Sandpiper Prairie SNA
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
393 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in Lake Ida Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Lake Ida Township
9% of Lake Ida Township’s land is conserved, about 1,810 acres. 3.7 miles of mapped trail cross Lake Ida Township, 0.1 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
9%
1,810 acres · of 32.1 sq mi of land
Trails
3.7 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
1
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.
Slininger WPA
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
190 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
141 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Ida Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
83 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 5 parks & preserves
Sandpiper Prairie SNA393 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Slininger WPA190 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge141 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Ida Wildlife Management Area83 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Rockwell Wildlife Management Area50 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Who protects it
1,810 conserved acres
9% of Lake Ida Township’s land. Who manages Lake Ida Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
USDA easements (NRCS)859 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service687 ac
State natural resources386 ac
Other state land144 ac
State fish & wildlife133 ac
Conservation Easement · 1,004 acState Conservation Area · 519 acResource Management Area · 397 acNational Wildlife Refuge · 290 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 947 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norman County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 397 | Restricted |
| Sandpiper Prairie State Scientific and Natural Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 386 | Restricted |
| Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 290 | Restricted |
| Ida State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 83 | Restricted |
| Rockwell State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 50 | Restricted |
Trails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Lake Ida 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 | 13.5 | 15.1 | 15.9 | 15.6 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.2 | 8.5 |
| High (°F) | 17 | 22 | 36 | 53 | 68 | 77 | 81 | 80 | 71 | 55 | 37 | 23 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
February is the driest month (0.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.3 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Lake Ida Township →
Next door
Lake Ida Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
McDonaldsville Township8.6 miGreen Meadow Township6.5 miWild Rice Township6.3 miRockwell Township5.8 miLake Ida Township3.7 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Ida Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Green Meadow Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Wild Rice Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| McDonaldsville Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Rockwell 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 Lake Ida Township
Are dogs allowed on Lake Ida Township’s trails?
Sandpiper Prairie SNA and Slininger WPA don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Lake Ida Township?
189 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lake Ida 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 Lake Ida 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 →