Main Loop Trail

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Wolford Woods was one of Minnesota's first State Natural Areas (SNA). It protects one of the best remaining examples of the Big Woods forest community in the state. Because of the area's hilly topography, early homesteaders found it impractical to till for farming, opting instead to establish a maple syrup operation that continued from the 1880s into the 1940s.

The trails here take you through the mature maple-basswood forest that dominates this SNA. This area hosts some of the state's largest individual sugar maple trees, as well as patches of oak forest and emergent marsh.

The trails here are reasonably obvious but signage is minimal. Some are hiking only while others allow hikers and horses. Downloading a trail map from this SNA's website is recommended.