Bench Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
289 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Benson Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Benson Township
13% of Benson Township’s land is conserved, about 2,928 acres. 1.6 miles of mapped trail cross Benson Township. 9% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Conserved land
13%
2,928 acres · of 34.3 sq mi of land
Trails
1.6 mi
0.0 per sq mi of land
Near a park
9%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
10 mi
Lakes & rivers
6
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.
Henry X Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
84 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
2,928 conserved acres
13% of Benson Township’s land. Who manages Benson Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service2,630 ac
State fish & wildlife506 ac
Other state land446 ac
Bureau of Land Management1 ac
Conservation Easement · 2,146 acResource Management Area · 930 acState Conservation Area · 506 acNational Public Lands · 1 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,955 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swift County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 930 | Restricted |
| Bench State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 422 | Restricted |
| Henry X State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 84 | Restricted |
| Northeastern States District Office National Public Lands | Bureau of Land Management | 1 | Open |
Trails & water
1 named trail and 6 lakes & rivers
Named trails
20th Avenue Northeast0.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
10 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
10 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).
Christian F. Uytendale FarmsteadDistrict · listed 1985
About itWhen to get out
September is the best month for walking in Benson 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 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°F) | 21 | 26 | 39 | 55 | 69 | 78 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 58 | 40 | 26 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 0.8 |
February is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.2 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Benson Township →
Next door
Benson Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Langhei Township6.0 miCamp Lake Township4.9 miBenson4.0 miClontarf Township2.9 miBenson Township1.6 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benson Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Benson | 5% | 1.3 | 27 | 99%+ | A |
| Clontarf Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Langhei Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Camp Lake 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 Benson Township
Are dogs allowed on Benson Township’s trails?
Bench Wildlife Management Area and Henry X Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Benson Township?
10 miles of bike routes are on the map: 10 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Benson Township?
2,056 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Benson Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Benson 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 →