Sturgeon River State Forest
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
6,947 acres5.2 mi of trail
Taconite State TrailCounty Road 501
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in French Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in French Township
The biggest trail networks: Sturgeon River State Forest (5.2 mi), McCarthy Beach State Park (4.9 mi). 43% of French Township’s land is conserved, about 9,141 acres. 1,789 acres are parks and preserves, 2,933 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
43%
9,141 acres · of 33.0 sq mi of land
Trails
20 mi
0.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,789 ac
2,933 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
28%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
11
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 Sturgeon River State Forest, with 5.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
McCarthy Beach State Park
Park
2,193 acres4.9 mi of trail
Taconite State Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Superior National Forest
Managed by United States Forest Service
375 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
George Washington State Forest
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
1 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
9,141 conserved acres
43% of French Township’s land. Water is left out: French Township has 33.0 square miles of land and 4.0 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages French Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources7,014 ac
State parks1,813 ac
U.S. Forest Service373 ac
State fish & wildlife8 ac
State Resource Management Area · 7,014 acState Park · 1,813 acNational Forest · 373 acState Conservation Area · 8 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sturgeon River State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 7,013 | Open |
| McCarthy Beach State Park State Park | State parks | 1,813 | Open |
| Superior National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 373 | Open |
| Sand Creek II State Aquatic Management Area (St. Louis) State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 8 | Restricted |
| George Washington State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 1 | Open |
Things to do
1 places to go in French Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Campgrounds in French Township
McCarthy Beach State Park CampgroundFee · In McCarthy Beach State Park
DirectionsTrails & water
3 named trails and 11 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Taconite State Trail7.4 mi
North Bay Trail1.4 mi
County Road 5010.6 mi
When to get out
The walking year in French 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) | 8.8 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.6 | 15.1 | 16.0 | 15.6 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.2 | 8.4 |
| High (°F) | 17 | 24 | 38 | 52 | 66 | 74 | 78 | 76 | 67 | 52 | 35 | 22 |
| Rain (in) | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 |
February is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 78 °F). 4.3 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in French Township →
Next door
French Township and its neighbors
French Township has the second most mapped trails of the 4 towns around it. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Bearville Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Sturgeon Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Morcom 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 French Township
Where can I hike in French Township?
The longest trail networks: Sturgeon River State Forest, 5.2 miles; McCarthy Beach State Park, 4.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on French Township’s trails?
Sturgeon River State Forest and McCarthy Beach State Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near French Township?
131,376 acres of parks and open public land lie inside French Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 9,197 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from French 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 →