Savanna Portage State Park
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
6,375 acres19.5 mi of trail
Savanna Portage Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Savanna Portage · Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Balsam Township
More than half of Balsam Township’s land is conserved: 84%
84% of Balsam Township’s land is conserved, about 19,326 acres. The biggest trail networks: Savanna Portage State Park (19.5 mi), Savanna State Forest (1.4 mi). 6,412 acres are parks and preserves, 123,308 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
84%
19,326 acres · of 36.0 sq mi of land
Trails
21 mi
0.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
6,412 ac
123,308 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
41%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
10
1 beach · 1 boat launch
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 Savanna Portage State Park, with 19.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Savanna State Forest
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
12,962 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
19,326 conserved acres
84% of Balsam Township’s land. Who manages Balsam Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources12,961 ac
State parks6,367 ac
State Resource Management Area · 12,961 acState Park · 6,367 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savanna State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 12,961 | Open |
| Savanna Portage State Park State Park | State parks | 6,367 | Open |
Things to do
4 places to go in Balsam Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Balsam Township
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Balsam Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Balsam Township
Savanna Portage State Park CampgroundFee · In Savanna Portage State Park
DirectionsSavanna State ParkIn Savanna Portage State Park
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 10 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 16.0 mi
Savanna Portage Trail4.4 mi
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Savanna PortageSite · listed 1973
About itWhen to get out
The walking year in Balsam 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) | 8.9 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.8 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.6 |
| High (°F) | 19 | 25 | 38 | 52 | 65 | 74 | 78 | 76 | 68 | 53 | 37 | 24 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 1.1 |
January is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 78 °F). 4.5 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Balsam Township →
Next door
Balsam Township and its neighbors
Balsam Township has the second most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Turner Township23 miBalsam Township21 miHaugen Township2.4 miBeseman Township2.0 miPrairie Lake Township0.8 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balsam Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Haugen Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Prairie Lake Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Turner Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Beseman 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 Balsam Township
Where can I hike in Balsam Township?
The longest trail networks: Savanna Portage State Park, 19.5 miles; Savanna State Forest, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Balsam Township’s trails?
Savanna Portage State Park and Savanna State Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Balsam Township?
116,462 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Balsam Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 19,434 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Balsam 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 →