We are honored to be the new non-profit partner to Chippewa National Forest.  Chippewa was the first national forest established east of the Mississippi River.  A Forest Reserve was designated in 1902 with the Morris Act but in 1908, the Minnesota National Forest Act created the Minnesota National Forest. This Forest was officially renamed Chippewa National Forest by President Calvin Coolidge in 1928.

Chippewa is managed solely by the Department of Agriculture's U.S. Forest Service.   Today there are more than 666,500 acres being managed by the U.S. Forest Service in Chippewa and over 40% of those acres overlap with the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation.

The Forest, located in the heart of northern Minnesota, is a celebration of seasons, culture, and environment. This northern hardwood forest mixes between the western prairies and the northern boreal forest to the north and east. It is a Forest with shared boundaries--red oak to white pine, wild ginger to wild rice, and Canada lynx to sandhill crane. There are 1300 lakes and ponds, more than 900 miles of rivers, and 440,000 acres of wetlands with 25 watersheds.

There is also history in the Forest.  From the PaleoIndian people living along the lakeshore 10,000 years ago to the Dakota and Anishinabe people, French Voyageurs, early loggers, and the Civilian Conservation Corps.

The Forest provides an abundance of recreational opportunities with 21 developed campgrounds, 160 miles of hiking trails, 315 miles of snowmobile trails, and 280 dispersed camping sites.  Hunting, fishing, canoeing, berry-picking, birdwatching, and swimming are popular visitor activities. 

Jefferson National Parks Association will provide support to Chippewa through the operation of 6 stores located throughout the Forest.  Educational and interpretive product will be available in these stores as well as forest visitor convenience items.  A team of four from Jefferson National Parks Association travelled to Chippewa National Forest this week to set up the sales locations.  Stores are now open at Cass Lake, Blackduck, Deer River and Walker.   Cut Foot Sioux store will open today, Friday, May 15 and Norway Beach store will open Friday, May 22.

Learn more about our new partner on the official Chippewa National Forest website.  Check back with us before the end of May to see our new webpages featuring a Photo Gallery and a new online store for Chippewa National Forest.