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OutdoorMN News - <h1>Fall color in the forest</h1> <p><em>Minnes...


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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators
Posted

Fall color in the forest

Minnesota’s state forests offer beautifully scenic drives

A drive through Minnesota’s state forests is an easy way to soak up fall color.

-6-300x200.“Driving through our state forests in fall is like driving through a kaleidoscope—the range of color really is amazing,” said Val Cervenka, the DNR’s forest health program consultant and fall color predictor. “This is a great outing for families, and also a great time to take pictures for holiday cards.” 

For a complete list of fall color forest drives, log onto our Scenic Fall Color Routes webpage. Or, for weekly email or text updates on where to find peak fall color, visit either mndnr.gov/fallcolor, 888-646-6367 or exploreminnesota.com/fallcolor (888-VISITMN).

Here are a few suggested drives below:

Late September

Early October

  • Hill River State Forest: This loop begins and ends in Hill City. Head east on state Highway 200. You can take a side trip to hike around Taylor Lake by turning south on Taylor Lake Road. Return to 200 and take another side trip to Washburn Lake by turning south on Washburn Lake Road. Return to 200 and head back to Hill City or head east to County Road 10 (Great River Road). Head south on 10 to state Highway 169. Head north on 169 to County Road 68 (540th St). Head west on 68 to County Road 29. Head north on 29 to 200. Head east on 200 to return to Hill City.
  • Fond du Lac State Forest: This loop begins and ends in Cromwell. Take State Highway 73 north to County Road 122. Head east on 122 to County Road 120/Ditchlake Road. Head north on 120 to County Road 223. Here there are two options: drive east on 223 to the dead end, then park on the east side of the road and hike through the forest; or, turn right on 223 to County Road 421, then head east on 421 to County Road 1023. Go south on 1023 to state Highway 210, then west on 210 to return to Cromwell.
  • Solona State Forest: This loop begins and ends in McGarth. Go north on State Highway 65 to County Road 2/220th Head east on County Road 2 to County Road 34/Kestrel Ave. Head north on 34, which turns into County Road 75. Continue on County Road 75 to State Highway 27, then go west on State Highway 27 to State Highway 65. Head south on State Highway 65 to return to McGarth. Before returning to McGrarth, perhaps take a detour to Porcupine Lake by heading west on West White Pine Forest Road.
  • Wealthwood State Forest: This loop begins and ends in Malmo. Head west on state Highway 18, driving along the north shore of Mille Lacs Lake, to state Highway 169. Head north on 169 toward Aitkin to state Highway 47. Drive east on state Highway 47 to return to Malmo.

Mid-October

  • Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest: This loop begins and ends in Red Wing. From downtown Red Wing, head south on Highway 61 for 10.5 miles. At Frontenac take a right onto County 2 Boulevard and go east for 9 miles. Take a right onto County 3 Boulevard to head east for 4 miles. Take a right onto state Highway 58 to head north for 1.5 miles. Take a left onto Hay Creek Trail to head north for about 4.5 miles. Hay Creek Trail turns into Twin Bluff Road at Pioneer Road. Continue on Twin Bluff Road until it turns into West Avenue. Follow West Avenue to West 7th Street and turn right. Go one block and turn left onto East Avenue to return to downtown Red Wing.

Discuss below - to view set the hook here.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • SkunkedAgain
      If you fished with me more often, you'd never have to make this statement...   38" of ice - love it. I'm really going to have to dig around for my auger extension. I don't think that I've needed it in over a decade.   Too bad nobody has a locomotive chugging across the ice to do some logging, like the good old days.
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  Ice fishing remains strong across the south shore of Lake of the Woods out on Big Traverse Bay.  Resorts and outfitters on some parts of the lake have ice roads extending over 16 miles staying on nice schools of walleyes and saugers.  Many fish houses are over deep mud.  Some are on structure.  It is always fishing of course, but overall, February has been very productive for most anglers.   Extensions are being used on ice augers as the ice continues to thicken.  The thick ice this year will be good for the extended ice fishing season Lake of the Woods enjoys with fish houses out through March 31st, walleyes and saugers open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes. Most fishing activity is taking place in 26-32 feet of water.  Anglers are finding a healthy mix of walleyes and saugers, with a good number of jumbo perch in the mix this year.  Some big eelpout are also showing up.  Anglers are reporting plenty of fish for fresh fish frys and usually extra fish to bring home.   The one-two punch of a jigging line and deadstick is the way to go.  On the jigging line, jigging spoons with rattles tipped with a minnow head have been consistent.  Lipless crankbaits and jigging rap style lures also doing well.     Lures with a light have been working well in the stained water.  Please remember, in MN, lures with a light or water activated light can be used as long as the battery is mercury free and the hook is attached directly to the lure and not as a dropper line.     On the deadstick, a plain hook or a small jig with a live minnow 6 inches to a foot off of the bottom.    Some days, mornings are better, other days, it's the afternoons.  There is no distinct pattern, they could come through at any time. On the Rainy River...  The start of the day and end of the day have been best for those targeting walleyes on the river. A jig and minnow or a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head is also producing some fish. Some big sturgeon being iced by ice anglers targeting them.  It is a catch-and-release sturgeon season currently.   Although ice conditions on the river are good, they can vary significantly due to the current, so anglers should always consult local resorts or outfitters for the most up-to-date safety information and fishing advice. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing has been strong in the islands area of Lake of the Woods. Resorts continue to move their fish houses around, staying on the best schools of walleyes.     Anglers are catching a nice mix of walleyes, saugers, and jumbo perch with an occasional pike or tullibee as well.     Big crappies are still being caught just over the border.  Fish houses are available, check with a NW Angle resort for info on crappie fishing.   Lake of the Woods enjoys an extended ice fishing season with fish houses on the ice through March 31st and walleye and sauger seasons open through April 14th. Perch, crappie, and pike seasons remain open year-round.    
    • leech~~
      Maybe you should put rattle wheels down, if your going to sleep for 6hrs! 🤭 😆
    • JerkinLips
      Monday was my worst day of winter fishing on Vermilion in the last 4 years.  Caught only one 14" walleye in nearly 8 hours of fishing.  Missed two other bites and was marking very few fish.  Maybe the fish were taking Monday off after a big weekend.   No more water came up on the ice under my house.  Think it was because I haven't banked snow around it for a couple of weeks so the bare ice around the house is getting very thick.  I measured 38" of ice under my house and the Ion barely made it through even with the extension installed.  Needless to say I banked around the house this time.  Another lesson I learned today is don't drill holes if ice is frozen on your blades.  I did that on one hole and it didn't center properly and drilled at an angle on the edge of the opening.  Hope I can correct the location and angle on my next trip up.   Not much change in the surface lake surface conditions.  The drifts may be a little higher and are definitely harder.  There are still a few bare ice spots on the lake.  Very little activity on the lake today.  There are about 3 dozen houses from McKinley Park out to Birch Island.  Another person pulled there house off today, and I am sure many more will pull theirs off this coming weekend.  Only 13 days left of walleye season.    
    • leech~~
      A good start for never picking up a bow!   IMG_1910.mp4
    • leech~~
      Um, #metoo   leech~~ Author 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders Posted January 26 My whole goal for the rest of this season.  Is to watch KC lose and Taylor cry!  🥳
    • smurfy
    • Wanderer
      Smurfy is happy.
    • Dash 1
      Great looking food. So far not much of a game and I thought the halftime show was worse I've seen. 
    • leech~~
      Oh is there a Superbowl game? 😋😋
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