| Bowstring State Forest | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Itasca andCass counties, Minnesota, United States |
| Coordinates | 47°25′06″N94°05′33″W / 47.41833°N 94.09241°W /47.41833; -94.09241 |
| Area | 526,569 acres (213,095 ha) |
| Administration | |
| Established | 1963 |
| Governing body | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources,USFS |
| Website | www |
| Ecology | |
| WWF Classification | Western Great Lakes forests |
| EPA Classification | Northern Lakes and Forests |
TheBowstring State Forest is astate forest located inItasca andCass Counties inMinnesota. It is located entirely within the boundaries of the federally managedChippewa National Forest, and ismanaged by theMinnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The 56,470 acres (22,850 ha)[1]Lake Winnibigoshish is located entirely within the forest; additionally the forest has public access toLeech Lake andCass Lake. Fish species found in the lakes within the forest includewalleye,northern pike,yellow perch,largemouth bass,smallmouth bass,crappie andbluegill.Boating andswimming are also available on the lakes. Otheroutdoor recreation opportunities includehunting andbackcountry camping.Trails are provided forcross-country skiing,hiking,snowmobiling,mountain biking, and Class I and IIall-terrain vehicle use.[2]
The Bowstring State Forest wasde facto established in 1927, when state lands within the boundaries of theMinnesota National Forest were withdrawn from sale and directed to be managed in the same fashion as other state forest lands.[3] The forest was formally established as the Bowstring State Forest in 1963.[4] It is named after Bowstring Lake, located within the forest.
