H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area, North Unit
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
545 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Slayton Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Slayton Township
The biggest trail networks: H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area, North Unit (1.5 mi). 8% of Slayton Township’s land is conserved, about 1,637 acres. 2.4 miles of mapped trail cross Slayton Township, 0.1 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
8%
1,637 acres · of 33.7 sq mi of land
Trails
2.4 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Near a park
4%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
3
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 H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area, North Unit, with 1.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Big Slough WPA
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
798 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Wajer Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
80 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area, Southwest Unit
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
35 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 5 parks & preserves
H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area, North Unit545 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsBig Slough WPA798 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
DirectionsWajer Wildlife Management Area80 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsBeaver Creek Wildlife Management Area, Southwest Unit35 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area, South Unit24 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsWho protects it
1,637 conserved acres
8% of Slayton Township’s land. Who manages Slayton Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service1,613 ac
State fish & wildlife685 ac
Other state land146 ac
Resource Management Area · 1,613 acState Conservation Area · 685 acConservation Easement · 146 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 146 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murray County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 1,613 | Restricted |
| H.C. Southwick State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 569 | Restricted |
| Wajer State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 80 | Restricted |
| Beaver Creek State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 35 | Restricted |
Trails & water
3 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Slayton 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) | 23 | 28 | 40 | 55 | 68 | 78 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 58 | 41 | 28 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 2.9 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 |
January is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.9 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Slayton Township →
Next door
Slayton Township and its neighbors
Slayton Township has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Slayton Township2.4 miIona Township1.1 miLime Lake Township0.5 miLeeds Township0.1 miMason Township0.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slayton Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Mason Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Lime Lake Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Leeds Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Iona 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 Slayton Township
Where can I hike in Slayton Township?
The longest trail networks: H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area, North Unit, 1.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Slayton Township’s trails?
H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area, North Unit and Big Slough WPA don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Slayton Township?
1,031 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Slayton 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 Slayton 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 →