Governor Knowles State Forest
Nature preserve
7,977 acres21.1 mi of trail
Kohler Peet RouteFoxes Landing RouteCrex North of FOak Hills East+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in West Marshland
More than half of West Marshland’s land is conserved: 76%
76% of West Marshland’s land is conserved, about 33,818 acres. The biggest trail networks: Governor Knowles State Forest (21.1 mi), Burnett County Forest (15.1 mi), Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area (7.7 mi). 26,836 acres are parks and preserves, 56,260 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
76%
33,818 acres · of 69.4 sq mi of land
Trails
49 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
26,836 ac
56,260 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
52%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
5.4 mi
Lakes & rivers
18
5 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
The longest trail network is Governor Knowles State Forest, with 21.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Burnett County Forest
Nature preserve
2,634 acres15.1 mi of trail
Woods TrailSnowmobile/ATV Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Wallen Overlook Lot
Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area
Nature preserve
24,767 acres7.7 mi of trail
Snowmobile/Winter ATV Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
Managed by National Park Service
613 acres3 mi of trail
Foxes Landing RouteRiver View
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 6 parks & preserves
Governor Knowles State Forest7,977 acres · 21.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBurnett County Forest2,634 acres · 15.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCrex Meadows State Wildlife Area24,767 acres · 7.7 mi of trail
DirectionsSaint Croix National Scenic Riverway613 acres · 3 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsSaint Croix State Park24 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsChengwatana State Forest10 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Who protects it
33,818 conserved acres
76% of West Marshland’s land. Water is left out: West Marshland has 69.4 square miles of land and 4.0 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages West Marshland’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources35,107 ac
National Park Service621 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land63 ac
Private owners4 ac
State Recreation Area · 26,534 acState Resource Management Area · 6,624 acState Conservation Area · 1,939 acWild and Scenic River · 559 acConservation Easement · 125 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 58 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crex Meadows Wildlife Area State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 26,534 | Open |
| Governor Knowles State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 6,624 | Open |
| St. Croix National Scenic Riverway State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 1,386 | Open |
| Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway Wild and Scenic River | National Park Service | 559 | Open |
| Crex Meadows Wildlife Area 5 State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 315 | Open |
| Crex Meadows Wildlife Area 10 State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 239 | Open |
Things to do
9 places to go in West Marshland
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in West Marshland
Foxes LandingIn Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
DirectionsNelsons Landing RoadIn Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
DirectionsSoderbeck LandingIn Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Campgrounds in West Marshland
Brandt Pines Backpack CampsiteIn Governor Knowles State Forest · Governor Knowles State Forest
DirectionsNelsons LandingIn Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway · National Park Service
DirectionsNorway Point Landing CampsitesIn Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway · National Park Service
DirectionsPlus 1 campground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
21 named trails and 18 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 24.9 miHorses · 1.0 miUnpaved · 44.6 mi
Woods Trail8.0 mi
Snowmobile/Winter ATV Trail6.5 mi
Foxes Landing Route5.6 mi
Kohler Peet Route4.3 mi
Snowmobile/ATV Trail3.1 mi
Crex North of F1.9 mi
River View1.7 mi
Oak Hills East1.5 mi
Ridge Line1.5 mi
Oak Hills West1.4 mi
11 more trails
Ravine
1.2 miKohler Peet Route Access 4
1.0 miKohler-Peet Barrens State Natural Area
0.9 miKohler Peet Route Access 2
0.5 miOak Hills
0.3 miOak Hills Cut Across
0.3 miJocko Ln
0.3 miBike Trail Connector Route
0.2 miKohler Peet Route Access 3
0.2 miCut Across
0.2 miKohler Peet Route Access 1
0.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Dike 2 FlowagereservoirDike 4 FlowagereservoirDike 6 FlowagereservoirErickson FlowagereservoirFuhrman LakeMonson LakereservoirNorth Fork FlowagereservoirPaulson FlowagereservoirPhantom LakereservoirReed LakereservoirReisinger LakeRice LakeSandberg FlowagereservoirSouth Refuge FlowagereservoirUpper North Fork FlowagereservoirUpper Phantom FlowagereservoirZalensky PondSaint Croix River
Biking & sports
5.4 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
5.4 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
When to get out
The walking year in West Marshland
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) | 22 | 27 | 40 | 54 | 68 | 77 | 81 | 79 | 71 | 56 | 40 | 27 |
| Rain (in) | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 1.2 |
January is the driest month (0.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.5 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in West Marshland →
Next door
West Marshland and its neighbors
West Marshland has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Crosby Township50 miWest Marshland49 miUnion43 miChengwatana Township37 miGrantsburg14 miLincoln13 miPine City Township2.1 miWood River1.1 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Marshland | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Union | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Grantsburg | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Wood River | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Lincoln | — 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 West Marshland
Where can I hike in West Marshland?
The longest trail networks: Governor Knowles State Forest, 21.1 miles; Burnett County Forest, 15.1 miles; Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area, 7.7 miles; Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, 3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on West Marshland’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in West Marshland?
5.4 miles of bike routes are on the map: 5.4 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near West Marshland?
86,792 acres of parks and open public land lie inside West Marshland or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 32,660 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from West Marshland 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 →