Buffalo Ridge Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
42 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Aetna Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Aetna Township
3% of Aetna Township’s land is conserved, about 690 acres. 2.0 miles of mapped trail cross Aetna Township, 0.1 per square mile of land. 3% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Conserved land
3%
690 acres · of 35.3 sq mi of land
Trails
2.0 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Near a park
3%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
1
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
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
690 conserved acres
3% of Aetna Township’s land. Who manages Aetna Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources413 ac
Other state land234 ac
State fish & wildlife42 ac
State Conservation Area · 455 acConservation Easement · 234 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 234 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Coteau State Scientific and Natural Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 413 | Restricted |
| Buffalo Ridge State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 42 | Restricted |
Trails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Aetna 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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 22 | 27 | 39 | 54 | 67 | 77 | 81 | 79 | 71 | 57 | 40 | 27 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.9 |
January is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Aetna Township →
Next door
Aetna Township and its neighbors
Aetna Township has the most mapped trails of the 4 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Ellsborough Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Rock Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Hope 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 Aetna Township
Are dogs allowed on Aetna Township’s trails?
Buffalo Ridge Wildlife Management Area doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Aetna Township?
959 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Aetna Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), almost none of it inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Aetna 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 →