Jay Cooke State Park
Nature preserve
285 acres2.3 mi of trail
Thompson TrailC.C.C. Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Carlton
Few parks or trails are on the map in Carlton
The biggest trail networks: Jay Cooke State Park (2.3 mi). 13% of Carlton’s land is conserved, about 328 acres. 266 acres are parks and preserves, 304 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
13%
328 acres · of 3.8 sq mi of land
Trails
2.9 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
266 ac
304 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
87%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
4.7 mi
4.7 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
2
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 Jay Cooke State Park, with 2.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Gichigami Ziibi WMA
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
4 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
328 conserved acres
13% of Carlton’s land. Water is left out: Carlton has 3.8 square miles of land and 0.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Carlton’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State parks260 ac
State fish & wildlife64 ac
Town or city5 ac
State Park · 260 acState Conservation Area · 64 acLocal Park · 5 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Cooke State Park State Park | State parks | 260 | Open |
| Otter Creek State Aquatic Management Area (Carlton) State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 64 | Restricted |
| Willard Munger Trail Head Local Park | Town or city | 4 | Open |
| Mcfarland Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
Things to do
3 places to go in Carlton
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Carlton
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Carlton
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
2 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 0.7 miUnpaved · 2.0 mi
Thompson Trail1.3 mi
C.C.C. Trail0.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
4.7 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
4.7 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
1Baseball
1Basketball
1Tennis
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
When to get out
The walking year in Carlton
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 | 51 | 64 | 73 | 79 | 76 | 68 | 53 | 37 | 24 |
| Rain (in) | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
February is the driest month (0.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.5 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Carlton →
Next door
Carlton and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlton | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Twin Lakes Township | 13% | 0.5 | 1,516 | 3% | B+ |
| Thomson Township | 10% | 0.5 | 408 | 13% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Carlton
Where can I hike in Carlton?
The longest trail networks: Jay Cooke State Park, 2.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Carlton’s trails?
Jay Cooke State Park and Gichigami Ziibi WMA don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Carlton?
4.7 miles of bike routes are on the map: 4.7 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Carlton?
24,244 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Carlton or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 266 of them inside the city line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Carlton 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 →