daily Bread: open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays: 1-320-838-3111.

Star Tribune, Star Tribune
Hiking at Banning State Park, Minnesota.

STUDY A FIRESTORM

The Hinckley fire of 1894 counts as one of the great catastrophes in American history. The explosive blaze killed at least 418 people and reduced more than 400 square miles to soot and ashes in about four hours. Why? Massive logging operations left heaps of slash -- pine boughs, roots and twisted trunks -- in their wake. A dry summer baked all that fuel tinderbox dry. The Hinckley Fire Museum tells the tale of the blaze with a variety of displays, newspaper clippings and a short movie (which is well worth seeing.)

Hinckley Fire Museum: 106 Old Highway 61. Closed until May 1, but will open off-season for groups. 1-320-384-7338.

ONE GAMBLE, ONE

SURE THING

Hinckley's biggest attraction is the 378,000-square-foot Hinckley Grand Casino, which employs more than 1,700 people. The sprawling complex includes three hotels, an RV park, concert venues, a luxury hotel and many, many opportunities to lose your money. Hinckley's other major draw, Tobie's Restaurant and Bakery, is a rock solid bet if you're in the market for gigantic, sweet cinnamon rolls.

Grand Casino and Tobie's: For either of these behemoths, just follow the signs at the Hinckley exit off I-35. Tobie's: 1-320-384-6174. Grand Casino Hinckley: 1-800-468-3517.

Chris Welsch • 612-673-7113