Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Resources

This quick-view, calendar style Minnesota hunting and trapping seasons and limits guide, by Bendare Outdoors, is available as a FREE PDF in different versions based on species.

This guide is organized in a simple monthly layout that helps you find what you are looking for quickly. Minnesota has several different hunting and trapping seasons based on location and type of animal. This guide provides information on hunting all species in Minnesota, including big game, furbearers, upland birds, and waterfowl. User and printer-friendly.

This quick-view, calendar style Minnesota fishing seasons and limits guide, by Bendare Outdoors, is available as a FREE PDF in different versions based on water body and species.

This guide is organized in a simple monthly layout that helps you find what you are looking for quickly. It provides information on fishing all species in Minnesota's waters, including: inland lakes, rivers and streams, Lake Superior and its tributaries, and Minnesota's many border waters (Canada, Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas). User and printer-friendly.

Wishing you tight lines and bent rods!

Some trout species are open year-round in parts of southeast Minnesota and in Lake Superior and its tributaries below the posted boundaries!

There are several other trout dates and regulations to remember based on the time of year and whether it's a lake, river or stream. Use Bendare's Trout & Salmon Fishing Seasons and Limits guide for the quickest and easiest way to know MORR! Happy troutin'!

This quick-view, calendar style Minnesota Trout & Salmon fishing seasons and limits guide, by Bendare Outdoors, is available as a FREE PDF in different versions based on water body and species.

This guide is organized in a simple monthly layout that helps you find what you are looking for quickly. It provides information on fishing all species in Minnesota's waters, including: inland lakes, rivers and streams, Lake Superior and its tributaries, and Minnesota's many border waters (Canada, Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas). User and printer-friendly.

Wishing you tight lines and bent rods!

Some trout species are open year-round in parts of southeast Minnesota and in Lake Superior and its tributaries below the posted boundaries!

There are several other trout dates and regulations to remember based on the time of year and whether it's a lake, river or stream. Use Bendare's Trout & Salmon Fishing Seasons and Limits guide for the quickest and easiest way to know MORR! Happy troutin'!

Foraging in Minnesota is allowed for personal use in state parks, state forests, wildlife management areas (WMA), and aquatic management areas (AMA).

Full plants and flowers cannot be harvested in these areas, but edible fruits (like blueberries and raspberries), mushrooms, and edible seeds are all allowed to be collected for personal use.

These rules do not apply to private land, so make sure you have permission from the landowner.

When:

Spring is the time to look for morels, when daytime temperatures are in the 60s and nighttime lows are in the 40s. Morels prefer soil temperatures between 55-62 degrees. They show up around the same time as marsh marigolds, trillium, and dandelions.

Where:

Morels can be found anywhere, but some of the best places to look are near ash, poplar, elm, and apple trees, roadsides, campgrounds, logged or recently burned areas and near the edges of forested areas. Morels prefer alkaline rich soils.

Caution:

There are some look-a-like species, but after a quick review, it is easy to distinguish the good from the bad. The main traits of morels include a hollow inside from the bottom of the stem to the tip of the cap and a seamless stem to cap - if the transition looks like an umbrella it isn't a morel.

Happy foraging!

Freeze, thaw, mud season is a messy time of year. It can be rough on trails and several of them can be temporarily closed. If you are leaving prints, please find a different trail that is still snow covered or frozen. Mornings are best when temperatures are still low. You can also use gravel and paved trails until conditions improve. Know MORR before you go...

Get a walkie-talkie for each person or group. And better yet, get one with NOAA weather radio. They are inexpensive, work off-grid and worth their weight in gold.

There are also personal locator beacons with weather forecasting capabilities. These devices can send out your coordinates in the case of an emergency. They usually require a subscription, but you could set it up for the month you have an off the grid trip planned.

May the wind always be at your back!

Use MORR today! Explore MORR. Adventure MORR. Live MORR.

Use Google Maps or MN 511 with the "traffic speed" layer turned on and you will be able to use it to view real-time road conditions in great detail!

The traffic layer shows colors representing the speed of traffic compared to normal conditions. This not only gives you the current state of traffic, it also gives you a real-time idea of the current road conditions because the average speed varies based on the condition of the roadway. The closer you zoom in, the more detail you will get. This gives you a better idea of the current situation compared to the broad descriptions of "partially" or "completely" snow-covered designations.

BENDARE PRO TIP: Find a safer route during a severe winter storm by sticking to the roads that have a "traffic speed" layer colored green. The "green" indicates that the vechicles are moving at normal speeds. This could be due to the road being flat and/or straight rather than hilly and/or curved, recently plowed, or not getting hit by the worst of the storm.

How it works:

Real-time data is collected by sensors and anonymous smartphone users on the roadways. This data is compared to the average speed of the vehicles during normal conditions and then colors the road accordingly. Green=good, Orange=not ideal, Red=bad. If the road isn't colored green, orange, or red, then the system doesn't have enough data at that moment to predict a current level.

Ice conditions vary greatly and change quickly. There can be major differences from one water body to another. The ice can also vary on the same body of water.

Check ice thickness for yourself. Do not rely on others' information or follow footprints or other tracks in the snow without checking first.

White ice forms when snow melts on top of a sheet of ice and refreezes. It is only half as strong as newer, clear ice, so double the recommended guidelines for white ice. Ice is usually thinnest near inlets and outlets, shallow areas with heavy vegetation, moving water and springs, and around structure like logs, rocks, bridges, and docks.

Learn more ice safety tips and discovery helpful resources.

Follow @BendareOutdoors on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates, pro tips, seasonal reminders, favorite outdoor resources, guides, new website features, and more!

You can also subscribe to the latest news and be the first to know via email!

When camping, keep yourself and the inside of your tent dry by placing a tarp inside the tent. You can even have the inside tarp up along the walls a little for added protection.

A lightweight tent footprint or tarp, placed between the tent and the ground, can also be used to protect the tent from damage and provide added insulation. But by having a tarp inside, you will no longer need to worry about water finding its way between your ground protection and the bottom of your tent, one of the main causes of water-related tent issues. Using both methods at the same time is recommended for maximum protection.

A dry camper is a happy camper!

BENEFITS: Adding a tarp to the inside of your tent: KEEPS YOU DRY, protects the tent, and helps insulate.

Quota Permits (Overnights from 5/1-9/30):

Quota permits are required for overnight paddles, motor or hiking trips, and motorized day trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) from May 1st - September 30th. Group leaders and alternates need a valid email address and recreation.gov account to researve a permit. Quota Permits for all entry points are available on the last Wednesday of January at 9:00 a.m. CT and have a reservation fee.

Self-Issued Permits (Day use or overnights from 10/1-4/30):

Self-issued permits are required for non-motorized day use visitors year-round and for all overnight visitors entering the BWCAW from October 1 - April 30.

Important Dates:

Quota Season: 5/1 - 9/30
Non-Quota Season: 10/1 - 4/30

Get a walkie-talkie for each canoe. And better yet, get one with NOAA weather radio. They are inexpensive, work off-grid and worth their weight in gold.

There are also personal locator beacons with weather forecasting capabilities. These devices can send out your coordinates in the case of an emergency and work anywhere via satellite. They usually require a subscription, but you can set it up for the month you have an off the grid trip planned.

May the wind always be at your back!

Select a point on the map and get your weekly and hourly forecast for that exact location!

weather.gov/forecastpoints

Forecast includes max/min temperatures, wind chill, wind gusts, wind speed/direction, precipitation amounts, snow/ice accumulations, cloud cover, relative humidity, dew point, and the probability of precipitation and thunder.

Note: If your location returns an error, select another point near your original location until a forecast is loaded.

See some examples of the forecast data and some helpful tips below ...

Weekly Summary

Hourly Summary

Graph Tips

This application was developed by the National Weather Service in Duluth, MN.

Use Google Maps or MN 511 with the "traffic speed" layer turned on and you will be able to use it to view real-time road conditions in great detail!

The traffic layer shows colors representing the speed of traffic compared to normal conditions. This not only gives you the current state of traffic, it also gives you a real-time idea of the current road conditions because the average speed varies based on the condition of the roadway. The closer you zoom in, the more detail you will get. This gives you a better idea of the current situation compared to the broad descriptions of "partially" or "completely" snow-covered designations.

BENDARE PRO TIP: Find a safer route during a severe winter storm by sticking to the roads that have a "traffic speed" layer colored green. The "green" indicates that the vechicles are moving at normal speeds. This could be due to the road being flat and/or straight rather than hilly and/or curved, recently plowed, or not getting hit by the worst of the storm.

How it works:

Real-time data is collected by sensors and anonymous smartphone users on the roadways. This data is compared to the average speed of the vehicles during normal conditions and then colors the road accordingly. Green=good, Orange=not ideal, Red=bad. If the road isn't colored green, orange, or red, then the system doesn't have enough data at that moment to predict a current level.

Follow Astro Bob on facebook. He does a great job of keeping everyone updated on the current and forecasted northern lights activity.

...just bad clothing and gear! Well, that isn't totally true, but it will help you remember the main point...

Layers, layers, layers! Bring clothing layers so you are ready for any weather Minnesota can throw at you. Put your clothing in waterproof stuff sacks or gallon ziploc bags to protect them from getting wet. Bring a tarp or rain fly. It can be used over your fire pit/common area, or as a wind block, or just to cover your wood.

The timing and intensity of the peak colors are mostly affected by the longer, cooler nights and weather, but tree genetics and location also play a role. Learn more...

If the flying bugs are going to be bad, it's usually around sunrise and sunset and generally from June through August depending on where in Minnesota you are.

If you find yourself sharing your space with some unwanted bugs, sometimes all it takes is to move to a different location for the time being. And you usually don't have to move far. Just a different environ can make the difference. If you are being attacked in the forested areas, try moving to the open areas. Better yet, position yourself in the wind or out on the water.

Biting flies getting the best of you? Apply small dabs of Vicks VapoRub™ to neck, elbows, knees, ankles, wrists, and behind ears to repel biting flies.

When all else fails, always have an ultra-fine mesh head net nearby. And remember, dragonflies are your friends! They will be happy to make a meal out of those pesky bugs for you.

Ice conditions vary greatly and change quickly. There can be major differences from one water body to another. The ice can also vary on the same body of water.

Check ice thickness for yourself. Do not rely on others' information or follow footprints or other tracks in the snow without checking first.

White ice forms when snow melts on top of a sheet of ice and refreezes. It is only half as strong as newer, clear ice, so double the recommended guidelines for white ice. Ice is usually thinnest near inlets and outlets, shallow areas with heavy vegetation, moving water and springs, and around structure like logs, rocks, bridges, and docks.

Learn more ice safety tips and discovery helpful resources.