OVERVIEW OF NEARBY PARKS AND FORESTS

Chippewa National Forest
Location: 200 Ash Ave NW, Cass Lake, MN 56633
Distance: 33 miles
Phone: 218-3358600
Email: SM.FS.ChipNFpublic@usda.gov
Website
Chippewa National Forest is a great place to enjoy hiking, biking, boating, horseback riding, and snowmobiling. The area has 160 miles of hiking trails, over 80 miles of bike trails, dozens of boat-access points, 20 horse trails, and close to 400 miles of snowmobile trails. Chippewa National Forest also has the "Lost Forty." This is a 144-acre area that was missed when the region was mapped in the late 1800s. Because of the mapping error, the area has never been logged, and it contains some of the oldest old-growth forest in the state.

Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge
Location: 35704 270 St, Rochert, MN 56578
Distance: 41 miles
Phone: 218-850-4886
Website
Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge has dense forests, lakes and rivers, marshes, and bogs. The area has some of the most diverse wildlife and plant life in the country. The refuge was originally set up in 1938 as a breeding ground for wildlife and migratory birds.

Itasca State Park
Location: 36750 Main Park Drive, Park Rapids, MN 56470
Distance: 33 miles
Phone: 218-699-7251
Website
Itasca State Park is a great place to enjoy a variety of activities year-round. Watercraft--canoes, kayaks, and boats--are available at a number of locations. Fishing is, of course, extremely popular at the park. Hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails are interspersed throughout the park. In the winter, you can enjoy ice fishing, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing.

Badoura State Forest
Location: Badoura Township, MN 56435
Distance: 11 miles
Phone: 651-296-6157
Email: info.dnr@state.mn.us
Website
Badoura State Forest is made up of forests of jack pine and vast marshy areas. It's primarily used for hiking, camping, and hunting. About 15% of the forest is privately managed.

Huntersville State Forest
Location: Wadena County, Minnesota
Distance: 21 miles
Phone: 651-296-6157
Email: info.dnr@state.mn.us
Website
Huntersville State Forest is made up of forests of jack pine and red pine, along with some aspen and birch. You can enjoy boating, swimming, hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and dirt biking. The forest is a less visited than Itasca State Park, so it gives you a chance to get away from the crowds you might encounter there.

Smoky Hills State Forest
Location: Osage, MN 56570
Distance: 28 miles
Phone: 651-296-6157
Email: info.dnr@state.mn.us
Website
Smoky Hills is a 24,000 acre forest, filled with scenic lakes, hardwoods, and jack pines. You can enjoy hiking, snowmobiling, hunting deer and grouse, and picking fresh fruit. A number of ATV trails and dirt bike trails are also available.

Two Inlets State Forest
Location: Park Rapids, MN 56470
Distance: 30 miles
Phone: 651-296-6157
Email: info.dnr@state.mn.us
Website
Two Inlets State Forest features rolling hills interspersed with lowlands. Two Inlets Lake, which is part of the area, provides a great place for fishing and boating. You can enjoy snowmobiling, hiking, swimming, and snowmobiling. ATV and dirt bike trails are also part of Two Inlets State Forest.

Paul Bunyan State Forest
Location: Lake George Township, MN 56458
Distance: 30 miles
Phone: 651-296-6157
Email: info.dnr@state.mn.us
Website
Paul Bunyan State Forest is unusual in that most of the forest (82%) is made up of aspen. Another 10% consists of pine, and the other 8% is made up of northern hardwoods. In Paul Bunyan State Forest, you can hike, mountain bike, and ride ATVs and dirt bikes. In the winter, you can snowmobile and cross-country ski.