Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
4,254 acres14.9 mi of trail
Reno southFerry Rock TrailLair's Nest
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Crooked Creek Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Crooked Creek Township
The biggest trail networks: Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest (14.9 mi). 35% of Crooked Creek Township’s land is conserved, about 6,990 acres. 16 miles of mapped trail cross Crooked Creek Township, 0.5 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
35%
6,990 acres · of 31.2 sq mi of land
Trails
16 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
4
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 Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest, with 14.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
6,990 conserved acres
35% of Crooked Creek Township’s land. Water is left out: Crooked Creek Township has 31.2 square miles of land and 2.6 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Crooked Creek Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service4,997 ac
State natural resources4,362 ac
State fish & wildlife65 ac
Other state land65 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 4,997 acState Resource Management Area · 4,362 acState Conservation Area · 65 acConservation Easement · 65 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 65 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 4,997 | Restricted |
| R J D Memorial Hardwood State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 4,362 | Open |
| Crooked Creek State Aquatic Management Area (Houston) State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 65 | Restricted |
Things to do
11 places to go in Crooked Creek Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Crooked Creek Township
FerryRockIn Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
DirectionsGrandView RockIn Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
DirectionsLair's NestIn Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
DirectionsLower Quarry ViewIn Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
DirectionsRattler Point
DirectionsReno Quarry PointIn Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
DirectionsReno south prairieIn Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
DirectionsPeaks in Crooked Creek Township
Fairy RockIn Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
DirectionsCampgrounds in Crooked Creek Township
Hike in siteFee · In Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest · mn. dnr
DirectionsReno Horse CampFee · In Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
DirectionsUpper Reno Pack In CampgroundFee · In Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest · state of mim.
DirectionsTrails & water
3 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 0.6 miHorses · 0.6 miUnpaved · 9.4 mi
Reno south1.6 mi
Ferry Rock Trail0.5 mi
Lair's Nest0.4 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Crooked 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) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 25 | 30 | 43 | 57 | 69 | 78 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 59 | 43 | 30 |
| Rain (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
February is the driest month (1.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 5.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Crooked Creek Township →
Next door
Crooked Creek Township and its neighbors
Crooked Creek Township has the most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Crooked Creek Township16 miBergen3.0 miJefferson Township2.0 miMayville Township1.0 miBrownsville Township0.5 miWinnebago Township0.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crooked Creek Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Jefferson Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Mayville Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Brownsville Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Winnebago 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 Crooked Creek Township
Where can I hike in Crooked Creek Township?
The longest trail networks: Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest, 14.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Crooked Creek Township’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Crooked Creek Township?
16,284 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Crooked Creek Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,378 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Crooked 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 →