Appleton Area Recreational Park
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
343 acres18.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Jake DeGroot · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Appleton Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Appleton Township
The biggest trail networks: Appleton Area Recreational Park (18.5 mi), Lac Qui Parle Wildlife Management Area Main Unit (2.7 mi). 8% of Appleton Township’s land is conserved, about 1,533 acres. 344 acres are parks and preserves, 1,387 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
8%
1,533 acres · of 30.8 sq mi of land
Trails
24 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
344 ac
1,387 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
26%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
14 mi
2.2 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
3
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 Appleton Area Recreational Park, with 18.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Lac Qui Parle Wildlife Management Area Main Unit
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
4,808 acres2.7 mi of trail
Old 100th Street Southwest220th Avenue Southwest
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
1,533 conserved acres
8% of Appleton Township’s land. Who manages Appleton Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service1,164 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits517 ac
Other state land16 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)8 ac
Conservation Easement · 845 acPrivate Conservation · 517 acResource Management Area · 343 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 845 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 16 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swift County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 343 | Restricted |
| Chippewa Prairie Fee Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 279 | Unknown |
| Upper Minnesota River Valley Fee Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 238 | Unknown |
Trails & water
6 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 3.5 mi
Old 100th Street Southwest1.1 mi
210th Avenue Southwest1.0 mi
70th Street Southwest0.5 mi
220th Avenue Southwest0.3 mi
260th Avenue Southwest0.2 mi
Chippewa-Swift Street Northwest0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
14 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.2 mi
off-road bike paths
12 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Gethsemane Episcopal ChurchBuilding · listed 2011
About itWhen to get out
September is the best month for walking in Appleton 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) | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.4 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 22 | 27 | 40 | 56 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 59 | 41 | 27 |
| Rain (in) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.7 |
January is the driest month (0.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.0 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Appleton Township →
Next door
Appleton Township and its neighbors
Appleton Township has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Appleton Township24 miAkron Township5.2 miShible Township3.5 miEdison Township2.7 miHantho Township1.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Hantho Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Edison Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Akron Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Shible 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 Appleton Township
Where can I hike in Appleton Township?
The longest trail networks: Appleton Area Recreational Park, 18.5 miles; Lac Qui Parle Wildlife Management Area Main Unit, 2.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Appleton Township’s trails?
Appleton Area Recreational Park and Lac Qui Parle Wildlife Management Area Main Unit don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Appleton Township?
14 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.2 of off-road paths and 12 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Appleton Township?
952 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Appleton Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 344 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Appleton 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 →