Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
521 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: not specified · Public domain–Not graded
Outdoors in Alma
Few parks or trails are on the map in Alma
20% of Alma’s land is conserved, about 662 acres. 53 acres are parks and preserves, 68 per 1,000 residents. 0.6 miles of mapped trail cross Alma, 0.1 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
20%
662 acres · of 5.3 sq mi of land
Trails
0.6 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
53 ac
68 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
66%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
3
3 boat launches
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.
Buena Vista Park
Park
6 acres0.2 mi of trail
Buena Vista Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
662 conserved acres
20% of Alma’s land. Water is left out: Alma has 5.3 square miles of land and 2.6 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Alma’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service1,321 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 1,321 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 1,321 | Restricted |
Things to do
6 places to go in Alma
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Alma
Alma South Boat LandingFee
DirectionsTank Pond LandingIn Alma Beach and Recreational Area
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Alma
2 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Campgrounds in Alma
Reicks Lake Park CampgroundIn Rieck's Lake Park and Campground
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Buena Vista Trail0.4 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
2Tennis
2Baseball
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →11 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Frederick Laue HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itTester and Polin General Merchandise StoreBuilding · listed 1979
About itSherman HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itAlma Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1982
About itBurlington HotelBuilding · listed 1982
About itDr. J. T. Tenny HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itFrederick Laue Jr. HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itJacob Berni HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itJohn L. Senn HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itJohn Steiner StoreBuilding · listed 1982
About itUlrich Walser HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itWhen to get out
The walking year in Alma
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 | 43 | 58 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 73 | 60 | 43 | 30 |
| Rain (in) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
January is the driest month (1.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 5.2 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Alma →
Next door
Alma and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Nelson | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Belvidere | — 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 Alma
Where can I hike in Alma?
The longest trail networks: Buena Vista Park, 0.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Alma’s trails?
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and Alma Beach and Recreational Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Alma?
22,244 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Alma or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 53 of them inside the city line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Alma 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 →