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Hiking
Information and trails | HIKING
History
The area that is now the Chippewa National Forest has been home to various groups of American Indians who relied on the rich natural resources of game, fish, and plant food staples such as wild rice. This Traditional lifeway began to change in the 1600's with the beginning of the European fur trade. By the late 1800's, EuroAmerican settlement and industrial logging brought great changes to the area. With the Treaty of 1855, American Indians relinquished most of their land in northcentral Minnesota to the US government including part of present day Chippewa National Forest.
The General Allotment/Dawes Act of 1887 encouraged private settlement and opened lands held by the government. Through the Nelson Act of 1889, unallotted Indian land was ceded to the federal government for sale to immigrant settlers. The Act of 1891 empowered the President to set aside Forest Reserves, and in 1899 the Minnesota Federation of Womens Clubs campaigned to establish a Forest Reserve in Cass Lake.
The Morris Act of 1902 established a Forest Reserve in Cass Lake and the Minnesota National Forest Act of 1908 created a National Forest to be managed by the newly created Department of Agriculture-Forest Service. The Chippewa National Forest acquired an additional 37,135 acres of allotment (Indian) lands under authority of the Weeks Act of 1911. In June 1928 the name was changed to the Chippewa National Forest to honor the areas original inhabitants.
Homepage
Chippewa National Forest: fs.usda.gov/chippewa
email: SM.FS.ChipNFpublic@usda.gov
USFS WO:
(links to other Forests) www.fs.usda.gov
Horse Trails
The Deer River Ranger District on the Chippewa National Forest has opened over 125 miles of trails for horseback riders to use. Visit the Cut Foot Horse Camp - 20 miles of trail on the Chippewa National Forest
Hwy 46 Site - This is a large cleared area especially suitable as a parking area for day riders and as an overnite camping area for large groups. There are picnic tables, a fire ring, and a wilderness latrine located here. (No water is currently available).
Biauswah Lake Site - This camping area works well for individual families and can support up to five small camping groups. The lake may be used to water the horses. There are picnic tables, a fire ring, and a wilderness latrine located here also.
All campsites are first come first serve
Hunting