10% of French Island’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 10% of French Island’s land is conserved, about 132 acres. 23 acres are parks and preserves, 5.4 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
132 conserved acres
10% of French Island’s land. Water is left out: French Island has 2.0 square miles of land and 0.5 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages French Island’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| 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 | 220 | Restricted |
| Nelson Park & Ballfield & Boat Launch Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 9 | Open |
| Eagles Nest Ballfield & Park Local Park | Town or city | 4 | Open |
| Unknown Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
| Dorns Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
| Island Park Block 8 Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
| Jolivette Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
| Ashland Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
| Cherokee Avenue Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
8 places to go in French Island
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
5 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
2 boat launches without a name on the map.
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
0.3 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
The walking year in French Island
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 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 26 | 31 | 44 | 58 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 60 | 44 | 31 |
| Rain (in) | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
February is the driest month (1.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 5.2 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in French Island →
French Island and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Questions about parks and trails in French Island
Are dogs allowed on French Island’s trails?
Louis Nelson County Park and Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in French Island?
0.3 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.3 of painted or protected lanes.
Is there public land near French Island?
11,689 acres of parks and open public land lie inside French Island or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 23 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from French Island neighbors.
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 →