Rush Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
709 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Chief Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Chief Township
15% of Chief Township’s land is conserved, about 3,402 acres. 3.3 miles of mapped trail cross Chief Township, 0.1 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
15%
3,402 acres · of 34.8 sq mi of land
Trails
3.3 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
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
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Santee Prairie SNA
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
442 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Wambach Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
116 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Vanose Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
114 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 5 parks & preserves
Rush Wildlife Management Area709 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsSantee Prairie SNA442 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsWambach Wildlife Management Area116 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Vanose Wildlife Management Area114 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Warren Wildlife Management Area69 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Who protects it
3,402 conserved acres
15% of Chief Township’s land. Who manages Chief Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service2,059 ac
State fish & wildlife896 ac
State natural resources455 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)440 ac
Conservation Easement · 1,650 acState Conservation Area · 1,351 acResource Management Area · 848 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,627 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahnomen County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 848 | Restricted |
| Rush State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 710 | Restricted |
| Santee Prairie State Scientific and Natural Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 455 | Restricted |
| Wambach State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 116 | Restricted |
| Warren State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 69 | Restricted |
Trails & water
2 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
T681.7 mi
T1650.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Chief 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) | 16 | 22 | 35 | 52 | 66 | 75 | 80 | 78 | 69 | 53 | 36 | 22 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
January is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 4.5 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Chief Township →
Next door
Chief Township and its neighbors
Chief Township has the second most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Marsh Creek Township4.4 miChief Township3.3 miGregory Township3.3 miBeaulieu Township2.5 miRosedale Township2.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Beaulieu Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Marsh Creek Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Gregory Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Rosedale 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 Chief Township
Are dogs allowed on Chief Township’s trails?
Rush Wildlife Management Area and Santee Prairie SNA don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Chief Township?
7,848 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Chief 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 Chief 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 →