Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
3,165 acres3.1 mi of trail
Trout Valley Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail signWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Mount Vernon Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Mount Vernon Township
The biggest trail networks: Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest (3.1 mi), Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, Main Branch Unit (0.8 mi). 14% of Mount Vernon Township’s land is conserved, about 3,242 acres. 72 acres are parks and preserves, 270 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
14%
3,242 acres · of 35.1 sq mi of land
Trails
6.0 mi
0.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
72 ac
270 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
11%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
3.2 mi
Lakes & rivers
2
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 Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest, with 3.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, Main Branch Unit
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
1,370 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
John A. Latsch State Park
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
742 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
3,242 conserved acres
14% of Mount Vernon Township’s land. Who manages Mount Vernon Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources3,158 ac
State parks71 ac
Other state land13 ac
State Resource Management Area · 3,158 acState Park · 71 acConservation Easement · 13 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| R J D Memorial Hardwood State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 3,158 | Open |
| John A. Latsch State Park State Park | State parks | 71 | Open |
Things to do
1 places to go in Mount Vernon Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Picnic areas in Mount Vernon Township
Trout Valley TrailIn Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 3.2 miHorses · 3.2 miUnpaved · 0.8 mi
Trout Valley Trail3.2 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
3.2 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
3.2 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
When to get out
The walking year in Mount Vernon 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 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 23 | 29 | 41 | 56 | 68 | 78 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 58 | 42 | 29 |
| Rain (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
January is the driest month (1.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 5.4 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Mount Vernon Township →
Next door
Mount Vernon Township and its neighbors
Mount Vernon Township has the second most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Rollingstone Township7.5 miMount Vernon Township6.0 miWhitewater Township5.4 miMilton3.3 miNorton Township0.6 miMinneiska0.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Minneiska | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Rollingstone Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Whitewater Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Norton 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 Mount Vernon Township
Where can I hike in Mount Vernon Township?
The longest trail networks: Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest, 3.1 miles; Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, Main Branch Unit, 0.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Mount Vernon Township’s trails?
Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest and Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, Main Branch Unit don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Mount Vernon Township?
3.2 miles of bike routes are on the map: 3.2 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Mount Vernon Township?
13,875 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Mount Vernon Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,208 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Mount Vernon 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 →