Established 1959 Phone +1 320-616-2525 | Area 2.873 km² | |
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Location Stearns County, Minnesota, United States Governing body Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Website www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00007/index.html EPA Classification North Central Hardwood Forests/Western Corn Belt Plains Address 31700 Birch Lake Rd, Melrose, MN 56352, USA WWF classification Upper Midwest forest-savanna transition | ||
The Birch Lakes State Forest is a state forest located in Stearns County, Minnesota. One of the smallest Minnesota state forests, it is managed primarily for recreation by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Big Birch Lake, a 2,112 acres (855 ha) sand- and marl-bottomed lake, is accessible from the northeast corner of the forest. The forest is located in a transitory ecotone between the temperate deciduous forest to the northeast and the tallgrass prairie to the southwest, with the rolling terrain characteristic of the glacial activity in the area.
Outdoor recreation activities include boating, fishing, swimming in Big Birch Lake, as well as hunting, picnicking, and backcountry camping in the forest. Trails include 7 miles (11 km) of hiking, 7 miles (11 km) of mountain biking, and 4.1 miles (6.6 km) for snowmobiling.