Blue Mounds State Park
Nature preserve
2,113 acres10.7 mi of trail
Western Loop TrailUpper Cliffline TrailMound TrailLower Cliffline Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Michael from Minnesota · CC BY-SA 2.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Mound Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Mound Township
The biggest trail networks: Blue Mounds State Park (10.7 mi), Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge (1.6 mi). 13% of Mound Township’s land is conserved, about 2,903 acres. 1,584 acres are parks and preserves, 6,262 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
13%
2,903 acres · of 35.7 sq mi of land
Trails
14 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,584 ac
6,262 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
16%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
4.3 mi
4.3 mi paths
Highest peak
1,729 ft
Eagle Rock
Lakes & rivers
2
1 beach
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 Blue Mounds State Park, with 10.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
1,221 acres1.6 mi of trail
Touch the Sky Prairie Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Touch the Sky Prairie South Parking
Rock River Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
122 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Little Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
53 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
2,903 conserved acres
13% of Mound Township’s land. Who manages Mound Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service1,980 ac
State parks1,572 ac
State fish & wildlife175 ac
Other state land20 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 1,688 acState Park · 1,572 acConservation Easement · 312 acState Conservation Area · 175 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 312 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 1,688 | Restricted |
| Blue Mounds State Park State Park | State parks | 1,572 | Open |
| Rock River State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 122 | Restricted |
| Little Beaver Creek State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 53 | Restricted |
Things to do
10 places to go in Mound Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Mound Township
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Mound Township
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Mound Township
Buffalo Viewing PlatformIn Blue Mounds State Park
DirectionsPeaks in Mound Township
Eagle Rock1,729 ft elevation · In Blue Mounds State Park
DirectionsTouch the Sky Prairie High Point1,699 ft elevation · In Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge
DirectionsThe MoundIn Blue Mounds State Park
DirectionsCampgrounds in Mound Township
Blue Mound State Park Group CampIn Blue Mounds State Park
DirectionsBlue Mound State Park Tipi and Cart-In CampgroundFee · In Blue Mounds State Park
DirectionsBlue Mounds State Park CampgroundIn Blue Mounds State Park
DirectionsTrails & water
6 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Horses · 2.2 miUnpaved · 3.2 mi
Western Loop Trail1.7 mi
Touch the Sky Prairie Trail1.6 mi
Upper Cliffline Trail1.5 mi
Mound Trail1.4 mi
Lower Cliffline Trail0.7 mi
2 Mile Loop0.2 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
4.3 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
4.3 mi
off-road bike paths
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
When to get out
The walking year in Mound 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 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 24 | 29 | 42 | 56 | 69 | 79 | 83 | 80 | 73 | 59 | 42 | 28 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 |
January is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Mound Township →
Next door
Mound Township and its neighbors
Mound Township has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Mound Township14 miLuverne Township3.4 miSpringwater Township0.7 miLuverne0.5 miVienna Township0.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mound Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Vienna Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Springwater Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Luverne | 6% | 0.1 | 29 | 99%+ | A− |
| Luverne 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 Mound Township
Where can I hike in Mound Township?
The longest trail networks: Blue Mounds State Park, 10.7 miles; Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, 1.6 miles; Rock River Wildlife Management Area, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Mound Township’s trails?
Blue Mounds State Park and Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Mound Township?
4.3 miles of bike routes are on the map: 4.3 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Mound Township?
3,259 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Mound Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,584 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Mound 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 →