Public lands in Minnesota

18 units whose boundary reaches Minnesota, 6.7 million acres counted whole even where a boundary crosses into another state. 13 national wildlife refuges, 3 wilderness areas, 2 national forests and grasslands. Largest first within each type.

National wildlife refuges

All national wildlife refuges →
Refuge · USFWS
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
190,553 acres7 campgrounds near
Refuge · USFWS
Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge
61,880 acresNational Wildlife Refuge
Refuge · USFWS
Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge
42,412 acresNational Wildlife Refuge
Refuge · USFWS
Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
30,680 acresNational Wildlife Refuge
Refuge · USFWS
Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge
23,258 acresNational Wildlife Refuge
Refuge · USFWS
Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge
18,088 acresNational Wildlife Refuge
Refuge · USFWS
Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge
17,231 acresAlso IA
Refuge · USFWS
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
14,802 acresNational Wildlife Refuge
Refuge · USFWS
Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge
11,921 acresNational Wildlife Refuge
Refuge · USFWS
Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge
3,441 acresNational Wildlife Refuge
Refuge · USFWS
Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
2,204 acresNational Wildlife Refuge
Refuge · USFWS
Rydell National Wildlife Refuge
2,034 acresNational Wildlife Refuge
Show 1 more
Refuge · USFWS
Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge
0.3 acresNational Wildlife Refuge

Wilderness areas

All wilderness areas →
Wilderness · USFS
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
816,244 acres32 campgrounds near
Wilderness · USFWS
Agassiz Wilderness
4,000 acresWilderness
Wilderness · USFWS
Tamarac Wilderness
2,180 acresWilderness

National forests and grasslands

All national forests and grasslands →
Forest · USFS
Superior National Forest
3.9 million acres40 campgrounds near
Forest · USFS
Chippewa National Forest
1.6 million acres24 campgrounds near

Boundaries come from the agencies’ own layers. A unit is listed in every state its boundary reaches. Data refreshed September 18, 2026.