Thorson WPA
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
891 acres3.1 mi of trail
Agassiz Recreational Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Onstad Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Onstad Township
The biggest trail networks: Thorson WPA (3.1 mi), Chicog Wildlife Management Area (2.2 mi), Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge (2 mi). 37% of Onstad Township’s land is conserved, about 8,368 acres. 19 miles of mapped trail cross Onstad Township, 0.5 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
37%
8,368 acres · of 35.7 sq mi of land
Trails
19 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
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 Thorson WPA, with 3.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Chicog Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
2,416 acres2.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
1,791 acres2 mi of trail
138th Avenue Southwest
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Thorson Prairie Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
750 acres1.1 mi of trail
Agassiz Recreational Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Trail Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
599 acres1 mi of trail
138th Avenue Southwest
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 10 parks & preserves
Thorson WPA891 acres · 3.1 mi of trail · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
DirectionsChicog Wildlife Management Area2,416 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsGlacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge1,791 acres · 2 mi of trail · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Thorson Prairie Wildlife Management Area750 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Trail Wildlife Management Area599 acres · 1 mi of trail · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsPembina Trail SNA313 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Burnham Wildlife Management Area, Main Unit603 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsBurnham Wildlife Management Area, Burnham Creek Unit372 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Melvin Slough WPA324 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Onstad Wildlife Management Area194 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Who protects it
8,368 conserved acres
37% of Onstad Township’s land. Who manages Onstad Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service5,962 ac
State fish & wildlife4,960 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)1,887 ac
State natural resources295 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits186 ac
State Conservation Area · 5,256 acNational Wildlife Refuge · 3,580 acResource Management Area · 2,382 acConservation Easement · 1,887 acPrivate Conservation · 186 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 90 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 20 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 3,580 | Restricted |
| Chicog State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 2,416 | Restricted |
| Polk County Waterfowl Production Area Of Mn Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 1,193 | Restricted |
| Polk County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 1,189 | Restricted |
| Burnham State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 977 | Restricted |
| Thorson Prairie State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 773 | Restricted |
| Trail State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 599 | Restricted |
| Onstad State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 195 | Restricted |
| Foxboro State Scientific and Natural Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 160 | Restricted |
| Pembina Trail Fee Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 141 | Unknown |
2 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Trails & water
4 named trails
Named trails
Open to bikes · 8.5 miUnpaved · 9.3 mi
Agassiz Recreational Trail8.5 mi
138th Avenue Southwest2.6 mi
350th Street Southwest0.8 mi
County Highway 410.6 mi
When to get out
The walking year in Onstad 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) | 8.8 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.6 | 15.1 | 16.0 | 15.6 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.2 | 8.4 |
| High (°F) | 16 | 21 | 35 | 52 | 67 | 76 | 80 | 79 | 70 | 54 | 36 | 22 |
| Rain (in) | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
February is the driest month (0.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 4.2 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Onstad Township →
Next door
Onstad Township and its neighbors
Onstad Township has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Onstad Township19 miKertsonville Township12 miLiberty Township5.5 miRussia Township4.1 miGodfrey Township3.6 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onstad Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Kertsonville Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Liberty Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Godfrey Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Russia 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 Onstad Township
Where can I hike in Onstad Township?
The longest trail networks: Thorson WPA, 3.1 miles; Chicog Wildlife Management Area, 2.2 miles; Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, 2 miles; Thorson Prairie Wildlife Management Area, 1.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Onstad Township’s trails?
Thorson WPA and Chicog Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Onstad Township?
897 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Onstad 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 Onstad 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 →