Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Nature preserve
3,151 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in Brainard Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Brainard Township
48% of Brainard Township’s land is conserved, about 16,040 acres. 10 miles of mapped trail cross Brainard Township, 0.2 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
48%
16,040 acres · of 52.5 sq mi of land
Trails
10 mi
0.2 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
1
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 Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, with 0.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
16,040 conserved acres
48% of Brainard Township’s land. Water is left out: Brainard Township has 52.5 square miles of land and 3.7 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Brainard Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service22,535 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)484 ac
Conservation Easement · 18,175 acNational Wildlife Refuge · 4,843 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 13,616 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 4,843 | Restricted |
Trails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The best walking months in Brainard Township: 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) | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°F) | 21 | 26 | 39 | 55 | 68 | 78 | 83 | 81 | 73 | 57 | 40 | 26 |
| Rain (in) | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
January is the driest month (0.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 3.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Brainard Township →
Next door
Brainard Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Oneota Township22 miRichland Township18 miBrainard Township10 miShelby Township9.7 miGreenfield Township2.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brainard Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Shelby Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Greenfield Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Richland Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Oneota 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 Brainard Township
Where can I hike in Brainard Township?
The longest trail networks: Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Brainard Township’s trails?
Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Brainard Township?
2,197 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Brainard 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 Brainard 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 →