Mississippi Headwaters State Forest
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
670 acres0.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Bear Creek Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Bear Creek Township
7% of Bear Creek Township’s land is conserved, about 1,341 acres. 2 acres are parks and preserves, 21 per 1,000 residents. 10 miles of mapped trail cross Bear Creek Township, 0.3 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
7%
1,341 acres · of 30.5 sq mi of land
Trails
10 mi
0.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
2 ac
21 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
2
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 Mississippi Headwaters State Forest, with 0.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Upper Rice Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
22 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
1,341 conserved acres
7% of Bear Creek Township’s land. Water is left out: Bear Creek Township has 30.5 square miles of land and 1.7 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Bear Creek Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources1,101 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service222 ac
State fish & wildlife22 ac
State Resource Management Area · 1,101 acConservation Easement · 222 acState Conservation Area · 22 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 218 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi Headwaters State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 670 | Open |
| Miscellaneous State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 431 | Open |
| Upper Rice State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 22 | Restricted |
Things to do
2 places to go in Bear Creek Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Bear Creek Township
Coffee Pot LandingIn Mississippi Headwaters State Forest
DirectionsCampgrounds in Bear Creek Township
Coffee Pot LandingIn Mississippi Headwaters State Forest
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Mallard Grade Trail3.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Bear Creek 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 | 13.6 | 15.1 | 15.9 | 15.6 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.2 | 8.5 |
| High (°F) | 17 | 23 | 36 | 51 | 65 | 74 | 78 | 77 | 68 | 52 | 35 | 22 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.9 |
January is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 78 °F). 4.3 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Bear Creek Township →
Next door
Bear Creek Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Fern Township35 miItasca Township20 miBear Creek Township10 miMinerva Township4.9 miMoose Creek Township3.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Fern Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Minerva Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Itasca Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Moose Creek 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 Bear Creek Township
Where can I hike in Bear Creek Township?
The longest trail networks: Mississippi Headwaters State Forest, 0.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Bear Creek Township’s trails?
Mississippi Headwaters State Forest and Upper Rice Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Bear Creek Township?
48,189 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Bear Creek Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,107 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Bear Creek 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 →