Park Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Hubbard County, Minnesota, United States. It sits near Itasca State Park, which marks the source of the Mississippi River, as well as the beginning of the Heartland State Trail. The city lies along U.S. Highway 71 and Minnesota State Highway 34, positioned at the convergence of prairie and pine forest environments.

The land was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Ojibwe people, who maintain a significant presence in the region. Park Rapids became a city in 1882 and was named by Frank C. Rice after the park groves and prairies beside the Fish Hook River rapids. These rapids have since been dammed, but the area emerged as a supply depot for farmers and the lumber industry.

The town grew into a logging center with numerous trails leading north for tote teams transporting goods. Its main street was made unusually wide to accommodate long, horse-drawn teams essential to operations. The city is surrounded by three lakes: Fish Hook, Long, and Potato, while the Fish Hook River flows through the urban area itself.

Recreation in the Park Rapids area includes more than 70 lakes offering fishing opportunities for species like walleye and northern pike. The Heartland Trail, one of the oldest rail-to-trail projects in the United States, begins here and is open to hiking, biking, and snowmobiling. Notable nearby sites include Lake Itasca and the Crow Wing Lakes.

The population was 4,142 at the 2020 census. The city is served by Park Rapids Municipal Airport and the Hubbard County Heartland Express bus service, with the closest commercial airport being Bemidji Regional Airport. Park Rapids has a humid continental climate characterized by warm summers and long, cold snowy winters.