Koochiching State Forest

State forest in Itasca, Koochiching, and St. Louis counties, Minnesota

Koochiching State Forest

Geography
Location| Itasca, Koochiching and Saint Louis counties, Minnesota, United States
Coordinates| 48°09′05″N 93°34′58″W﻿ / ﻿48.1513315°N 93.5826709°W﻿ / 48.1513315; -93.5826709[1]
Elevation| 1,312 feet (400 m)
Area| 567,985 acres (229,855 ha)
Administration
Established| 1943
Governing body| Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Website| www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00028/index.html
Ecology
WWF Classification| Western Great Lakes Forests
EPA Classification| Northern Lakes and Forests
Dominant tree species| Picea mariana, Thuja occidentalis, Larix laricina
Fauna| White-tailed deer, gray wolf, American black bear, ruffed grouse

The Koochiching State Forest is a state forest located near International Falls in Itasca, Koochiching, and Saint Louis counties, Minnesota. The forest borders the Pine Island State Forest to the west, the Big Fork State Forest and George Washington State Forest to the south, the Nett Lake Indian Reservation and the Kabetogama State Forest to the east. A leg of the forest touches Rainy Lake to the north, which forms part of the international border with Ontario. Of the 565,500 acres (2,288 km2), 344,300 acres (1,393 km2) are managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, making it one of the largest forests in the Minnesota state system.

The forest's level terrain and abundance of lowland sites are due to the influence of Glacial Lake Agassiz in the area. Tree species predominantly include lowland species such as black spruce, northern whitecedar, and tamarack, although aspen and pine are present in the scattered upland sites.

## Recreation

[edit]

Popular outdoor recreational activities are largely centered on the forest's access to Rainy Lake, the Little Fork River, and the Big Fork River, and include boating, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. Picnicking and dispersed camping are possible throughout the forest. Trails are designated for hiking, snowmobiling, and 26.7 miles (43.0 km) set aside specifically for cross-country skiing.[2]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Minnesota state forests

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Koochiching State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
2. ^ "Koochiching State Forest". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. October 8, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2010.

## External links

[edit]

* Koochicing State Forest - Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

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Protected areas of Minnesota

National|

| Parks|

* Voyageurs

|

Monuments|

* Grand Portage
* Pipestone

Rivers|

* Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
* Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway

Scenic Trails|

* North Country Trail

Wildlife
Refuges|

* Agassiz
* Big Stone
* Crane Meadows
* Glacial Ridge
* Hamden Slough
* Mille Lacs
* Minnesota Valley
* Northern Tallgrass Prairie
* Rice Lake
* Rydell
* Sherburne
* Tamarac
* Upper Mississippi River

Wetland
Management
Districts|

* Big Stone
* Detroit Lakes
* Fergus Falls
* Litchfield
* Minnesota Valley
* Morris
* Windom

Forests|

* Chippewa
* Superior

Natural
Landmarks|

* Ancient River Warren Channel
* Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve
* Itasca Natural Area
* Keeley Creek Natural Area
* Lac la Croix Research Natural Area
* Lake Agassiz Peatlands Natural Area
* Pine Point Research Natural Area
* Upper Red Lake Peatland

Wilderness|

* Agassiz
* Boundary Waters Canoe Area
* Tamarac

State|

| Parks|

* Afton
* Banning
* Bear Head Lake
* Beaver Creek Valley
* Big Stone Lake
* Blue Mounds
* Buffalo River
* Camden
* Carley
* Cascade River
* Charles A. Lindbergh
* Crow Wing
* Father Hennepin
* Flandrau
* Forestville Mystery Cave
* Fort Ridgely
* Fort Snelling
* Franz Jevne
* Frontenac
* George H. Crosby Manitou
* Glacial Lakes
* Glendalough
* Gooseberry Falls
* Grand Portage
* Great River Bluffs
* Hayes Lake
* Hill-Annex Mine
* Interstate
* Itasca
* Jay Cooke
* John A. Latsch
* Judge C. R. Magney
* Kilen Woods
* Lac qui Parle
* Lake Bemidji
* Lake Bronson
* Lake Carlos
* Lake Louise
* Lake Maria
* Lake Shetek
* Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine
* Maplewood
* McCarthy Beach
* Mille Lacs Kathio
* Minneopa
* Monson Lake
* Moose Lake
* Myre-Big Island
* Nerstrand-Big Woods
* Old Mill
* Rice Lake
* Saint Croix
* Sakatah Lake
* Savanna Portage
* Scenic
* Schoolcraft
* Sibley
* Split Rock Creek
* Split Rock Lighthouse
* Temperance River
* Tettegouche
* Upper Sioux Agency
* Whitewater
* Wild River
* William O'Brien
* Zippel Bay

|

Recreation
Areas|

* Big Bog
* Cuyuna Country
* Garden Island
* Greenleaf Lake
* Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle
* La Salle Lake
* Minnesota Valley
* Red River
* Saint Croix Islands

Waysides|

* Caribou Falls
* Devils Track Falls
* Flood Bay
* Inspiration Peak
* Joseph R. Brown
* Kodonce River
* Ray Berglund
* St. Croix Boom Site
* Sam Brown Memorial

Forests|

* Badoura
* Battleground
* Bear Island
* Beltrami Island
* Big Fork
* Birch Lakes
* Blackduck
* Bowstring
* Buena Vista
* Burntside
* Centennial
* Chengwatana
* Cloquet Valley
* Crow Wing
* D.A.R.
* Emily
* Finland
* Fond du Lac
* Foot Hills
* General C. C. Andrews
* George Washington
* Golden Anniversary
* Grand Portage
* Hill River
* Huntersville
* Insula Lake
* Jeanette
* Kabetogama
* Koochiching
* Lake Isabella
* Lake of the Woods
* Land o'Lakes
* Lost River
* Lyons
* Mississippi Headwaters
* Nemadji
* Northwest Angle
* Pat Bayle
* Paul Bunyan
* Pillsbury
* Pine Island
* Red Lake
* Remer
* Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood
* Rum River
* Saint Croix
* Sand Dunes
* Savanna
* Smokey Bear
* Smoky Hills
* Snake River
* Solana
* Sturgeon River
* Two Inlets
* Waukenabo
* Wealthwood
* Welsh Lake
* White Earth
* Whiteface River

Scientific and
Natural Areas|

* List of scientific and natural areas

Local|

| Parks|

* County and regional parks
* Three Rivers Park District

|

Other|

| Minnesota
Historical
Society|

* Alexander Ramsey House
* Birch Coulee Battlefield
* Charles A. Lindbergh House
* Comstock House
* Folsom House
* Forest History Center
* Forestville
* Fort Renville
* Fort Ridgely
* Fort Snelling
* Grand Mound
* Harkin's General Store
* James J. Hill House
* Jeffers Petroglyphs
* Lac qui Parle Mission
* Lower Sioux Agency
* Marine Mill
* Mill City Museum
* Mille Lacs Indian Museum
* Minnehaha Depot
* Minnesota History Center
* Minnesota State Capitol
* Morrison Mounds
* Oliver Kelley Farm
* Sibley Historic Site
* Snake River Trading Post
* Split Rock Lighthouse
* Stumne Mounds
* Traverse des Sioux
* Upper Sioux Agency
* W. W. Mayo House

|

Nature
centers|

* List of nature centers

Hiking|

* List of hiking trails

* Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Authority control databases |

* VIAF

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