View source for List of Minnesota state forests

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{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

'''Minnesota State Forests''' are [[State forest]]s located within the [[U.S. State]] of [[Minnesota]]. The 59 state forests were established by the [[Minnesota Legislature]] in order to [[Habitat conservation|conserve]] and manage the [[Forestry|forest resources]], including: [[Lumber|Timber management]], [[Wildlife management]], [[Water resources|Water resources management]], and [[Recreation|Public recreation]]. Acreage of Minnesota's State Forests is over {{convert|4200000|acre|km2|sortable=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/index.html |title=Division of Forestry - Minnesota DNR - MN Department of Natural Resources |publisher=Dnr.state.mn.us |date=2018-09-24 |access-date=2019-01-29}}</ref>

Minnesota's state forests are generally managed by the [[Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]], Division of Forestry - headquartered in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]], [[Minnesota]]. Some forest land is managed entirely or in-part by the counties in which they are located in, or by the [[United States Forest Service]] in cases where state forests are located within the boundaries of either [[Chippewa National Forest]] or [[Superior National Forest]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/index.html |title=State Forests - Minnesota DNR - MN Department of Natural Resources |publisher=Dnr.state.mn.us |date=2018-09-24 |access-date=2019-01-29}}</ref>

The following is a list of state forests in Minnesota:

==List of Minnesota state forests==
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:*;"|Name
! scope="col" style="width:*;"|County or counties
! scope="col" style="width:*;"|Area
! scope="col" style="width:50%;" class="unsortable"|Notes

|- 
| [[Badoura State Forest|Badoura]]
| [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]], [[Hubbard County, Minnesota|Hubbard]]
| {{convert|4520|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established 1963, sections of forest also managed by Cass and Hubbard counties.
|- 
| [[Battleground State Forest|Battleground]]
| [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]]
| {{convert|17969|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963, lies entirely within the boundaries of the [[Chippewa National Forest]], additionally, and a portion of the forest falls within the borders of the [[Leech Lake Indian Reservation]].
|- 
| [[Bear Island State Forest|Bear Island]]
| [[Lake County, Minnesota|Lake]], [[St. Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis]]
| {{convert|157814|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963.  Access to the 2,362-acre (956 ha) [[Bear Island Lake]], 5,628-acre (2,278 ha) Birch Lake, as well as canoe and boat access to multiple smaller lakes within the forest. The [[Taconite State Trail]] runs through the forest, although it can only be accessed through the nearby [[Bear Head Lake State Park]] and [[Soudan Underground Mine State Park]].
|- 
| [[Beltrami Island State Forest|Beltrami Island]]
| [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami]], [[Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota|Lake of the Woods]], [[Roseau County, Minnesota|Roseau]]
| {{convert|703336|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1933, named for Italian Explorer [[Giacomo Beltrami]].
|- 
| [[Big Fork State Forest|Big Fork]]
| [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]], [[Koochiching County, Minnesota|Koochiching]]
| {{convert|127929|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963, the "[[Lost 40]]" and the largest [[red pine]] in the state of Minnesota are located within the forest.
|- 
| [[Birch Lakes State Forest|Birch Lakes]]
| [[Stearns County, Minnesota|Stearns]]
| {{convert|710|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1959, The forest is located in a transitory [[ecotone]] between the [[temperate deciduous forest]] to the northeast and the [[tallgrass prairie]] to the southwest.
|- 
| [[Blackduck State Forest|Blackduck]]
| [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami]], [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]]
| {{convert|125529|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1935.
|- 
| [[Bowstring State Forest|Bowstring]]
| [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]], [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]]
| {{convert|526569|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963. The 56,470 acres (22,850 ha) [[Lake Winnibigoshish]] is located entirely within the forest.
|- 
| [[Buena Vista State Forest|Buena Vista]]
| [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami]]
| {{convert|104073|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1935.
|- 
| [[Burntside State Forest|Burntside]]
| [[Lake County, Minnesota|Lake]], [[St. Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis]]
| {{convert|74815|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1905, home to [[Burntside Lake]], portions of the forest are within the [[Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness]] and [[Superior National Forest]].
|- 
| [[Centennial State Forest|Centennial]]
| [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]]
| {{convert|3394|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Chengwatana State Forest|Chengwatana]]
| [[Chisago County, Minnesota|Chisago]], [[Pine County, Minnesota|Pine]]
| {{convert|29039|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1953. The name is derived from the Ojibwe: ''Zhingwaadena'', meaning white-pine town, after the nearby ghost town and township. [[Eastern White Pine]] was historically the dominant tree species in the surrounding forest prior to intensive logging at the end of the nineteenth century.
|- 
| [[Cloquet Valley State Forest|Cloquet Valley]]
| [[St. Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis]]
| {{convert|327098|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Crow Wing State Forest|Crow Wing]]
| [[Crow Wing County, Minnesota|Crow Wing]]
| {{convert|31307|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1935.
|- 
| [[D.A.R. State Forest (Minnesota)|D.A.R.]] (Daughters of the American Revolution)
| [[Pine County, Minnesota|Pine]]
| {{convert|643|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1943.
|- 
| [[Emily State Forest|Emily]]
| [[Crow Wing County, Minnesota|Crow Wing]]
| {{convert|639|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963.
|- 
| [[Finland State Forest|Finland]]
| [[Cook County, Minnesota|Cook]], [[Lake County, Minnesota|Lake]]
| {{convert|311970|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1933, Minnesota DNR manages approximately 1/3, while the remaining management is by U.S. Forest Service and Cook & Lake counties. Most of the forest is within the [[Superior National Forest]].
|- 
| [[Fond du Lac State Forest|Fond du Lac]]
| [[Carlton County, Minnesota|Carlton]], [[Saint Louis County, Minnesota|Saint Louis]]
| {{convert|64505|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1933, parts of the forest are within the [[Fond du Lac Indian Reservation]].
|- 
| [[Foot Hills State Forest|Foot Hills]]
| [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]], [[Hubbard County, Minnesota|Hubbard]]
| {{convert|46896|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1931, hundreds of small lakes and potholes in the forest, formed during the Wisconsin glaciation, make boating, swimming, canoeing, and kayaking popular recreation activities. 
|- 
| [[General C. C. Andrews State Forest|General C. C. Andrews]]
| [[Pine County, Minnesota|Pine]]
| {{convert|7770|acre|km2|sortable=on}} 
| The forest is named in honor of [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] [[Christopher Columbus Andrews]], a [[American Civil War|Civil War]] veteran, and an early Minnesota State Forestry Commissioner and proponent for scientific forestry and [[forest management]]. 
|- 
| [[George Washington State Forest|George Washington]]
| [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]], [[Koochiching County, Minnesota|Koochiching]], and [[Saint Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis]] 
| {{convert|320534|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1931.
|- 
| [[Golden Anniversary State Forest|Golden Anniversary]]
| [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]]
| {{convert|6811|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| The forest was established in 1961 in celebration of the "golden anniversary" (50 years) of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources's Division of Forestry.
|- 
| [[Grand Portage State Forest|Grand Portage]]
| [[Cook County, Minnesota|Cook]]
| {{convert|99200|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1933, in extreme northeastern Minnesota. The forest is named after the [[Grand Portage National Monument|Grand Portage]], a historic trade route between the Great Lakes and the Northwest.
|- 
| [[Hill River State Forest|Hill River]]
| [[Aitkin County, Minnesota|Aitkin]]
| {{convert|124204|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963.
|- 
| [[Huntersville State Forest|Huntersville]]
| [[Wadena County, Minnesota|Wadena]]
| {{convert|33963|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963.
|- 
| [[Insula Lake State Forest|Insula]]
| [[Lake County, Minnesota|Lake]]
| {{convert|609|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963, managed by [[United States Forest Service]].
|- 
| [[Jeanette State Forest|Jeanette]]
| [[Saint Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis]]
| {{convert|11521|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963, managed by [[United States Forest Service]].
|- 
| [[Kabetogama State Forest|Kabetogama]] 
| [[Koochiching County, Minnesota|Koochiching]], [[Saint Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis]]
| {{convert|619287|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1933. Adjacent to [[Voyageurs National Park]], and located on [[Lake Vermilion]].
|- 
| [[Koochiching State Forest|Koochiching]]
| [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]], [[Koochiching County, Minnesota|Koochiching]] and [[Saint Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis]]
| {{convert|567985|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1943.
|- 
| [[Lake Isabella State Forest|Lake Isabella]]
| [[Lake County, Minnesota|Lake]]
| {{convert|638|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963.
|- 
| [[Lake of the Woods State Forest|Lake of the Woods]] 
| [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami]], [[Koochiching County, Minnesota|Koochiching]], [[Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota|Lake of the Woods]], and [[Roseau County, Minnesota|Roseau]] 
| {{convert|142331|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1990.
|- 
| [[Land O'Lakes State Forest|Land O'Lakes]] 
| [[Aitkin County, Minnesota|Aitkin]], [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]], and [[Crow Wing County, Minnesota|Crow Wing]]
| {{convert|51498|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1933.
|- 
| [[Lost River State Forest|Lost River]]
| [[Roseau County, Minnesota|Roseau]]
| {{convert|54915|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963.
|- 
| [[Lyons State Forest|Lyons]]
| [[Wadena County, Minnesota|Wadena]]
| {{convert|14789|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963.
|- 
| [[Mississippi Headwaters State Forest|Mississippi Headwaters]]
| [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami]], [[Clearwater County, Minnesota|Clearwater]], and [[Hubbard County, Minnesota|Hubbard]] 
| {{convert|45290|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1935, The forest is named after its location immediately downstream (north) of [[Lake Itasca]], the headwaters of the [[Mississippi River]].
|- 
| [[Nemadji State Forest|Nemadji]]
| [[Carlton County, Minnesota|Carlton]], [[Pine County, Minnesota|Pine]]
| {{convert|92924|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1935.
|- 
| [[Northwest Angle State Forest|Northwest Angle]]
| [[Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota|Lake of the Woods]]
| {{convert|144412|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1935. The name of the forest is derived from its location near the [[Northwest Angle]], the northernmost point of the [[contiguous United States]]. The forest borders the Canadian provinces of [[Manitoba]] and [[Ontario]].
|- 
| [[Pat Bayle State Forest|Pat Bayle]]
| [[Cook County, Minnesota|Cook]]
| {{convert|180403|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963, located within the [[Superior National Forest]]. [[Eagle Mountain (Minnesota)|Eagle Mountain]], the highest natural point in Minnesota, at 2,301 feet (701 m), is located within the forest.
|- 
| [[Paul Bunyan State Forest|Paul Bunyan]]
| [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]], [[Hubbard County, Minnesota|Hubbard]]
| {{convert|150113|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1935. The Paul Bunyan State Trail, the Heartland State Trail, and the North Country National Scenic Trail all pass through the forest.
|- 
| [[Pillsbury State Forest|Pillsbury]]
| [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]]
| {{convert|25612|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1900. Named for [[Governor of Minnesota|Governor]] [[John S. Pillsbury]], who served from 1876-1882. Located on the western shore of [[Gull Lake (Cass County, Minnesota)|Gull Lake]].
|- 
| [[Pine Island State Forest|Pine Island]] 
| [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami]], [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]], [[Koochiching County, Minnesota]], and [[Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota|Lake of the Woods]]
| {{convert|878040|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1933. Largest State Forest, although boundary of [[Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest|Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood]] is larger only about 45,000 acres of RJDMH State Forest are state owned. 
|- 
| [[Red Lake State Forest|Red Lake]]
| [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami]], [[Koochiching County, Minnesota|Koochiching]]
| {{convert|84105|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1963.
|- 
| [[Remer State Forest|Remer]]
| [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]], [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]]
| {{convert|12850|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest|Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood]]
| [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota]], [[Fillmore County, Minnesota|Fillmore]], [[Goodhue County, Minnesota|Goodhue]], [[Houston County, Minnesota|Houston]], [[Olmsted County, Minnesota|Olmsted]], [[Wabasha County, Minnesota|Wabasha]], and [[Winona County, Minnesota|Winona]]
| {{convert|1016204|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| Established in 1961. Located in Minnesota's [[Driftless Area]]. Only 45,000 acres (180 km2) of the land is state owned, with the remainder owned by private individuals and community groups, governed by easements.
|- 
| [[Rum River State Forest|Rum River]]
| [[Kanabec County, Minnesota|Kanabec]], [[Mille Lacs County, Minnesota|Mille Lacs]], and [[Morrison County, Minnesota|Morrison]]
| {{convert|40605|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Sand Dunes State Forest|Sand Dunes]]
| [[Sherburne County, Minnesota|Sherburne]]
| {{convert|11040|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Savanna State Forest|Savanna]]
| [[Aitkin County, Minnesota|Aitkin]], [[Carlton County, Minnesota|Carlton]], [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]], [[Saint Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis]] 
| {{convert|238954|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| [[Savanna Portage State Park]] is located within the forest. 
|- 
| [[Smokey Bear State Forest|Smokey Bear]]
| [[Koochiching County, Minnesota|Koochiching]]
| {{convert|12276|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Snake River State Forest|Snake River]]
| [[Aitkin County, Minnesota|Aitkin]], [[Kanabec County, Minnesota|Kanabec]]
| {{convert|9635|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Solana State Forest|Solana]]
| [[Aitkin County, Minnesota|Aitkin]], [[Pine County, Minnesota|Pine]]
| {{convert|68141|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[St. Croix State Forest|St. Croix]]
| [[Pine County, Minnesota|Pine]]
| {{convert|42153|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Sturgeon River State Forest|Sturgeon River]]
| [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]], [[Saint Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis]]
| {{convert|170587|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Two Inlets State Forest|Two Inlets]]
| [[Becker County, Minnesota|Becker]], [[Hubbard County, Minnesota|Hubbard]]
| {{convert|28051|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Waukenabo State Forest|Waukenabo]]
| [[Aitkin County, Minnesota|Aitkin]]
| {{convert|15688|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Wealthwood State Forest|Wealthwood]]
| [[Aitkin County, Minnesota|Aitkin]]
| {{convert|15042|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Welsh Lake State Forest|Welsh Lake]]
| [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]], [[Hubbard County, Minnesota|Hubbard]]
| {{convert|19797|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[White Earth State Forest|White Earth]]
| [[Becker County, Minnesota|Becker]], [[Clearwater County, Minnesota|Clearwater]], and [[Mahnomen County, Minnesota|Mahnomen]]
| {{convert|155390|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|- 
| [[Whiteface River State Forest|Whiteface River]]
| [[Saint Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis]]
| {{convert|4468|acre|km2|sortable=on}}
| 
|}

==See also==
* [[List of Minnesota state parks]]
* [[Natural history of Minnesota]]
* [[List of Minnesota trees]]
* [[List of U.S. National Forests]]
* [[Chippewa National Forest]]
* [[Superior National Forest]]
* [[United States Forest Service]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/index.html Minnesota State Forests], Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (official website)
* [https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/map.html Interactive map of the Minnesota State Forests]
* [https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/index.html Division of Forestry, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]

{{Lists of state forests by U.S. state}}
{{Protected Areas of Minnesota}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Minnesota State Forests}}
[[Category:Minnesota state forests| ]]
[[Category:Lists of state forests in the United States|Minnesota]]
[[Category:Minnesota geography-related lists|State forests]]