Staples Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
1,418 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: MayorMetz · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Staples Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Staples Township
The biggest trail networks: Staples Wildlife Management Area (2 mi). 8% of Staples Township’s land is conserved, about 1,654 acres. 74 acres are parks and preserves, 79 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
8%
1,654 acres · of 33.3 sq mi of land
Trails
7.6 mi
0.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
74 ac
79 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
21%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
7
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 Staples WMA, with 2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Dower Lake Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
41 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
1,654 conserved acres
8% of Staples Township’s land. Who manages Staples Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State fish & wildlife1,459 ac
State natural resources121 ac
Town or city74 ac
State Conservation Area · 1,459 acState Resource Management Area · 121 acLocal Park · 40 acLocal Recreation Area · 34 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staples State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 1,418 | Restricted |
| Miscellaneous State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 121 | Open |
| Dower Lake State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 41 | Restricted |
| Pine Grove Park Local Park | Town or city | 40 | Open |
| Dower Lake Recreational Area Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 34 | Open |
Things to do
1 places to go in Staples Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Campgrounds in Staples Township
Dower Lake Recreation AreaFee
DirectionsTrails & water
7 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Staples 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) | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.8 | 15.4 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.6 |
| High (°F) | 19 | 24 | 37 | 53 | 66 | 75 | 80 | 78 | 69 | 54 | 38 | 24 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.9 |
January is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 4.4 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Staples Township →
Next door
Staples Township and its neighbors
Staples Township has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Staples Township7.6 miThomastown Township5.5 miMoran Township4.4 miVillard Township3.6 miBartlett Township1.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staples Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Villard Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Bartlett Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Moran Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Thomastown 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 Staples Township
Where can I hike in Staples Township?
The longest trail networks: Staples Wildlife Management Area, 2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Staples Township’s trails?
Staples Wildlife Management Area and Dower Lake Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Staples Township?
5,547 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Staples Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 196 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Staples Township neighbors.
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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 →