Burntside State Forest

Welcome to Burntside State Forest located in northern Minnesota not far from the Canadian border in St. Louis and Lake Counties. This forest borders the Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters Wilderness Area.

Forest History: The land in and around Burntside State Forest was carved out by glacial retreat at the end of the last ice age over 10,000 years ago. Today this rocky landscape is known as the Laurentian and Canadian Shield. In the 19th Century the land the region of Burntside State Forest saw a lot of mining activity that started with the discovery of gold in 1866. The geology made mining the gold rather difficult and in 1886 iron ore was discovered in the region which took focus away from the gold. Timber companies also harvested many of the region's forests around that time but did not find the white pines and red pines they were hoping to find.

Flora and Fauna: Burntside State Forest helps protect the home of numerous plant and animals species. Some of the plants that grow inside the forest boundaries include black spruces, balsam firs, tamaracks, and northern white cedars. Some of the wild animals who call this place home include white-tailed deer, moose, foxes, wolves, bears, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, wild turkeys, hawks, and bald eagles. Please treat their home with respect.

For the lover of the outdoors Burntside State Forest boasts the 10,000 acre Burntside Lake stocked with trout and walleye, hiking trails, and so much more. Come on out and explore!