|
||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
Mission Statement
Recognizing the outstanding scenic, fishery, wildlife and recreational qualities of the Snake River and its Valley, the mission of the Friends of the Snake River is hereby declared to be the oversight, protection and general stewardship of these qualities in the watercourse, riparian environments and the extended watershed of the River. We propose to meet these goals through the collection of information, interactive education and jointly conducted programs of challenge and support, pursued by members in cooperation with relevant public agencies and other citizen conservation groups.
|
|
*****
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Forest Classification and Off Highway Vehicle Road/Trail Designation for the Snake River State Forest
State forest classification plan completed for East-Central Minnesota (November 18, 2008)(Effective September 1, 2009, the Snake River State Forest will be closed to all motorized traffic, including ATV traffic, as ordered by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Mark Holsten, November 4, 2008. These lands will be walk-in only.) The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has approved the final forest classification and route designation plan for six state forests located in an eight-county planning unit in East-Central Minnesota. The plan, which includes route designations for the D.A.R., Hill River, Land O’ Lakes, Savanna, Snake River and Waulenabo state forests, was developed in response to a legislative directive to re-examine vehicle use in all 58 state forests. The DNR worked closely with Aitkin, Cass, Kanabec and Pine County land managers in developing the plan in an effort to improve consistency across public forest lands in the region. “The purpose of the plan is to protect resources and to provide places for both OHV riding and non-motorized use,” said Craig Engwall, DNR regional director, Grand Rapids. FOREST CLASSIFICATION CHANGES Effective Sept. 1, 2009, most state forest lands located in this eight-county area will be classified as limited, which means that forest roads will remain open, but trails will be closed to off-highway vehicle (OHV) use unless signed open. Most of the inventoried routes in the forest will, however, still remain available seasonally for hunter / trapper use under state law. Exceptions to this general rule are 15 areas with special motor vehicle use limitations located in Aitkin, Cass, Kanabec and Pine counties. In these areas vehicle use will be generally restricted to designated roads and trails only. Together, these areas cover about 28,000 acres. In four of the areas, no Off-Highway Vehicle use will be allowed at all. All of these special areas are ecologically sensitive and most have a long history of non-motorized hunter use. The DNR will work cooperatively with county land managers to clearly map and sign these areas, and to improve hunter access into these areas. FOREST ROAD AND TRAIL DESIGNATIONS Under the plan, 143 miles of forest roads and 208 miles of trails will be developed, including nearly 52 miles of hunter walking trails, 86 miles of other non-motorized trails, and more than 70 miles of off-highway vehicle trails. Another 53 miles of unsustainable routes will be immediately closed under the plan. No changes are planned to area snowmobile trails. “Every effort was made to retain traditional motor access into the area,” explained Engwall, “subject to forest management objectives and environmental protection considerations.” PLAN AND MAPS AVAILABLE The final forest classification and route designation plan and maps are available at: www.findthetrails.com. For more information, contact Brian McCann, DNR Trails & Waterways
*****
DNR Snake River Website
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has a website for the Snake River on it's water trails web page. This website has basic information for canoeists about skills required for different sections of the River, water level reports, maps and a slide show (like ours above) with scenes from different sections of the River. The map is especially useful.
Please take our advice following nearly 40 years of salvaging canoeists from this River: Please check the water levels before you launch! Most of the summer the River is too low to canoe, and believe us canoeing over exposed rocks is no fun. ****** |
|
Welcome to Ford Township
The Snake River State Forest is accessed through Ford Township in the northern part of Kanabec County. You can learn more about Ford Township by visiting the website.
Check for Snake River water levels
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports river levels at four locations along the Snake River between Pine City and the Ford Township bridge east of Woodland. These reports are updated weekly. They report valuable information for those planning canoeing or boating activities on the River. Check out the DNR Snake River water level reports, or check out the USGS gauge at Pine City for up to the minutes reports.
***** Welcome! The Snake River is located in east-central Minnesota, between the Twin Cities and Duluth, and is a part of the St. Croix River basin. The River begins about 6 miles north of McGrath, in the Solana State Forest in southern Aitkin County, and flows 90 miles southward and then eastward, and about 560 feet down to the St. Croix River east of Pine City. The Snake River and its tributaries drain about 986 square miles of watershed. The earliest name for the Snake River was Portage River given by the European fur trappers. The Mandan Indians were the earliest known inhabitants of the region, followed by the Dakota, who in turn were displaced by the Ojibwe, and eventually by European settlers. The Snake River has "some of the wilder and more scenic river environment in Minnesota" according to Dr. Thomas Waters, the founder of Friends of the Snake River. The upper half of the watershed is relatively wild and forest covered. (See photo above.) Logging of the high quality stands of white pine in the area began in 1837 and peaked in the 1880's. The virgin stands of white pine were completely removed and the land transformed by wildfires and clearing. The replacement forest consists of hardwoods and aspen. Some of the steepest gradients in the River are found between McGrath and the bridge east of Woodland where the River flows through two granite gorges known as the Upper and Lower Falls of the Snake River. You can reach Friends of the Snake River by contacting Tom Mortenson at:
|
|
You are visitor number:
|