Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
1,021 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Elmdale Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Elmdale Township
The biggest trail networks: Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge (1.7 mi). 6% of Elmdale Township’s land is conserved, about 1,255 acres. 51 miles of mapped trail cross Elmdale Township, 1.4 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
6%
1,255 acres · of 35.5 sq mi of land
Trails
51 mi
1.4 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 Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, with 1.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
1,255 conserved acres
6% of Elmdale Township’s land. Who manages Elmdale Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service2,008 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 1,432 acConservation Easement · 496 acResource Management Area · 79 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 496 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 1,432 | Restricted |
| Ward County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 79 | Restricted |
Trails & water
11 named trails
Named trails
Unpaved · 51.2 mi
450th Avenue Northwest4.1 mi
576th Street Northwest4.1 mi
72nd Avenue Northwest3.5 mi
380th Avenue Northwest3.1 mi
394th Avenue Northwest3.0 mi
90th Street Northwest2.5 mi
548th Street Northwest2.5 mi
562nd Street Northwest2.3 mi
408th Avenue Northwest1.3 mi
422nd Avenue Northwest1.0 mi
1 more trails
366th Avenue Northwest
0.3 miWhen to get out
The best walking months in Elmdale Township: May, August and September
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) | 8.7 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 15.2 | 16.1 | 15.8 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 8.3 |
| High (°F) | 18 | 23 | 35 | 53 | 66 | 74 | 80 | 80 | 70 | 53 | 35 | 22 |
| Rain (in) | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
February is the driest month (0.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 3.5 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Elmdale Township →
Next door
Elmdale Township and its neighbors
Elmdale Township has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Elmdale Township51 miRoseland Township35 miDenmark Township34 miSpencer Township31 miKenmare Township24 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmdale Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Kenmare Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Roseland Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Spencer Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Denmark 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 Elmdale Township
Where can I hike in Elmdale Township?
The longest trail networks: Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, 1.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Elmdale Township’s trails?
Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Elmdale Township?
5,133 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Elmdale 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 Elmdale 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 →