Some days it's just you, loons, and moose, while
you traverse around Hayes Lake. Fed by the north fork of the Roseau River, the
lake supports crappie, sunfish, and northerns. Birdwatchers have spotted over
200 species in or near the park. The summer is perfect to look for orchids,
gentians, and blueberries (you can pick the berries, but not the flowers).
Visitors also enjoy swimming and canoeing in the lake, along with camping.
Trails for hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, and horseback riding connect with the
Beltrami Island State Forest.Quick stats:
2,950 acres
28,047 annual visits
Naturalist:
Wildlife
Black bears are residents of the northern forest and are seen occasionally in
the park. Moose, fisher, otter, bobcat, lynx, and timber wolf can be seen in and
around the park. More common wildlife include: deer, fox, racoon, porcupine,
beaver, mink and skunk. Along the shoreline, loons, herons, grebes, and other
water birds can be observed.
History
In the early 1900s, the first homestead was established in what is now the
west portion of the park. Family graves of this first homesteader, Alva
Hendershot, can be seen along the trail starting to the northwest of the dam.
Farther down the trail, past the grave sites, the remains of the original
homestead and farm can be seen. Some of the most scenic views of the river and
forest can be seen along this trail and near the homestead site. Hayes Lake
officially became a state park in 1967. Since the need for water-based
recreation sites was a priority for the area, one of the first things to be
developed for the park was the creation of a lake, formed by building a dam on
the river. Both the lake and the park were named in honor of A.F. Hayes, an
early settler of the land now included in the park and an advocate of the
creation of the lake. The park was dedicated in 1973 and has continued to draw
visitors who are attracted by the swimming and fishing opportunities offered by
Hayes Lake.
Geology
When Glacial Lake Agassiz receded from large areas of northwestern Minnesota
approximately 10,000 years ago, it left behind a flat landscape. The only
prominent interruptions of this are the beach ridges and river valleys formed as
the ancient lake retreated. The glacial lake-bottom landscape within the park
was probably exposed to the erosive forces of wind and water 9,000 to 11,000
years ago and several thousand years earlier than areas to the northwest. As a
result, from scenic points along the park's trails, visitors can see how the
action of the water has cut, gouged and eroded a steep u-shaped, small
floodplain valley.
Landscape
Located on the western perimeter of vast, sparsely populated wildlands within
Beltrami Island State Forest, Hayes Lake State Park offers visitors recreation
enjoyment and access to hundreds of square miles of untamed land great scenic
views. Man-made Hayes Lake meets the forest edge for spectacular shoreline
timber views.
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