Inspiration Peak
Inspiration Peak sits along the Otter Trail Scenic Byway at an elevation of 1,720 feet, facing 270 degrees, with the land dropping 246 feet within 600 meters of the overlook. The view faces west, directly toward the sunset. Several wildlife management areas and other features lie within the sightline, ranging from Tuel WPA at 1.2 miles to Egret Island SNA at 12.5 miles, with elevations at these points spanning from about 1,215 to 1,435 feet. Most of these features cluster to the west and southwest, including the three units of the Gustave-Melby Wildlife Management Area, all located between 10.3 and 10.4 miles out.
Because the overlook faces due west, sunset views are unobstructed by orientation; seasonal sunset times range from 16:40 at the December solstice to 21:18 at the June solstice. The nearest towns are Alexandria, 19.9 miles to the south-southeast, Fergus Falls, 26.1 miles to the west-northwest, and Wadena, 29.7 miles to the northeast. Hallaway's Hill is the previous lookout on the byway route.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Tuel WPA1,435 ftwest · 1.2 mi
- Jensen Memorial Wildlife Management Area1,349 ftwest-northwest · 7.5 mi
- St. Olaf Wildlife Management Area1,295 ftwest · 9.8 mi
- Thornberg Wildlife Management Area1,350 ftsouthwest · 10.0 mi
- Gustave-Melby Wildlife Management Area, Southeast Unit1,250 ftwest-southwest · 10.3 mi
- Gustave-Melby Wildlife Management Area, North Unit1,242 ftwest-southwest · 10.3 mi
- Gustave-Melby Wildlife Management Area, South Unit1,215 ftwest-southwest · 10.4 mi
- Odens WPA1,356 ftsouthwest · 10.9 mi
- Bah Lakes WPA1,329 ftsouthwest · 12.5 mi
- Egret Island SNA1,231 ftwest-southwest · 12.5 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 0° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:26 | 19:35 | 18:55 |
| June solstice | 05:32 | 21:18 | 20:31 |
| September equinox | 07:10 | 19:22 | 18:42 |
| December solstice | 08:03 | 16:40 | 15:49 |
Local time (America/Chicago). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Alexandria19.9 mi south-southeast
- Fergus Falls26.1 mi west-northwest
- Wadena29.7 mi northeast
Take the scenic way to Inspiration Peak.
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How high is Inspiration Peak?
Inspiration Peak sits at about 1,720 feet (524 m).
What can you see from Inspiration Peak?
From Inspiration Peak: Tuel WPA (W, 1.2 mi); Jensen Memorial Wildlife Management Area (WNW, 7.5 mi); St. Olaf Wildlife Management Area (W, 9.8 mi); Thornberg Wildlife Management Area (SW, 10.0 mi).
Is Inspiration Peak better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Inspiration Peak toward the sunset, so at sunrise the light is behind you. Exact times shift through the year; the page shows the current window.
What is the nearest town to Inspiration Peak?
Alexandria, 20 miles SSE of Inspiration Peak.
Drive to Inspiration Peak with Byway
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Byways with this lookout
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Inspiration Peak — confirmed, rated, and photographed by people who actually pulled over. A local confirmation is what upgrades a lookout from Discovered to Verified. Zero hallucinations.
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More lookouts on Otter Trail Scenic Byway
Named places near this lookout
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- Tuel WPA Nature reserve · 1.18 mi
- Inspiration Wildlife Management Area Nature reserve · 2.49 mi
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- Battle Lake Public Beach Beach · 12.96 mi
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