Chippewa National Forest

All ways lead to WINTER on the Chippewa

The Chippewa National Forest does winter like no other season. From sledding hills to skiing trails there is always a new adventure to discover on the Forest.

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Chippewa National Forest

Due staffing shortages, the #ChippewaNF is delaying the availability of all campground reservations until February 6, 2023 at 12:00 PM CST. We anticipate the campgrounds will open as scheduled however delaying reservations will allow us more flexibility in the event we need to reduce capacity or adjust opening/closing dates. Any further updates will be posted here and on social media. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

The Chippewa National Forest, located in the heart of northern Minnesota, is a celebration of seasons, culture and environment. Come explore the big lakes, big pines and all the Forest has to offer.

The Chippewa National Forest was the first national forest established east of the Mississippi River in 1908. Originally known as the Minnesota National Forest, the name was changed in 1928 to honor the original inhabitants. Today, the Forest and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe share goals and offer visitors a chance to experience Anishinabe culture and learn about the past from prehistory to the early logging-era and Civilian Conservation Corps days.  About the Forest | Chippewa Visitor Map

  • Winter Recreation

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    Skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling are just the beginning! Winter offers more than you might expect.

    Discover the Chippewa

  • Check out winter photos

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    Whether looking forward to a trip or just dreaming about being here, check out photos from the Forest!

    Check out our Flickr album.

  • Just For Kids!

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    Explore kid friendly activities for your next forest adventure.

    Find out more

Features

Snowshoe Hare: Keystone Species of Our Forest

Show shoe hare under a cedar tree

Snowshoe hare are an important cultural and prey species to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. Historically, they were found in much higher abundance across the Reservation and Chippewa National Forest than what we see today. Their populations would fluctuate from high, to low, to high again over the years. However, today snowshoe hare populations remain low and we do not see the population peaks that we used to see.

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Regional Office Visits the Chippewa

Nine people posing for the camera on a fishing pier in winter.

In mid-November, the Chippewa National Forest had the opportunity to host a visit from Janelle Crocker, R9 Deputy Regional Forester and Steve Kuennen, Director Renewable Resources R9. The visit was a chance to highlight some of what the Forest has to offer and meet with Forest leadership and talk about Forest and Regional priorities.

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