Nearest Town: Palisade and Jacobson

The Pokegama Creek Forest Road is a little over two miles long. Near the entrance, you travel through planted stands of White Pine, some newly planted, other several years old. Look for Clay-colored Sparrow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Eastern Bluebird, Brown Thrasher, Golden-winged Warbler, White-throated Sparrow and Gray Catbird along this section. The remainder of the road takes you through a mixture of deciduous forest with several short walking trails branching off from the road. Along this section of road you may come across Broad-winged Hawk, Barred Owl, Ovenbird, Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush, Ruffed Grouse, Least Flycatcher and Great Crested Flycatcher.

At the end of the main road, there is a parking lot near a large White Cedar bog. There are also wide hiking trails going north and south from the parking lot. The trail to the north will take you to a large marsh with an active beaver lodge, where you may add species such as American Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, Sedge Wren, American Bittern, Northern Harrier, Osprey, Eastern Kingbird and a variety of ducks. The trail to the south takes you for about a mile and a half along the edge of the cedars to the west, deciduous woods to the east. Animal life seen along these trails includes Moose, Gray Wolf, Black Bear, Coyote, American Beaver, White-tailed Deer, Fisher, Muskrat, River Otter and Red Fox.

Directions: From Palisade, go north along County Road 10 for approximately 17 miles. The well-marked entrance is of the west side of the road.

Contact Information: Minnesota DNR , Hill City Forestry Office, Box 9, Hill City, MN 55748, Phone: 218-697-2476.