| Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Dakota, Goodhue, Wabasha, Winona, Olmsted, Houston, and Fillmore counties, Minnesota, United States |
| Coordinates | 44°11′07″N 92°04′48″W / 44.1854°N 92.08°W / 44.1854; -92.08 |
| Area | 1,016,204 acres (411,243 ha) |
| Administration | |
| Established | 1961 |
| Governing body | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Private |
| Website | www |
| Ecology | |
| WWF Classification | Upper Midwest forest-savanna transition |
| EPA Classification | Driftless Area |
The Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest is a 1,016,204 acres (4,112.43 km) reserve of current and former forest in Minnesota's Driftless Area. Only 45,000 acres (180 km) of the land is state owned, with the remainder owned by private individuals and community groups, governed by easements. Non-contiguous units are spread over seven counties ( Dakota, Fillmore, Goodhue, Olmsted, Houston, Wabasha, and Winona Counties), generally in areas just west of the Mississippi River, but extending much further west into the valleys of the Root and Zumbro Rivers.
A wide variety of recreational activities are offered: camping, fishing, horseback riding trails (including horse picket lines and corrals); an extensive network of hiking and nature trails (including a wheelchair-accessible trail), and off-highway vehicle trails.
It is named in honor of a former Commissioner of Conservation.
See also
- List of Minnesota state forests
- Great River Bluffs State Park
- John A. Latsch State Park
- Beaver Creek Valley State Park
- Carley State Park
- Frontenac State Park
- Whitewater State Park
External links
Sources
- "Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood", Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Retrieved July 15, 2007
- "The Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest" Retrieved July 15, 2007
- Minnesota state forests
- Driftless Area
- Protected areas on the Mississippi River
- Protected areas of Winona County, Minnesota
- Protected areas of Houston County, Minnesota
- Protected areas established in 1961
- Protected areas of Dakota County, Minnesota
- Protected areas of Fillmore County, Minnesota
- Protected areas of Goodhue County, Minnesota
- Protected areas of Olmsted County, Minnesota
- Protected areas of Wabasha County, Minnesota