Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, South Branch Unit
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
432 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Norton Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Norton Township
1% of Norton Township’s land is conserved, about 281 acres. 0.6 miles of mapped trail cross Norton Township.
Conserved land
1%
281 acres · of 32.6 sq mi of land
Trails
0.6 mi
0.0 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.
Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
227 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
281 conserved acres
1% of Norton Township’s land. Who manages Norton Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources229 ac
Other state land52 ac
State Resource Management Area · 229 acConservation Easement · 52 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 52 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 | 229 | Open |
Trails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Norton 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 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 24 | 29 | 41 | 56 | 68 | 78 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 58 | 42 | 29 |
| Rain (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
February 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 Norton Township →
Next door
Norton Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Elba Township12 miHillsdale Township6.2 miMount Vernon Township6.0 miUtica Township0.9 miNorton Township0.6 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Elba Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Utica Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Mount Vernon Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Hillsdale 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 Norton Township
Are dogs allowed on Norton Township’s trails?
Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, South Branch Unit and Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Norton Township?
12,602 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Norton Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 227 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Norton 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 →