Cloquet Valley State Forest

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Max stay

14 nights

About

Cloquet Valley State Forest is located in southern St. Louis County about 20 miles north of Duluth. Major access routes include St. Louis County highways 4 and 44 north of Duluth, and St. Louis County Highway 52 east of Cotton. Cloquet Valley State Forest offers camping at Indian Lake Campground on Indian Lake, which features 25 drive-in sites, one group camp, and access to fishing, hunting, hiking, canoeing, boating, and snowmobiling. Three segments of the Cloquet River State Water Trail , totaling 33 river miles, weave through the forest. History The virgin pine forests in this area were logged in the late 1800s and early 1900s. At first logs were transported by oxen. Later, horses and railroads were used to transport logs to mills in Cloquet, Duluth, and Two Harbors. Settlement of the forest area followed logging. Much of the land was unsuited for agriculture, and many farms were abandoned, reverting to public ownership when delinquent taxes were not paid. The Minnesota Legislature established Cloquet Valley State Forest in 1931. The original forest boundaries included parts of 12 townships. Subsequent legislative actions have expanded the forest to its present size of more than 366,000 acres. Management State forests are multiple-use areas that are managed to provide a sustained yield of renewable resources while maintaining or improving the forest environment. Approximately 700 acres of timber, primarily aspen, birch, and balsam fir, are available for harvest each year. Red pine and white spruce are planted on about 200 acres annually. Today, aspen and paper birch stands cover the largest portion of the forest. White spruce and balsam fir cover about 25%. Smaller acreages of red pine, white pine, jack pine, cedar, tamarack, black spruce, maple, and basswood are also found.