Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United Sates Fish and Wildlife Service
15,549 acres22.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Monroe Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Monroe Township
The biggest trail networks: Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge (22.5 mi). 1% of Monroe Township’s land is conserved, about 338 acres. 131 acres are parks and preserves, 261 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
1%
338 acres · of 36.6 sq mi of land
Trails
24 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
131 ac
261 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
4%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
2
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, with 22.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Krueger Lake
Park
126 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Jefferson Proving Ground: Western Woods
Nature preserve
329 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
338 conserved acres
1% of Monroe Township’s land. Who manages Monroe Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
County338 ac
State Conservation Area · 338 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County Jefferson Proving Ground Western Woods State Conservation Area | County | 338 | Restricted |
Trails & water
2 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Oakdale SchoolBuilding · listed 1993
About itWhen to get out
August is the best month for walking in Monroe Township
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 14.6 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
| High (°F) | 39 | 44 | 54 | 66 | 75 | 83 | 86 | 85 | 79 | 68 | 54 | 43 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 3.1 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.0 |
February is the driest month (3.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 86 °F). 5.5 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Monroe Township →
Next door
Monroe Township and its neighbors
Monroe Township has the second most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Shelby Township27 miMonroe Township24 miMadison Township19 miShelby Township5.5 miLancaster Township0.6 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Lancaster Township | under 1% | under 0.1 | 14 | 27% | D |
| Shelby Township | under 1% | 0.1 | under 1 | under 1% | D |
| Madison Township | 6% | 0.3 | 86 | 44% | B+ |
| Shelby Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Monroe Township
Where can I hike in Monroe Township?
The longest trail networks: Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, 22.5 miles; Krueger Lake, 0.3 miles; Jefferson Proving Ground: Western Woods, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Monroe Township’s trails?
Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge and Krueger Lake don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Monroe Township?
2,274 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Monroe Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 131 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Monroe Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →