Banks Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
306 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Lakeside Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Lakeside Township
9% of Lakeside Township’s land is conserved, about 1,895 acres. 2.1 miles of mapped trail cross Lakeside Township, 0.1 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
9%
1,895 acres · of 33.5 sq mi of land
Trails
2.1 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
12
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.
Bennett Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
270 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Bennett WMA South Access
Wolf Lake WPA
Nature preserve
87 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Carpenter Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
61 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 5 parks & preserves
Banks Wildlife Management Area306 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Bennett Wildlife Management Area270 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsWolf Lake WPA87 acres
Carpenter Wildlife Management Area61 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Wolf Lake Wildlife Management Area, Cottonwood County Unit24 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsWho protects it
1,895 conserved acres
9% of Lakeside Township’s land. Who manages Lakeside Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service1,764 ac
State fish & wildlife662 ac
Other state land146 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)72 ac
Resource Management Area · 1,494 acState Conservation Area · 662 acConservation Easement · 489 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 436 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 1,494 | Restricted |
| Banks State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 308 | Restricted |
| Bennett State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 270 | Restricted |
| Carpenter State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 61 | Restricted |
| Wolf Lake State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 24 | Restricted |
Things to do
5 places to go in Lakeside Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Lakeside Township
4 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Lakeside Township
1 peak without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
12 lakes & rivers
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Lakeside 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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 23 | 27 | 40 | 55 | 68 | 78 | 82 | 79 | 73 | 58 | 41 | 27 |
| Rain (in) | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
January is the driest month (0.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.9 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Lakeside Township →
Next door
Lakeside Township and its neighbors
Lakeside Township has the second most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Windom4.4 miLakeside Township2.1 miMountain Lake Township0.9 miGreat Bend Township0.7 miChristiania Township0.7 miDelafield Township0.2 miCarson Township0.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Windom | 6% | 1.1 | 24 | 95% | A |
| Great Bend Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Carson Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Mountain Lake Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Christiania Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Delafield 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 Lakeside Township
Are dogs allowed on Lakeside Township’s trails?
Banks Wildlife Management Area and Bennett Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Lakeside Township?
443 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lakeside 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 Lakeside 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 →