Birch Lakes State Forest
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
1,025 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Melrose Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Melrose Township
The biggest trail networks: Birch Lakes State Forest (1.7 mi). 4% of Melrose Township’s land is conserved, about 913 acres. 4.9 miles of mapped trail cross Melrose Township, 0.1 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
4%
913 acres · of 39.3 sq mi of land
Trails
4.9 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
3.3 mi
3.3 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
3
3 boat launches
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 Birch Lakes State Forest, with 1.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Ritter Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
104 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
913 conserved acres
4% of Melrose Township’s land. Who manages Melrose Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources511 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service396 ac
State fish & wildlife104 ac
State Resource Management Area · 511 acConservation Easement · 199 acResource Management Area · 198 acState Conservation Area · 104 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 199 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birch Lakes State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 511 | Open |
| Stearns County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 198 | Restricted |
| Ritter State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 101 | Restricted |
| Cedar Lake State Aquatic Management Area (Stearns) State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 3 | Restricted |
Things to do
5 places to go in Melrose Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Melrose Township
3 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Picnic areas in Melrose Township
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in Melrose Township
Birch Lakes State Forest CampgroundFee · In Birch Lakes State Forest · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsTrails & water
3 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
3.3 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
3.3 mi
off-road bike paths
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Melrose 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) | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°F) | 20 | 25 | 38 | 54 | 67 | 76 | 81 | 79 | 70 | 56 | 39 | 25 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.9 |
January is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.4 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Melrose Township →
Next door
Melrose Township and its neighbors
Melrose Township has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Melrose Township4.9 miSauk Centre Township2.9 miGrove Township1.5 miMelrose1.0 miBirchdale Township0.7 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melrose Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Melrose | 2% | 0.3 | 11 | 94% | B |
| Sauk Centre Township | 7% | 0.1 | 4 | 18% | C |
| Birchdale Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Grove 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 Melrose Township
Where can I hike in Melrose Township?
The longest trail networks: Birch Lakes State Forest, 1.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Melrose Township’s trails?
Birch Lakes State Forest and Ritter Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Melrose Township?
3.3 miles of bike routes are on the map: 3.3 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Melrose Township?
1,012 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Melrose Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 514 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Melrose 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 →