Over the years, the Cannon River Watershed, south of the Twin Cities, has lost significant wildlife habitat to agriculture and development. The Trust for Public Land’s acquisition and conveyance of 160-acres to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) of the new Circle Lake State Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is part of a larger effort to protect wildlife habitat in the watershed while creating new opportunities for public recreation. Located on the north shore of Circle Lake, the WMA includes high-quality marshlands, rolling upland forests, and grassy knolls with views of the lake. Less than an hours’ drive from the Twin Cities, Circle Lake WMA provides new public access to the lakeshore and adjacent lands for fishing, waterfowl hunting, and exploration.
