Altitude: 1,140 ft
Dog Friendly: No
Filed Under: Hiking, Running
The Agassiz Wilderness now contains a total of 4,000 acres and is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. All of the wilderness is in the state of Minnesota.
Agassiz Wilderness lies within the 61,449-acre Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, an area primarily protected for waterfowl production and maintenance. Water covers almost one-sixth of the property (hence its original name, Mud Lake Refuge), with cattail dominating more than 40,000 acres of the wetland. Ducks abound only in migratory seasons, but all kinds of wildlife stick it out year-round. Species spotted within the refuge include 49 mammals, 12 amphibians, and 9 reptiles. Wildlife lovers can hope to catch a glimpse of the resident pack of eastern gray wolves or the nesting pair of bald eagles (who share the skies with close to 300 bird species). Moose and white-tailed deer attract hunters. Temperatures range from minus 47 degrees Fahrenheit to 108 degrees Fahrenheit.
"Flat" best describes Agassiz, where the terrain elevation rarely varies more than a foot per mile. The Wilderness sinks as low as 1,140 feet above sea level, then "soars" to 1,149 feet. But the unvaried turf does support Minnesota's westernmost stand of black spruce-tamarack forest, along with two boggy bodies of water--Kuriko and Whiskey Lakes--that are both empty of fish. The Whiskey Lake Trail leads about two miles to Whiskey Lake, which is within the Wilderness, but camping is not allowed. If you want to pitch a tent, head for one of the two primitive campgrounds adjacent to Agassiz.
Public land becomes wilderness through legislation passed by the United States Congress in the form of public laws. For the Agassiz Wilderness, this process began in 1976 when 4,000 acres were designated by Public Law 94-557.
The Agassiz Wilderness is part of the 106 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. This System of wild lands contributes significantly to the ecological, economic, and social health of our country. Wilderness provides clean air and water, a shelter for endangered species, sacred places for indigenous peoples, a living laboratory for research, and a classroom for exploring personal values while experiencing risk, reward, and self-reliance. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities like hiking, backpacking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, horse packing, bird watching, stargazing, and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "...increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization," you play an important role in helping to "secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by the Congress of the United States through the Wilderness Act of 1964.
Area Management
Unless otherwise specified, no motorized equipment or mechanical transport is allowed. This is true for all federal lands managed as designated wilderness.
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