Thielke Lake Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
352 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Big Stone Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Big Stone Township
23% of Big Stone Township’s land is conserved, about 4,497 acres. 2.0 miles of mapped trail cross Big Stone Township, 0.1 per square mile of land. 2% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Conserved land
23%
4,497 acres · of 30.6 sq mi of land
Trails
2.0 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Near a park
2%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
5.9 mi
Lakes & rivers
7
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 Thielke Lake WMA, with 0.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Big Stone Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
233 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Reisdorph Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
212 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Prairie Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
183 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
4,497 conserved acres
23% of Big Stone Township’s land. Water is left out: Big Stone Township has 30.6 square miles of land and 3.8 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Big Stone Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service4,670 ac
State fish & wildlife980 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government40 ac
Other state land34 ac
Conservation Easement · 2,631 acResource Management Area · 2,072 acState Conservation Area · 980 acUnknown Easement · 40 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 2,474 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 36 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Stone County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 2,072 | Restricted |
| Thielke Lake State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 352 | Restricted |
| Big Stone State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 233 | Restricted |
| Reisdorph State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 212 | Restricted |
| Prairie State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 183 | Restricted |
Trails & water
7 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
5.9 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
5.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Big Stone 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 | 83 | 80 | 73 | 58 | 41 | 27 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
February 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 Big Stone Township →
Next door
Big Stone Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Otrey Township5.3 miPrior Township5.3 miBig Stone Township2.0 miAlmond Township1.9 miOrtonville Township0.5 miOrtonville0.4 miLockwood Township0.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Stone Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Ortonville | under 1% | 0.1 | 6 | 73% | C |
| Otrey Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Almond Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Prior Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Ortonville 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 Big Stone Township
Where can I hike in Big Stone Township?
The longest trail networks: Thielke Lake Wildlife Management Area, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Big Stone Township’s trails?
Thielke Lake Wildlife Management Area and Big Stone Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Big Stone Township?
5.9 miles of bike routes are on the map: 5.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Big Stone Township?
1,450 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Big Stone 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 Big Stone 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 →