Northwest Minnesota · border-country lakes, river wetlands and forest

Roseau County

Roseau County reaches from the Canadian border to the Lake of the Woods shore. Its official water inventory names a compact set of waters rather than a dense lake district: Hayes Lake on the North Fork Roseau River, Mud and Marvin lakes, Hank’s Lake, three managed wildlife pools, and the county’s share of Lake of the Woods. This guide joins those honest lake identities to Hayes Lake State Park and the wetland system of Roseau River Wildlife Management Area.

Explore named waters Explore Northwest Minnesota

Accessible orientation

Read the county from west to east

Badger, Greenbush, Roseau and Warroad form useful east–west bearings on the maintained MnDOT county map; Roosevelt and the Lake of the Woods shoreline lie farther east. Hayes Lake State Park is south of Roseau, while Roseau River WMA occupies the county’s broad northwestern wetland country. Use maintained maps for exact roads, boundaries and seasonal access.

Lake day: identify the water by its complete DNR number before checking access and regulations.
Park day: open the current Hayes Lake map for trails, camping, permits and motor restrictions.
Wildlife day: check WMA rules, open routes and hunting seasons before entering.

Open maps and lake data Open the official county map

Two adults study a paper map above flat fields, wetlands and low forest — Illustrative orientation scene; use maintained maps for routes and locations.

Canonical named-lake discovery

Seven local identities and one cross-county lake

The final DNR inventory lists Mud, Marvin, Hayes and Hank’s lakes plus Pools I, II and III as locally numbered named waters. Lake of the Woods crosses county and international boundaries and keeps one canonical MinnesotaLakes identity under Lake of the Woods County. Unnamed waters and dam labels are excluded.

DNR lake ID 68000400

Hayes Lake

DNR identifies Hayes as a 182-acre managed fishery lake in the Roseau River watershed. The state-park guide explains that it was created by impounding the North Fork Roseau River and limits motors to electric power.

Mud, Marvin and Hank’s

These are distinct official identities: Mud 68-1, Marvin 68-2 and Hank’s 68-21. The inventory establishes their names and township locations; it does not establish visitor access, fish populations or present conditions.

Pools I, II and III

The three numbered pools are protected-water identities within the managed wetland landscape. Treat them as habitat-management waters, not conventional resort lakes, and follow current WMA rules and posted closures.

A mowed trail and short bog walk beside a modest pine-bordered northern lake — Generated Hayes Lake habitat interpretation; not a route, facility or current-condition record.

Continue to the lake directory Explore Minnesota rivers Open the official access map

Park, fishery and wetland pathways

Choose a landscape, then verify the day

Hayes Lake State Park supports fishing, paddling, swimming, birding, camping and mapped foot and horse trails. Roseau River WMA maintains pools, dikes, walking trails, campsites, parking and water accesses for wildlife-focused public use. Conditions, seasons and rules can change, so official operator information remains the final check.

Hayes Lake State Park

The park map identifies the 2.4-mile Homestead loop, 2.5-mile one-way Pine Ridge Trail and 4-mile one-way Moose Ridge Trail, plus drive-in and hike-in camping. Confirm reservations and closures before travel.

Open the official park guide

Fish current information

Use LakeFinder and current regulations for water-specific fishery, access and rule information. A managed-fishery label or access symbol never guarantees a catch or a usable launch.

Prepare for fishing

Community and culture

Use Roseau, Warroad, Badger, Greenbush, Roosevelt and Strathcona as verified community bearings. Consult the MinnesotaLakes event record before building a trip around a dated fair, festival or cultural program.

Check verified events

Two wildlife watchers scan a managed wetland pool from a low grassy dike — Generated wetland interpretation; sightings, route access and conditions are not guaranteed.

Roseau River WMA

DNR’s current work-area page describes four large wildlife pools, nine moist-soil cells and a 27-mile dike system. Late-summer wildlife viewing is one documented use, but visitors must check current WMA rules, hunting activity, gates and route status.

Explore recreation

Four-season planning

Plan for border-country conditions

Spring: expect cold water, saturated trails and changing river levels; verify park and WMA access.
Summer: reserve camping, carry insect and sun protection, wear a life jacket and clean-drain-dispose.
Fall: check hunting seasons, wear visible clothing and confirm whether dikes and trails are open.
Winter: use verified land trails and current forecasts; frozen appearance and tracks never prove safe ice.

Learn about lake systems Plan a lake trip

Two adults snowshoe on a forest land trail with a frozen lake visible through trees — Generated land-trail scene; never evidence of safe ice or current trail conditions.