These Little-Known Lakes Are Perfect For Easy Fishing, Kayaking, Canoeing, And Bird Watching In Minnesota
By Trent Jonas|Published November 23, 2023
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Trent Jonas
Author
Trent Jonas came to Minnesota to attend college - and never left. He's a Twin Cities-based writer with a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing, a Minnesota Master Naturalist, and the proud father of two adult children. With more than a decade of freelance writing experience under his belt, Trent is often out exploring his favorite topics: Minnesota's woods, lakes, and trails. Rhubarb pie is his weakness, so discovering new diners is also a passion.
In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, it can, be surprisingly difficult to find both peace and recreational opportunities at the same time. There is one group of relatively uncrowded lakes in Minnesota – a handful of them, actually – where you can enjoy a peaceful experience in nature while paddling, fishing, birding, or boating. All you need to do is head up to Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge near McGregor.
Whether you’re going for peace or recreation – or both – you’ll find it on the uncrowded lakes at Minnesota’s Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Although Rice Lake, itself, is not open to public use, several other lakes on the refuge, including Mandy and Twin Lakes, are. I’ve visited the refuge in every season, and I’ve always found something new to enjoy. What I have noticed, though, is that cell service is not always great. That’s why I use AllTrails Plus when I hike or paddle on the refuge – it allows me to download maps and use them to navigate offline. It’s a pretty handy tool!
Have you visited Rice Lake NWR near McGregor? Tell us about it in the comments!
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