The Forest boundary encompasses about 1.6 million acres, with about 660,000 acres managed by the Chippewa National Forest. The remaining lands are State, County, Indian, and private. The Leech Lake Indian Reservation is also within the Forest boundary.

Water is abundant on the Chippewa, with over 700 lakes, 920 miles of streams, and 150,000 acres of wetlands. The Forest's landscape is a reminder of the glaciers which blanketed northern Minnesota some 10,000 years ago.

Recreational Opportunities

Camping - Twenty-six campgrounds, located on 12 of the Chippewa National Forest's 1,300 lakes, are open from mid-May to mid-September. Some are open all year. Campground facilities vary from modern, sporting flush toilets and showers to the more rustic, without any modern conveniences. Refer to the Chippewa National Forest Campground Guide provided by the U.S. National Forest Campground Guide.

Reservations are recommended and can be made 14 days in advance for a small fee. Many campgrounds are universally accessible, allowing the disabled visitor to enjoy a camping holiday in the forest.

For a totally primitive camping experience, over 400"dispersed" campsites are available along hiking trails or lakes. You are sure to have a "get away from it all" holiday when going primitive. The forest insists that all campers practice "leave no trace" camping by packing out what they pack in.

Fishing - For the angler, the many smaller lakes on the Chippewa National Forest are great places to unleash your fishing gear! Trout Lake is a semi-primitive, non-motorized area that sports 4,500 acres of forest with 26 miles of shoreline on 11 lakes. Trout Lake is popular for splake, bass, trout, northern pike and panfish.

In the Cut Foot Sioux Area, you will find bass, bluegill and trout easy to catch.

Hiking - There is no better way to see the Chippewa National Forest than by taking to its over 106 miles of trails. The Shingobee and Suomi Hills Recreation areas offer exceptional scenic beauty for the hiker. Wildflowers abound in the understory and demand close inspection.

Scenic Drives - For those wishing to view the wonders of the forest from the comfort of your car, the Cut Foot Sioux area offers a self-guided auto tour along paved highways and gravel roads that winds through towering red pine, young aspen stands, lakes and small ponds. Observing wildlife is best at sunrise or around sunset. The tour is a 20-mile loop and a printed map is available at the visitor

Canoeing - Canoe enthusiasts may elect to retrace the routes of the Ojibwa Indians and the early explorers. Choose from nine canoe routes, ranging from a personal look at the mighty Mississippi River and the unpredictable Leech Lake to the slow moving Shingobee River and other small creeks. Although these routes are not wilderness trips, paddlers often catch glimpses of bald eagles, loons and ospreys.

Birding and Eagle Viewing - From the majestic bald eagle to the sweet sounding wren, over 230 species of birds are found in the Chippewa National Forest. The greatest variety of birds can be found between the forest and open areas. Here smaller birds such as the warbler, sparrow and hawk can be seen perched in the pines or basking in the sun.

The Chippewa supports the highest breeding density of bald eagles in the US, outside of Alaska. Large fertile lakes, towering pine trees, and remote areas provide ideal nesting and feeding habitat. With a wingspan of over six feet, and the pure white head and tail of the adult birds, the eagle is truly a magnificent bird.

Nesting birds return in late February and early March, although a few birds spend the winter on the Forest. Eggs are laid in early April; the young leave their lofty nests in mid-July. Eagles occupy their breeding areas until the lakes freeze over in November or December.

Nest site locations are kept confidential to protect the birds from disturbance during the critical periods of incubation and rearing of young. However, there are many opportunities to observe eagles, often close-up, as they perch near lakeshores or hunt for fish, their main food source.

The best opportunities for viewing bald eagles are from a boat. Search the lakeshore with binoculars for eagles perched on dead or dying trees; they can often be approached quite closely for a photograph if you remain on the water and are quiet in your approach. Watch the sky for soaring birds as they search for dead or dying fish on beaches or on the water surface.

Eagles tend to be associated with larger lakes; such as Winnie Cass, Leech, and Bowstring Lakes. These birds of prey often perch on islands in these larger lakes.

One of the better opportunities to view eagles is to canoe down the Mississippi River, between Cass Lake and Lake Winnie. The Big Fork and Leech Lake Rivers are also favored habitats.

Without a boat? Find places along the beach with a good panoramic view of a lake. Campgrounds, picnic areas, and boat landings are good places to go eagle watching. Eagles also frequent Leech Lake Dam and Winnie Dam.

Other Wildlife - White-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, and numerous waterfowl provide good wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities. Several sensitive species such as the osprey, loon, and great gray owl also make the Chippewa their home. The gray wolf, a threatened species, is present but rarely seen.

Winter Sports - Winter fun lovers enjoy the Shingobee and Suomi Hills Recreation areas for cross-country skiing, as well as sledding and tobogganing. The rolling topography contains scenic, well- groomed cross-country ski trails for both beginner and advanced skiers. Sightings of white-tailed deer, timber wolves and coyotes may also highlight your visit.

Areas of Interest

Historic Places

Chippewa National Forest Supervisor's Office - A three-story log building constructed in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Rabideau CCC Camp - Seventeen buildings remain at the former Civilian Conservation Corps camp site, one of the few camps in the U.S. with standing buildings.

Cut Foot Sioux Ranger Station - The oldest remaining ranger station building in the Forest Service's Eastern Region. Tours arranged through Cut Foot Sioux Visitor Information Center, Deer River District.

Virgin Forest

Elmwood Island - Located within Island Lake, this island is completely undeveloped and contains a stand of upland cedar.

Lost Forty -Virgin red and white pine that was untouched by the early loggers due to a map error that incorrectly showed this area to be under water.

Ten Section Area - Old growth, large diameter, red and white pine tracts grace this area which was withheld from cutting during the logging era of the early 1900's. Interest in this area from conservationists at the turn of the century initiated the formation of the Chippewa National Forest.

East Lake Pines - Mature red pine left behind in the early logging days on East Lake.

Unique Flora

Gilfillan Area - An undeveloped area with an abundance of orchids and large white spruce seed production area.

Webster Lake Bog - A wetland which contains unusual abundance of linear-leafed sundew plants.

Pennington Bog - Containing an abundance of orchids, this bog extends onto adjacent state land and is designated as a Scientific Natural Area. Visitor permits are required and are available at Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offices.

Disappearing Lake

Miller Lake - A "disappearing lake," originally impounded by beaver, where the last beaver dam washed out in the early 1980's.

Resources

As you visit the Chippewa you will observe a working forest. Recreation developments, wildlife habitat projects and timber harvest are evident throughout the Forest. Timber is harvested from about one percent of the Chippewa each year. These timber sales provide raw materials for the paper and wood industry and improve wildlife habitat for white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, and nongame species such as hawks, swallows and sparrows.