HILL RIVER AND WAUKENABO STATE FORESTS HILL RIVER ESTABLISHED 1963, 2000, 2001 124, 207 ACRES WAUKENABO ESTABLISHED 2000 15,689 ACRES

FOREST LANDSCAPE: The Hill River and Waukenabo state forests are located on gently rolling hills in north-central . With an array of public and expansive habitat for white-tailed deer and other wildlife, these forests are popular destinations for hunting, fishing, off-highway vehicle riding, and boating. A WORKING FOREST: From year to year, you may see changes in these forests. The DNR manages the trees, water, and wildlife in state forests to keep them healthy and meet recreational, environmental, and economic goals. Trees are harvested to make a variety of products, such as lumber and building materials, pulp for making paper, pallets, fencing, and utility poles. Through careful planning, harvesting, and planting, land managers work to improve wildlife habitat. The DNR manages state forests for everyone, while preventing wildfires and ensuring forests continue to keep air and water clean. HISTORY: Rolling hills, especially in the western and northern portions, are the result of past glacial activity. The Hill and Willow rivers flow through the forest before emptying in to the Mississippi River. Reflecting the language of the people have lived in the area for hundreds of years, “Waukenabo” is the Ojibwe word for a broth made of moss or milt when faced with starvation. During the late 1800s, millions of board feet of virgin red and white pine were cut from the highlands in the northwest parts of the forest. The logs were rafted down the Hill, Willow, and Mississippi rivers to sawmills in Brainerd. In the 1920s, a network of ditches was constructed in an attempt to drain the marshes for cultivation, but much of the land proved unsuitable for agriculture, leading to many abandoned farms in the 1930s. Many of the roads providing access today were constructed on these ditch banks. TREES: Northern hardwood stands comprised of maple, oak, ash, elm, and basswood, along with aspen and paper birch, grow on higher land. The lowlands support black spruce, tamarack, and white cedar. WILDLIFE: Wildlife includes white-tailed deer, black bear, ruffed grouse, wild turkey, woodcock, waterfowl, gray wolf, bobcat, beaver, fisher, snowshoe hare, otter, mink, muskrat, trumpeter swan, and eagle.

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The information in this map is dynamic and may change over time. The Minnesota DNR is not liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained. The data and related graphics are not legal documents, and are protected by copyright. GENERAL STATE FOREST RULES • ATVs, off-road vehicles (ORVs), and OHMs WMA HIGHLIGHT: MOOSE-WILLOW WMA Whether you are camping, hunting, riding, geocaching, skiing, or gathering berries, take must be registered. This large WMA has expansive marsh, care to leave the forest in good condition. mndnr.gov/licenses/ohv tamarack and low grassy areas. Pockets of HILL RIVER AND • Forest lands are open at all times unless otherwise posted closed. • Wildlife Management Areas are closed to cedar, and islands of aspen and northern OHVs. hardwood are scattered throughout the unit. • Summer camping on state forest land is limited to 14 days. Winter camping is limited to WAUKENABO There are two wetland impoundments with 21 days between the second Sunday in September and the first Saturday in May. Soo Line North excellent stands of wild rice (harvesting not • Pack out what you pack in. Remove all personal property. Do not burn litter or garbage. ! This popular trail is open to snowmobiling allowed). Upland timber is managed for white- • Don’t leave equipment unattended for more than 24 hours. in the winter and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), tailed deer, bear, and ruffed grouse. Look off-highway vehicles (OHVs), and off-highway for trumpeter swans, moose, wolves, ring- • Building any permanent structures, including deer stands, is prohibited. motorcycles (OHMs) during the warmer

necked ducks, black terns, great gray owls and MAP AND GUIDE months. Only ATVs are allowed north of the • Use firewood purchased from vendors who harvested firewood in the same county as common yellowthroats. Trumpeter swans have the state forest or harvested in Minnesota and certified by the Minnesota Department trail’s intersection with the Moose Lake Trail nested on the impoundments. Connection in the northwest part of the of Agriculture or USDA. Bring your receipt. You may also collect dead fuelwood on site. . The trail is relatively WMA maps: mndnr.gov/maps/compass Kiln-dried, unstained, unpainted dimensional lumber free from metal or other foreign objects is also permitted. It is illegal to bring in any other firewood. These rules are to flat and level. The Soo Line North Trail runs WMA information: mndnr.gov/wmas through Aitkin County, connects Cass and prevent accidentally introducing harmful pests such as emerald ash borer. Carlton counties, and ends where it connects mndnr.gov/firewood with the Soo Line Trail to the south near the AQUATIC MANAGEMENT AREAS • Fireworks are prohibited on all state, county, and federal lands. Aquatic Management Areas (AMAs) CAMPING AND DAY-USE AREAS BOATING city of Moose Lake. • Keep campfires no larger than 3 feet wide and 3 feet high. Attend the fire at all times. Please practice the “Leave No Trace” The Mississippi River in this area is an easy provide angler access, protect critical mndnr.gov/maps/ohv/sooline_north.pdf Completely extinguish fires before leaving the area. It should be cold to the touch. camping ethic. 12-mile paddle with launching access at shoreland habitat and areas for education Berglund County Park and off Highway 169. Axtell Technical Riding Area and outreach. The Hill Lake AMA on the • Bury human waste (if toilets are not available) and animal parts such as fish guts at least The area offers technical trails across a variety MOOSE WILLOW WMA CAMPSITES Several boat accesses are located on area east side of the lake offers opportunities 150 feet from a water body and away from areas where it could cause a nuisance or of natural and placed features. Ride the There are three designated campsites in the lakes and on the Mississippi River.Register for shore fishing and is a general use AMA hazard to public health. Moose Willow Wildlife Management Area “whoops,” circle the “bowl,” climb the hills or your watercraft at and so is also open to hunting and trapping, • Collecting berries, mushrooms, or dead fuelwood for personal use does not require a (WMA). No reservations or fees required. take the “crawls” to build riding skills. mndnr.gov/licenses/watercraft bird watching, and hiking. Additionally, there permit. However, collecting large amounts of these items to take home for personal First-come, first-served. mndnr.gov/ohv/trail_detail.html?id=94 are fishing easements available for use on use or sale does require a permit. Get permits from your local DNR forestry office. Rabey Line Morrison Brook, just west of Hill City, which is AITKIN CAMPGROUND – AITKIN COUNTY mndnr.gov/areas/forestry

TRAILS The 19-mile Rabey Line winds through the Hill a designated trout stream with opportunities

Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, Hiking and mountain biking are allowed on • Wild rice, Minnesota’s state grain, may be harvested when ripe unless posted otherwise. MAP FORESTS STATE

River and Savanna state forests and connects for fishing Brook Trout. this campground has nine campsites, with state forest trails and roads. Off-trail hiking, Collecting wild rice requires a license. WAUKENABO AND

the communities of Jacobson and Hill City.

access to flush toilets, showers, drinking water, skiing, and snowshoeing are allowed in winter. mndnr.gov/regulations/wildrice

The Rabey Line runs over a 1900s railroad RIVER HILL and picnic grounds. Reservations required. FISHING grade once used to move timber from Hill • This is a partial list of rules. For more information, visit the website listed below. Fees charged. co.aitkin.mn.us/departments/ CROSS-COUNTRY SKI TRAILS Anglers may find largemouth bass, and City to the landing at Jacobson. Today, the Land/recreation/AitkinCamp.html Several miles of groomed cross-country ski smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, trails include those at Long Lake Conservation Rabey line is a multi-use trail running hrough a panfish, trout, and catfish. Some lakes JACOBSON CAMPGROUND – Center, No Achen (in the city of Aitkin), combination of high ground, swamp, and bog may have special provisions or restrictions mndnr.gov/forestrules AITKIN COUNTY Savanna State Park, and the Remote Lakes land with beautiful woods along the Mississippi on fishing in state and national forests. You Located one mile north of the city of Solitude Area. Great Minnesot Ski Pass may River. Open to Class 1 and 2 ATVs and OHMs. must have the proper license and abide by Jacobson, this park offers 13 campsites, two be required. UPM Blandin Trail – Itasca County the same rules and seasons as anywhere else boardwalk cross over the wetland areas and The American Bird Conservatory designated camper cabins, ATV and snowmobile access to Located off the Rabey Line, the 21-mile in Minnesota. this refuge as a Globally Important Bird Area. MISSISSIPPI RIVER STATE WATER TRAIL picnic stops with grills are available. Open to FOR MORE INFORMATION trails, a boat launch on the Mississippi River, UPM Blandin Trail travels through a wooded In mid-October, viewers can watch thousands Minnesota Department of Natural Resources A small portion of the Mississippi River State Avoid spreading invasive organisms such Class 2 ATVs and OHMs. mndnr.gov/ohv toilets, and drinking water. Reservations and landscape of upland spruce and northern of ducks, geese and swans on Rice Lake from [email protected] Water Trail flows through the southern part as zebra mussels or spiny waterfleas by not fees required. co.aitkin.mn.us/departments/ hardwood, with several small stream crossings. RICE LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE the elevated observation platform along the 651-296-6157 | 888-646-6367 of the Waukenabo State Forest. The river in transporting vegetation, lake or river water, Land/recreation/Jacobson.html A short spur trail leads to an overlook and – U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Wildlife Drive. Fall duck populations are TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) this area is generally an easy paddle through including in bait buckets. Pack out unused bait picnic area. Open to Class 2 ATVs and OHMs. Established in 1935 to preserve valuable greatly tied to the wild rice produced on 651-296-5484 | 800-657-3929 BERGLUND PARK CAMPGROUND – hardwood forests and few rapids. Good water and live worms or dispose in trash containers habitat for waterfowl, this extensive refuge Rice Lake and average peak numbers are AITKIN COUNTY quality supports walleye, northern, muskie, where they can’t reach water or soil. area contains mixed forest, peat bogs, and 200,000 individuals. DNR TIP LINE (Turn in Poachers) Located in the town of Palisade, this bass, and panfish. Detailed map: HUNTING AND TRAPPING Visit mndnr.gov/fishing for up-to-date 800-652-9093 lakes. Woodland people have built burial fws.gov/refuge/Rice_Lake/about.html campground has nine campsites with electric mndnr.gov/watertrails/mississippiriver State forests provide opportunities for regulations. hunting and trapping. In the appropriate mounds in the area and harvested wild rice EMERGENCY SERVICE - DIAL 911 hookups, flush toilets, showers, water, picnic RECREATION AREA – SNOWMOBILE TRAILS season, licensed hunters can hunt for big from this 3,600-acre Rice Lake for shelter with fireplace, boat access to the U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AITKIN COUNTY SHERIFF Snowmobile trails (state and grant-in-aid) are and small game. NEARBY RECREATION thousands of years. Today, visitors can enjoy Mississippi River, a handicap-accessible mndnr.gov/hunting Located at the outlet of Big Sandy Lake, 218-927-7435 open and groomed between December 1 and trails, parking, picnic areas, and restrooms. fishing pier, and access to the Soo Line SAVANNA PORTAGE STATE PARK this recreation area offers camping, fishing, April 1 depending on snow conditions. Use FIREARMS AND BOWS Located a short distance east of Waukenabo Fishing and hunting permitted, no overnight NEAREST HOSPITAL SERVICES ATV/Snowmobile Trail. boating, interpretive education, playground, caution at all times. Logging operations can Firearms must be unloaded and cased and State Forest, this beautiful state park camping allowed. Grand Itasca Medical Center, Grand Rapids co.aitkin.mn.us/departments/Land/ and swimming beach. Reservations and sometimes share the trails. Trails are marked bows must be cased while in or within contains five lakes and the East and 218-326-3401 recreation/BerglundCamp.html fees required. with orange signs. 200 feet of any recreation area (campground, West Savanna rivers. WATER CAMPSITES day-use area, parking area, boat launch, etc.). recreation.gov Riverwood Healthcare, Aitkin • Visit mndnr.gov/snowmobiling/ • Camping available in the Savana Scattered campsites along the Mississippi (218) 927-2121 interactive_map for maps. • Cutting shooting lanes is not allowed on Portage Campground on Lake Shumway, River State Water Trail in the Waukenabo any state land. camper cabins, and guesthouse. No State Forest are accessible only from the • Snowmobiles must be registered. • Building permanent structures, including dispersed camping. KNOW WHERE YOU ARE Trespassing is a misdemeanor. If convicted, water. Most campsites have a picnic table, fire mndnr.gov/regulations/snowmobile you could lose your license to hunt. The Minnesota DNR prohibits discrimination in its programs and services deer stands, is prohibited. This area contains a patchwork of based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, public assistance ring, and vault toilet. No reservations or fees • Hikers can explore the Savanna Portage OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICILE state-managed land within areas of state- All conservation and peace officers status, age, sexual orientation or disability. Persons with disabilities required. First-come, first-served. • For regulations about hunting, trapping, Trail, a historic trail traveled by fur traders, and county-managed and private land. enforce trespass laws. may request reasonable modifications to access or participate in DNR CLASSIFICATION: LIMITED firearms, bows, limits, seasons, and deer Dakota and Ojibwe people, and explorers. programs and services by contacting the DNR ADA Title II Coordinator All trails on state-managed lands are classified Rules may change as you cross boundaries. at [email protected] or 651-296-6157. Discrimination inquiries DISPERSED CAMPING stands on state-managed land, visit should be sent to Minnesota DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN regarding motor vehicles. These forests are • Swimming is available at Loon Lake. For information about hunting, off- STAY ON TRAILS Dispersed camping with no amenities or fees mnndnr.gov/regulations/hunting Whether you’re riding or walking, tread 55155-4049; or Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of the Interior, classified as “limited,” allowing off-highway • Bicyclists can use 12 miles of unpaved, highway vehicle use, snowmobiling, 1849 C. Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20240. is allowed in state forests at least one mile lightly on the land. Be courteous to others, vehicle (OHVs), all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), camping, and other recreation, on Aitkin outside of a designated campground. Summer groomed trails. respect private property, and obey the law. © 2020, State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources camping on state forest land is limited to 14 and off-highway motorcycles (OHMs) on WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS • Off-highway vehicles are not permitted. County-managed land visit co.aitkin. State Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) Printed on Minnesota made days. Winter camping is limited to 21 days signed and mapped routes open for that type mn.us/departments/Land/recreation.html LEAVE TROUBLE BEHIND paper containing a minimum of of OHV use. Off-road traffic is prohibited, are managed to perpetuate and establish 10 percent post-consumer waste. between the second Sunday in September and LAWLER LOOPS TRAILS IN THE RESPECT PRIVATE PROPERTY Help prevent the spread of invasive plants the first Saturday in May. No fee. except when needed to retrieve big game quality wildlife habitat to produce a variety and animals. when hunting and trapping during the proper of species, particularly harvestable species, A scenic detour off the popular Soo Line Many state forests contain private land FORESTRY • Clean your gear before entering and season and with the proper license. emphasizing wildlife that lives in wetlands North Trail, the Lawler Loops system within their boundaries. Watch for posted 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155 leaving the recreation site. mndnr.gov/regulations/ohv and young forests. They are also managed showcases iconic northern Minnesota “No Trespassing” and “No Hunting” signs 888-646-6367 • Remove mud, seeds, and plants from mndnr.gov to provide opportunities for public hunting, landscape. The trail has three loops, passing and stay off private property. • Unless posted closed, local forest roads are clothes, pets, boots, gear, vehicles, trapping, and watching wildlife. north and south of the Soo Line. Stretches of You must have permission before open to ATVs, OHVs, and OHMs. and watercraft. entering private land, even to cross it • OHV trails are open as weather conditions to access public land. • Stay on designated trails. allow. mndnr.gov/ohn/closures.html • PlayCleanGo.org FOR_0006_21