Moose Lake State Park is a

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, USA, near the city of Moose Lake, MN in Carlton County. The park is located one-half mile east of

Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...

at the 214 exit. The park entrance is off of County Highway 137. Moose Lake State Park was established in 1971. In total, the park is 1,194 acres in area. Some of the highlights of the park include 5.5 miles of hiking trails, a 105-acre Echo Lake, wildlife pond, paved trail to Moose Lake and

Willard Munger State Trail The Willard Munger State Trail is a system of recreational trails between Hinckley, Minnesota and Duluth, Minnesota. There are three segments to the trail, Hinckley to Duluth Segment, Alex Laveau Memorial Trail, and Matthew Lourey State Trail. Hin ...

, and Agate/Geological Interpretive Center; located within the park office.

Geology

The park lies in an area covered by glacial till and outwash deposits dropped by the last glacier as it melted. Large ice blocks which melted after the glacier retreated to make Moosehead and Echo Lakes. The south shore of Moosehead Lake was also the shore of Glacial Lake Nemadji. Due to the glacial flow deposits, Carlton County is a good location to search for Lake Superior Agates. Within the park office is the Agate/Geological Interpretive Center. The 4,500-square-foot center includes interpretive displays, a multi-purpose classroom, Nature Store gift shop, park offices, a resource workroom, and an exhibition hall that showcases Minnesota's state gemstone, the

Lake Superior Agate The Lake Superior agate is a type of agate stained by iron and found on the shores of Lake Superior. Its wide distribution and iron-rich bands of color reflect the gemstone's geologic history in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and M ...

Vegetation and Wildlife

left, 225px, Echo Lake located in Moose Lake State ParkMuch of the original white and red Norway Pine that once blanketed the area is now gone. When the park was established, much of it was made up of old farm fields, just beginning the long process off forest succession. In many of these areas, pine and spruce have been planted to help restore the original forest. Other areas of the park have mature Aspen stands mixed with Basswood, Birch and Maple. The open areas of the park, along with the mature hardwood stands, combine to provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife species. There are

beaver Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...

skunk Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginge ...

porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of family, Erethizont ...

, and both Franklin and Richardson's Ground Squirrels. There are a variety of bird species including:

Trumpeter Swan The trumpeter swan (''Cygnus buccinator'') is a species of swan found in North America. The heaviest living bird native to North America, it is also the largest extant species of waterfowl, with a wingspan of 185 to 250 cm (6 ft 2 in to 8 ft 2 ...

s, Mallard and Wood Ducks, Common Loon, Woodpeckers, Crowned Kinglets, Warblers, Catbirds, and Cedar Waxwings.Moose Lake State Park Bird Checklist, MNDNR, (March, 2004) Walleye are found in Moosehead Lake. Panfish are common in Echo Lake. Both lakes have been stocked in the past with Northern Pike, Walleye, and Largemouth Bass.

Recreation

The park has rentable fishing equipment, birding kits, activity kits for children, rowboats, canoes, and kayaks. There are 5.5 miles of hiking trails that go through tall pines, a wildlife observation area, or next to Echo Lake. Within the day-use area, there are picnic tables, horseshoe pits, swimming beach, boat access, and fishing pier on Echo Lake. For bike riding, there is a widened shoulder of County Highway 137 that takes you to the park's paved spur-trail that takes you to the

. Winter recreation includes ice-fishing, hiking, snowmobile and cross-country ski trails. There are 35 semi-modern campsites at the park; of which, 20 have electricity to the campsites and 2 are walk-in sites. The park also has a rustic group campsite. Entry to the park requires a Minnesota State Park Vehicle Permit.

References

External links

Moose Lake State Park
{{authority control 1971 establishments in Minnesota Protected areas established in 1971 Protected areas of Carlton County, Minnesota State parks of Minnesota Museums in Carlton County, Minnesota Natural history museums in Minnesota Geology museums in the United States