Minnesota State Highway 72

Minnesota State Highway 72 (MN 72) is a 76.810-mile-long (123.614 km) highway in northwest Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with U.S. 71 in Blackduck and continues north to its northern terminus at the Canada–US border in Baudette. The road continues as Ontario Highway 11 upon entering the town of Rainy River, Ontario at the Baudette-Rainy River International Bridge.

Trunk Highway 72 marker
Trunk Highway 72
Map
MN 72 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MnDOT
Length76.810 mi[2] (123.614 km)
Existed1923[1]–present
Major junctions
South end US 71 at Blackduck
Major intersections MN 1 at Shooks
MN 11 at Baudette
North end Highway 11 at Rainy River, ON
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountiesBeltrami, Lake of the Woods
Highway system
  • Minnesota Trunk Highway System
US 71 MN 73

Route description

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State Highway 72 serves as a north–south route between the communities of Blackduck, Shooks, Kelliher, and Baudette.

The roadway passes through the Red Lake State Forest in northeast Beltrami County between Kelliher and Waskish. Big Bog State Recreation Area is located on Highway 72, immediately north of Waskish.

Highway 72 crosses the Rainy River at Baudette.

History

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State Highway 72 was authorized as one of the first two Minnesota legislative routes in 1923. This portion of the route was located between Blackduck and Baudette.

The route was paved by 1942.

At one time, Highway 72 had continued farther north, extending over what is now State Highway 172 in Lake of the Woods County. The section of present-day Minnesota 172 between State Highway 11 (at Baudette) and Wheeler's Point (at Lake of the Woods) was originally designated Minnesota 72 as well between 1934 and 1963.

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmi[2]kmDestinationsNotes
BeltramiBlackduck0.0000.000  US 71 – Bemidji
Hines Township1.8292.943 
 
CSAH 32 west – Nebish
Hornet Township6.89511.096 
 
CSAH 41 east
Shooks Township9.91015.949 
 
MN 1 west – Redby
 
 
CSAH 36 north
West end of MN 1 overlap
Shooks14.97024.092 
 
MN 1 east – Northome
East end of MN 1 overlap
Kelliher19.58631.521 
 
CSAH 36 west
19.69631.698 
 
CSAH 36 east
Shotley Brook29.75247.881 
 
CSAH 23 west – Shotley
Lake of the WoodsSwiftwater Township59.88996.382 
 
CSAH 1 west (Wilderness Drive)
Township 158-3062.375100.383 
 
CSAH 16 east (Hay Creek Road)
Boone Township62.873101.184 
 
CSAH 16 west (51st Street SE)
Rapid River Township65.878106.020 
 
CSAH 7 east (39th Street SE)
Gudrid Township71.875115.672 
 
CSAH 19 east (15th Street SE)
Baudette73.880118.898  CSAH 35
74.680120.186 
 
MN 11 east – International Falls
East end of MN 11 overlap
76.377122.917 
 
MN 11 west – Warroad, Roseau
West end of MN 11 overlap
76.518123.144 
 
CSAH 26 west (2nd Street NE)
Rainy River76.864123.701  Highway 11 east – Rainy River
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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KML is from Wikidata
  1. ^ Riner, Steve. "Details of Routes 51-75". The Unofficial Minnesota Highways Page. Retrieved 2006-12-16.
  2. ^ a b "Trunk Highway Log Point Listing – Construction District 2" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Transportation. August 23, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2008. Retrieved October 26, 2010.