Gores Pool #3 Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
2,758 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Iulus Ascanius at English Wikipedia · Public domain–Not graded
Outdoors in Welch Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Welch Township
4% of Welch Township’s land is conserved, about 895 acres. 2.4 miles of mapped trail cross Welch Township, 0.1 per square mile of land. 3% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Conserved land
4%
895 acres · of 39.1 sq mi of land
Trails
2.4 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Near a park
3%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
12 mi
2.6 mi lanes · 0.3 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
9
1 boat launch
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
557 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Cannon River Turtle Preserve SNA
Nature preserve
268 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
895 conserved acres
4% of Welch Township’s land. Water is left out: Welch Township has 39.1 square miles of land and 3.7 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Welch Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources859 ac
Other state land38 ac
State Resource Management Area · 586 acState Conservation Area · 273 acConservation Easement · 38 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 38 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 | 586 | Open |
| Cannon River Turtle Preserve State Scientific and Natural Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 273 | Restricted |
Things to do
1 places to go in Welch Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Welch Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
9 lakes & rivers
Biking & sports
12 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.6 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
0.3 mi
off-road bike paths
8.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
1Tennis
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Cross of Christ Lutheran ChurchBuilding · listed 1980
About itWhen to get out
The walking year in Welch 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 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 23 | 28 | 41 | 56 | 68 | 78 | 82 | 79 | 72 | 58 | 41 | 28 |
| Rain (in) | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 5.2 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 1.2 |
January is the driest month (0.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 5.2 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Welch Township →
Next door
Welch Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Red Wing23 miDouglas Township5.5 miWelch Township2.4 miDiamond Bluff2.0 miRavenna Township1.3 miVasa Township1.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welch Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Vasa Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Ravenna Township | 2% | 0.1 | under 1 | under 1% | D |
| Red Wing | 13% | 0.7 | 57 | 90% | A |
| Douglas 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 Welch Township
Are dogs allowed on Welch Township’s trails?
Gores Pool #3 Wildlife Management Area and Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Welch Township?
12 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.6 of painted or protected lanes, 0.3 of off-road paths and 8.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Welch Township?
13,447 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Welch Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 585 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Welch 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 →