Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
3,418 acres16.8 mi of trail
Snake Creek Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Watopa Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Watopa Township
The biggest trail networks: Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest (16.8 mi), Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, Main Branch Unit (1.4 mi). 15% of Watopa Township’s land is conserved, about 3,443 acres. 19 miles of mapped trail cross Watopa Township, 0.6 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
15%
3,443 acres · of 35.2 sq mi of land
Trails
19 mi
0.6 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
8.0 mi
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 Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest, with 16.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, Main Branch Unit
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
1,510 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Mc Carthy Lake Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
2,199 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
3,443 conserved acres
15% of Watopa Township’s land. Who manages Watopa Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources3,327 ac
State fish & wildlife89 ac
Other state land30 ac
State Resource Management Area · 3,327 acState Conservation Area · 89 acConservation Easement · 30 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 28 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 | 3,208 | Open |
| Miscellaneous State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 118 | Open |
| East Indian Creek State Aquatic Management Area (Wabasha) State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 73 | Restricted |
| Snake Creek State Aquatic Management Area (Wabasha) State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 16 | Restricted |
Things to do
4 places to go in Watopa Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Watopa Township
2 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Picnic areas in Watopa Township
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in Watopa Township
1 campground without a name on the map.
Trails & water
1 named trail and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Snake Creek Trail12.4 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
8.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
8.0 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
When to get out
The walking year in Watopa 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 | 14.8 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 25 | 30 | 42 | 57 | 69 | 79 | 83 | 80 | 73 | 59 | 43 | 30 |
| Rain (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
January is the driest month (1.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 5.3 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Watopa Township →
Next door
Watopa Township and its neighbors
Watopa Township has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Watopa Township19 miWhitewater Township5.4 miGreenfield Township5.3 miMinneiska Township4.5 miHighland Township1.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watopa Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Highland Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Minneiska Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Greenfield Township | 14% | 0.2 | 3 | 3% | C |
| Whitewater 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 Watopa Township
Where can I hike in Watopa Township?
The longest trail networks: Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest, 16.8 miles; Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, Main Branch Unit, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Watopa 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 Watopa Township?
8.0 miles of bike routes are on the map: 8.0 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Watopa Township?
18,099 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Watopa Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,184 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Watopa 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 →