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Nature Areas
Please look to the
experts for more detailed, wonderful information on the nature areas
in Northwest Minnesota. These experts include The Nature
Conservatory at
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/minnesota/preserves/
and the Nature
Northwest web site at
www.northernminnesota.org Both of these sites contain easy to
use information, maps and details about what to find at several key
sites.
State Parks of
Northwestern Minnesota
Old Mill State Park
(between Warren and Newfolden)
Hayes
Lake State Park
(near Roseau)
Lake Bronson State
Park (in Lake Bronson)
Red River State
Recreation
Area (in East Grand Forks)
Wildlife and Bird
Watching Areas of Northwestern Minnesota
Beltrami Island
State Forest
Glacial Ridge
Nature Conservancy
Northwest Angle
State Forest
Roseau Bog Owl
Management Unit
Roseau Lake Wildlife
Management Area
Roseau River
Wildlife Management Area
Rydell
National Wildlife Refuge
Thief Lake
Wildlife Management Area
Wetlands, Pine and
Prairie Audubon Sanctuary near Warren
Check out the Pine
to Prairie Birding Trail web site for more great information.
Note: Please
e-mail any changes or updates to your listing to jolson@nwrdc.org
Argyle
Old Mill State Park
218-437-8174
33489 240th Ave. NW
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/list.html
Contact: Ryan Sansnass
17 mi. NE of Warren, or 13 miles E of Argyle or 11 miles W of
Newfolden on
County Road 4.
* Open year round
* 8 am to 10 pm registered campers only after 10
* State Park fees
Camping - Modern camping with showers, flush toilets,
10 electric & water hookups.
Primitive camping. 1
Group campsite.
Information - Summer Nature Interpretation, enclosed
picnic shelter, swimming, canoeing,
fishing, volleyball, horseshoe pit and playground.
Historical sites include a
flour grinding mill. Suspension
bridges and Sliding Hill in the park.
Trails
- Biking, 7 miles of cross-country skiing and hiking trails,
Snowshoeing, and 3.5
Miles of groomed trails, warming house with electricity and
fireplace. The park's
trails run through prairie, wooded river valley and pine areas.
Snowmobile
- 7 miles of groomed trails
Crookston
Chicog Wildlife Management Area
218-281-6063
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/index.html
11 miles SE of Crookston on MN Hwy. 102 to Melvin; 1 mile S on
township rd.
Information - 1,624 acre example of some of
Minnesota’s remaining mesic prairie.
Winter
opportunities include exploration by snowshoe and cross-country
skiing.
Spring and fall brings migrating cranes.
Glacial Ridge Nature
Conservancy
218-637-2146
www.nature.org
10 miles east of Crookston on Hwy 2.
Information - More than 24,000 acres.
Established Oct. 12, 2004 as the 545th National
Wildlife Refuge. The
Nature Conservancy's largest prairie-wetland restoration
project in U.S. history.
Pankratz Memorial
Prairie
218-498-2679
www.nature.org
6 miles E of Crookston on Hwy. 2; 1.5 miles S on County Rd. 46; E
on gravel rd.
to parking lot.
Information - 2 units: 468 & 452 acres.
A boulder can be seen that has been rubbed smooth by
past buffalo herds.
Pembina Trail Scientific & Natural Area
218-498-2679
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/index.html
9 miles W of Mentor on Co. Rd 45.
Information - 2,360 acres on/near a prominent beach
ridge at the eastern edge of Glacial Lake
Agassiz. The site is
associated with the Pembina trail, a major ox-cart route that
traders used to haul furs and supplies between Winnipeg and St.
Paul. Also see
www.nature.org
Tympanuchus Wildlife Management Area
218-281-6063
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/index.html
3 miles E of Harold's Station on Co. Rd 45.
Information - This 840 acre WMA is open to public
hunting, trapping and other compatible
recreational uses. It
is a remnant tall grass prairie with minor amounts of brush
and trees. This area
has some of the highest rare species diversity of any WMA
East Grand Forks
Red
River State Recreation Area
866-857-2757 or 218-773-4950
515 2nd St. NW
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/list.html
1 block north of Cabela's in East Grand Forks.
* Daily
Camping - 72 camping sites located in campground next
to downtown East Grand Forks.
Electrical, sewer and water hookups, dump station nearby and flush
toilets.
Modern restrooms are open May - Sept.
Information - This 1,200-acre state recreation area
came about as a result of housing removal
after the flood of 1997. Located
near the area: groceries, ice, snacks, golf course
and laundry. Swimming
pool, picnic area, playground, fishing, tackle, live bait,
camping gear, gas and boat ramp.
Partially encompassed in the Grand Forks/East
Grand Forks Greenway.
Trails
- 5 miles of paved hiking and biking trails.
2 mile cross country skiing trail.
Connected to one-way route out of city - No snowmobiling off marked
trails.
Erskine
Rydell National Wildlife
Refuge
218-687-2229
17788 349th St. SE
Refuge Manager: Dave Bennett
Rydell@fws.gov
2.5 Miles W. of Erskine on Highway 2, 2.5 miles S. on Highway 210
Information - 2,120 acre refuge established in 1992. Includes a visitor center with bookstore,
wildlife observation and photography, hiking, snowshoeing,
crosscountry
skiing, fishing, hunting and environmental education.
Trails
- 7 miles of trails.
Fertile
Agassiz Dunes
218-574-2622
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/index.html
1 mile south and 1 mile east of Fertile.
Trails
- Hiking Trails allow a close view of the area.
Information - Preserved remnant of the sand dunes
that northwest winds pushed up on the
eastern beaches of glacial Lake Agassiz. Operated by the Nature
Conservancy.
Fertile Sand
Hills Recreation Area
218-945-3129
400 W. Summit Ave.
Contact: Kirsten Fuglseth
One mile east of Fertile.
Information - West Mill Recreation Area.
Self-guided nature trail highlighting the unique
sand dune formations, oak savanna and native prairie of remnant
glacial Lake
Agassiz. Nature trail along Sand Hill River.
Trails
- Ten miles of hiking and cross country ski trails along the Sand
Hill River &
through the Fertile Sand Hills.
Trail maps available at the Fertile Community
Center and on-site.
Public Nature Areas
218-945-3129
400 W. Summit Ave.
Contact: Kirsten
Fuglseth
Information - Open to Public Touring.
Over a dozen wildlife management areas within 15
miles of Fertile. Native
prairies offer spectacular wildflower blooms from April to
October.
Courting displays of prairie chickens and sharptail grouse
during
April and May. Maps to
natural areas available at Fertile Community Center.
Gary
Agassiz-Olson Wildlife Management
218-847-1579
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/index.html
Contact: Earl Johnson
5 Miles north on Hwy 32, 5 West CSAH 5.
Information - This unit is mainly wet prairie.
A major feature is a flood control structure that
allows a 300-acre open-water wetland to form.
Sandhill cranes have nested here
and the pool supports waterfowl.
Greater prairie-chickens have used open areas
for booming grounds.
Karlstad
Norway Dunes
http://www.nature.org/
Contact: Russ Reisz
Section 10 Norway Township, North of Halma, SE of Lake Bronson.
Information - Come see sand dunes and listen to
wolves howl. One of the
highest quality sand
dune oak savannas in
Minnesota.
Twin Lakes State
Wildlife Management
218-436-2427
Area (WMA)
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/index.html
Contact: DNR, Karlstad, MN
4 miles NE, SH 11.
Camping is permitted at 7 signed sites.
Information - 8,200 Acres.
Recreation includes hiking, snow shoeing, cross-country skiing,
berry picking, canoeing, and wildlife viewing. Water access is
available at
several locations adjacent to the marshes.
There is a viewing platform located off
Hwy 11 that overlooks the marsh that is wheelchair accessible.
The WMA
contains a 1,200 acre waterfowl sanctuary.
No trespass or hunting is allowed in
the sanctuary during September and October.
Snowmobile
- A groomed snowmobile trail runs through the WMA.
Lake Bronson
Beaches Lake
State Wildlife Management
218-436-2427
Area (WMA)
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/index.html
Just NE of Lake Bronson State Park.
Camping - Seven camping sites are posted with camping
permitted signs.
Information - This WMA is one of the largest in the
state (31,000 acres). Come
see moose or
listen to the wolves howl.
Snowmobile
- A groomed snowmobile trail goes through the unit.
Lake Bronson State Park
218-754-2200
Hwy. 28 E.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/list.html
LBSP@wiktel.com
2 miles E of Lake Bronson on South branch of Two Rivers.
* Open year round.
* 24 hours
* Normal State Park
Fees
Camping - 194 semi modern campsites, electrical
hook-ups, dump station,
showers, flush toilets. There
is one handicapped site.
Information - Boat rental and landing, power boating,
canoeing, sailing and fishing.
Swimming, picnicking, playground, watch tower, volleyball, snacks,
and ice
fishing. Also, 4
backpack, 1 group camp and 2 canoe in sites.
Trails
- Hiking and 14 miles of hiking trails, 7 miles of groomed cross
country ski trails
and 2 1/2 miles of paved bike trail. 1.5 mile self-guided trail.
Lancaster
Aspen Parkland Landscape
218-436-2427
Contact: DNR, Karlstad, MN
Information - Links with the Aspen Parkland Landscape
in Manitoba. Ecological
classification with various habitats. Kittson County is 50% in the Aspen
Parkland Landscape and 50% in the Red River Prairie.
Caribou State Wildlife Management Area
218-436-2427
(WMA)
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/index.html
Contact: DNR, Karlstad, MN
North of County Rd 4 on County 51.
Camping - Three camping sites are posted with camping
permitted signs.
Information - Just under 14,000 acres.
There have been sightings of Elk, Bear & Timber
Wolves. An example of
the Aspen Parkland Landscape in NW Minnesota.
This
WMA is open to public hunting, trapping, hiking, berry picking and
wildlife viewing.
Joe River State Wildlife Management
218-379-3205
Area (WMA)
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/index.html
Contact: DNR, Karlstad MN
dnrkarlstad@wiktel.com
Approx. 15 miles NE of Lancaster, near Canadian border.
Information - 160 acre marsh/grassland.
Great place to view a variety of waterfowl, including
Ruddy Ducks. Limited
opportunities for waterfowl, Sharp-tailed grouse and
Hungarian partridge hunting. Muskrat,
mink, raccoon, and fox offer some trapping.
Skull Lake
State Wildlife Management
218-436-2427
Area (WMA)
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/index.html
Contact: DNR, Karlstad, MN
East of Lancaster off of County Rd 4.
Camping - Primitive camping sites, free with first
come, first serve availability. Camping
areas are identified with "Camping Permitted" signs.
Information - 7,500 acres of unique topography,
unique upland prairie. Elk,
Bear and Timber
Wolves have been spotted in this region. Cross-country skiing opportunities
available. This is the
only WMA in Kittson County where blueberries have
been found. Hunting
opportunities for grouse and deer are excellent.
Snowmobile
- A groomed snowmobile trail runs through the unit.
Middle River
Thief Lake Wildlife
Management Area
218-222-3747
42280 240th Ave. NE
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