Local Business Spotlight: Points Unknown
For two decades, Linda Newman, the owner of Points Unknown in Hovland, Minn., has guided people into the outdoors, sharing skills and showcasing the beauty of northern Minnesota’s landscape.
Her business, which began in 2005, offers dog sledding experiences, paddling & hiking adventures, off-grid lifestyle immersion, and more.
“It’s more about showing people that, you know, you can do something that’s outside of the box, and you can succeed and you can live your passions,” Newman said.
During winter, Points Unknown offers full-day, 3-hour, or 1 1/2-hour dog sledding experiences. Although there hasn’t been significant snowfall since early December, Newman said snow conditions in the Hovland area are still fairly good, allowing her to continue leading sled dog trips with her 21 dogs.
“The trails are hard packed, but they’re safe, and we are still taking bookings,” Newman said. “All is well.”
Dog Sledding | Photo by Points Unknown
During the summer, Newman leads canoe and hiking trips in the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Along the way, she teaches participants about identifying medicinal plants, appreciating dark skies, embracing a slower lifestyle, and finding joy in small moments and new friendships.
“I just live in the moment,” Newman said. “That’s what we’re all about.”
Another component of Newman’s business is collaborating with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to host Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) classes.
The program was formed in 1994 and provides outdoor opportunities for women to develop outdoor skills while building connections with other women. Newman has been involved as an instructor in the program since 2005.
“It’s very important to me to empower women to do things that, again, they maybe have never been introduced to,” Newman said. As a BOW instructor, Newman leads women in dog sledding, paddling, hiking, lifestyle immersion, and writing & reflection workshops at Points Unknown.
Canoeing | Photo by Points Unknown
As her business has evolved throughout the years, Newman said she has spent more time adapting to sustainability, “not only for the business but for myself.”
Striking a sustainable balance between time away and managing the demands of running a small off-grid business can be challenging, especially for those with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, like Newman.
In addition to Points Unknown, Newman operates two other small businesses, Scent from Nature and, most recently, Superior by Nature.
Scent from Nature offers handcrafted, locally sourced beeswax candles made by Newman on her Points Unknown property in Hovland. Newman attends numerous craft fairs each year to sell her candles, including the Hovland Arts Festival.
Within the last six months, Newman also started Superior by Nature. The business offers remote access shuttle rides to Superior Hiking Trail trailheads, BWCAW entry points, lodges, Grand Marais Airport, and more. The service is offered from May 1 to Oct. 31 each year.
Since launching the shuttle ride service in Cook County, Newman said the response has been “phenomenal.”
“It was amazing,” Newman said. “We love it.”
WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins sat down with Linda Newman, owner of Points Unknown, and her trusty four-legged sidekick Agate for the latest edition of the Local Business Spotlight. The audio from the interview is below.
The Local Business Spotlight highlights our local business community’s economic strength and innovation. This feature is brought to you in partnership with Visit Cook County and the Cook County Chamber of Commerce.
Kalli Hawkins January 9, 2025
