{"timestamp":1794401459,"message":"Normal execution.","result":{"narratives":{"management":["Established in 1931, George Washington State Forest covers more than 320,000 acres. Of this, about 30% are administered by DNR Forestry. The remaining ownership is divided between Itasca County (199,700 acres) and private landowners (93,100 acres)."],"history":["George Washington State Forest was created by the Minnesota Legislature in 1931 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of our first president. Like much of the forested land in Minnesota, it burned repeatedly during the logging and settlement (1880–1930). The last large fire occurred in 1933. With improved fire protection the forest has slowly recovered. Today it is growing and providing recreation, scenery, wildlife, watershed protection, and raw materials. The Civilian Conservation Corps played an important role in the development of state lands within the forest. Three in existence from 1933 to 1941 were responsible for the construction of campgrounds such as those at Owen Lake and Bear Lake. In addition, many miles of roads were constructed, numerous plantations established, and many soil and water conservation projects accomplished."],"landscape":["The forest is covered with red pine, white pine, jack pine, white spruce, balsam fir, and hardwoods (mostly paper birch and aspen). The lowlands are characterized by marshes and bogs with tamarack and black spruce making up the patches of trees throughout these areas. Northern white cedar, elm, and ash also occur here. The variety in topography, vegetation, and animal life contributes greatly to the quality of the recreational trails in this state forest."],"introduction":["George Washington State Forest is located in northeastern Itasca County. To get there, take U.S. 65, north of Nashwauk, State Highway 1 between Effie and Togo, and Scenic Hwy 7 east of Big Fork. ","This state forest boasts eight camping facilities. Two horse campgrounds, Togo and Stony Brook, have picket lines and pull-through sites. Bear Lake, Button Box, Larson Lake, Lost Lake, Owen Lake, and Thistledew Lake, campgrounds all feature boat launches and fishing opportunities. ","There are many recreational areas within the forest, most of them along a lake. Owen Lake, Thistledew Lake and Bear Lake all have day use areas with picnic tables and swimming beaches. "," Snowmobilers will find nearly 200 miles of groomed scenic trails."]},"maps":[{"type":"pdf","for":"sft00021","url":"https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_forests/sft00021.pdf","title":"state forest map and guide"},{"title":"Button Box Lake Campground and Day-Use Area facility map","url":"https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_forests/cmp00020.pdf","type":"pdf","for":"cmp00020"},{"for":"cmp01001","type":"pdf","url":"https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_forests/cmp01001.pdf","title":"Stony Brook Horse Campground facility map"},{"for":"cmp00025","type":"pdf","url":"https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_forests/cmp00025.pdf","title":"Thistledew Campground and Day-Use Area facility map"},{"title":"Togo Horse Campground facility map","url":"https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_forests/cmp00068.pdf","type":"pdf","for":"cmp00068"}],"last_updated":"2026-05-19 09:52:01.215537-05","notes":[" "],"forest_id":67,"events":null,"activities":{"orv":0,"atv_class_1":1,"boating":1,"picnic_area":1,"fishing":1,"swimming":0,"ohm_miles":0,"hunting":1,"dog_sledding":0,"canoe_kayak":1,"snowshoeing":0,"atv_class_2":1,"mountain_biking_miles":0,"hwt":0,"hiking":1,"atv_class_2_miles":0,"hwt_miles":0,"atv_class_1_miles":0,"ohm":0,"cross_country_ski_miles":0,"hiking_miles":0,"snowmobiling_miles":200,"camping_dispersed":1,"horseback_miles":60,"orv_miles":0,"mountain_biking":1,"picnic_shelter":1,"fishing_pier":1,"cross_country_ski":0,"campground":1,"boat_ramp":1,"horseback":1,"snowmobiling":1,"dog_sledding_miles":0},"facilities":[{"water_and_sanitation":{"wells":2,"drinking_water":1,"toilets":3},"lat":47.677866,"name":"Bear Lake Campground and Day-Use Area","camping":{"accessible_campsites":2,"campsites":27,"fee":1},"recreation_and_trails":{"lake_access":1,"picnic_tables":4,"picnic_shelters":1},"manager":{"name":"Scenic State Park","phone":"218-571-2600","url":"https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/scenic/index.html"},"id":"cmp00019","description":["The campground is considered \"primitive,\" designed to furnish only the basic needs of the camper. The campsites consist of a cleared area, fire ring, and table. Also, vault toilets, garbage cans, and drinking water are available. ","All campsites require a fee that must be paid before occupying a campsite. Same-day advance payments available. Learn more or pay now. ","Highlights: This campground was developed in the midst of a marshy area—at least that's the impression one gets driving to the campsite. Bear Lake Campground is like a dry, forested oasis amid marshy, reed-lined bogs, and other lowland vegetation. It's a simple campground along the northern shore of Bear Lake. Most sites are spacious throughout, so the deciding factors are privacy and proximity to the lake. ","Bear Lake Campground and Day-Use Area are on a walleye and crappie lake with water access, swimming beach, dock, fishing, four picnic sites, and a picnic shelter in the day-use area."],"lon":-93.266278},{"description":["The campground is considered \"primitive,\" designed to furnish only the camper's basic needs. The campsites consist of a cleared area, fire ring, and table. Also, vault toilets, garbage cans, and drinking water are available. ","Highlights: This remote campground features boat access adjacent to the campground. Button Box Lake offers panfish and bass fishing."],"lon":-93.287914,"lat":47.853289,"water_and_sanitation":{"wells":1,"drinking_water":1,"accessible_wells":1,"toilets":3,"accessible_toilets":1},"name":"Button Box Lake Campground and Day-Use Area","id":"cmp00020","manager":{"url":"https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/scenic/index.html","phone":"218-571-2600","name":"Scenic State Park"},"recreation_and_trails":{"lake_access":1},"camping":{"walk_in_campsites":2,"accessible_campsites":1,"drive_in_campsites":10,"fee":1,"campsites":1}},{"camping":{"fee":1,"campsites":12,"accessible_campsites":1},"recreation_and_trails":{"lake_access":1},"id":"cmp00022","manager":{"phone":"218-571-2600","name":"Scenic State Park","url":"https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/scenic/index.html"},"name":"Larson Lake Campground","water_and_sanitation":{"drinking_water":1,"accessible_toilets":1,"toilets":3,"wells":1},"lat":47.765902,"lon":-93.418718,"description":["The campground is considered \"primitive,\" designed to furnish only the basic needs of the camper. The campsites consist of a cleared area, fire ring, and table. Also, vault toilets, garbage cans, and drinking water are available. ","Highlights: The campground features nature trails and 12 camps sites on Larson Lake, a designated trout lake."]},{"lon":-93.40587,"description":["The campground is considered \"primitive,\" designed to furnish only the camper's basic needs. The campsites consist of a cleared area, fire ring, and table. Also, vault toilets, garbage cans, and drinking water are available. ","Highlights: The campground features nature trails, 15 campsites, and a boat ramp along Lost Lake. Lost Lake features Panfish."],"manager":{"url":"https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/scenic/index.html","phone":"218-571-2600","name":"Scenic State Park"},"id":"cmp00023","camping":{"accessible_campsites":1,"fee":1,"campsites":15},"recreation_and_trails":{"lake_access":1},"name":"Lost Lake Campground","lat":47.685101,"water_and_sanitation":{"wells":1,"toilets":2,"accessible_wells":1,"drinking_water":1}},{"lon":-93.394308,"description":["The campground is considered \"primitive,\" designed to furnish only the camper's basic needs. The campsites consist of a cleared area, fire ring, and table. Also, vault toilets, garbage cans, and drinking water are available. ","Highlights: This state forest campground is nestled under a healthy stand of red pines on the lake's western shore. All the sites are laid out along a long, narrow loop that extends toward the peninsula's point. Sites are spread apart nicely to allow for privacy, and even those away from the lake are an easy walk across the loop to the swimming beach."],"recreation_and_trails":{"lake_access":1},"camping":{"walk_in_campsites":2,"accessible_campsites":1,"fee":1,"campsites":18},"manager":{"phone":"218-571-2600","name":"Scenic State Park","url":"https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/scenic/index.html"},"id":"cmp00024","name":"Owen Lake Campground and Day-Use Area","water_and_sanitation":{"accessible_toilets":1,"toilets":3,"drinking_water":1,"accessible_wells":1,"wells":1},"lat":47.67836},{"lat":47.721909,"water_and_sanitation":{"wells":1,"drinking_water":1,"toilets":2,"accessible_toilets":2},"id":"cmp01001","manager":{"url":"https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/mccarthy_beach/index.html","phone":"218-274-7200","name":"McCarthy Beach State Park"},"recreation_and_trails":null,"camping":{"fee":1,"horse_campsites":17},"name":"Stony Brook Horse Campground","lon":-93.089007,"description":["
"," A portion of the Stony Brook Horse Trail will be closed Sept. 22- Oct. 15, 2026, due to an active timber sale. The closed section of the trail goes from marker 1 to Snake Trail Forest Road (see map). Riders can expect increased vehicle traffic, heavy equipment use, trail debris, distractions, delays, and increased noise throughout the entire area, including the Stony Brook Horse Campground.
","The campground is considered \"primitive,\" designed to furnish only the camper's basic needs. The campsites consist of a cleared area, fire ring, and table. Also, vault toilets, a garbage dumpster, and water are available. Water can be pumped by hand or by hooking your own generator (2500 watt minimum) up to the well. ","Horse Campground: Stony Brook Horse Campground offers some pull-through campsites, picket lines at each campsite, manure bunkers, an accessible loading ramp, and many open spaces. You may use portable corrals or electric fences as long as they do not encircle trees. ","There is also a day-use area available. Facilities include a parking lot with a vault toilet, picket lines, and picnic tables. ","Highlights:There are 30 miles of multi-use trails, including trails in McCarthy Beach State Park. Togo Horse Campground is 13 miles away by trail."]},{"recreation_and_trails":{"picnic_tables":3},"camping":{"drive_in_campsites":21,"accessible_campsites":2,"campsites":2,"fee":1},"manager":{"name":"Scenic State Park","phone":"218-571-2600","url":"https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/scenic/index.html"},"id":"cmp00025","name":"Thistledew Campground and Day-Use Area","water_and_sanitation":{"toilets":6,"accessible_toilets":3,"accessible_wells":1,"drinking_water":1,"wells":3},"lat":47.799968,"lon":-93.237765,"description":["The campground is considered \"primitive,\" designed to furnish only the camper's basic needs. The campsites consist of a cleared area, fire ring, and table. Also, vault toilets, garbage dumpsters, and water are available. ","Highlights: Thistledew Campground and Day-Use Area features swimming, water access to a great walleye and crappie lake and the Thistledew ATV Trail. ","ATV use is not allowed in the campground."]},{"lat":47.804522,"water_and_sanitation":{"drinking_water":1,"accessible_wells":1,"accessible_toilets":2,"toilets":2,"wells":1},"manager":{"url":"https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/scenic/index.html","name":"Scenic State Park","phone":"218-571-2600"},"id":"cmp00068","camping":{"fee":1,"horse_campsites":12},"recreation_and_trails":null,"name":"Togo Horse Campground","lon":-93.224893,"description":["The campsites at Togo Horse Campground are considered \"primitive,\" designed to furnish only the camper's basic needs. The campsites consist of a cleared area, fire ring, and table. Also, vault toilets, garbage dumpsters, and water are available. Water may be pumped by hand or by hooking your own generator (2500 watt minimum) to the well. ","Horse campground: Togo Horse campground offers pull-through campsites, picket lines at each campsite, manure bunkers, an accessible loading ramp, and a lot of open spaces. You can use portable corrals or electric fences as long as they do not encircle trees. ","There is also a day-use area available. Facilities include a parking lot with a vault toilet, picket lines, manure disposal, picnic tables, and fire rings. ","Highlights:There are 19 miles of signed multi-use trails with more trails available to explore. Stony Brook Horse Campground is 13 miles away be trail."]}],"id":"sft00021","alert":{"ohv_trails":[],"forest_roads":[{"text":"Closed due to flooding","name":"South Lofgren Road"}],"general":null},"name":"George Washington State Forest","nearby_destinations":[{"name":"Thistledew ATV Trail","url":"/ohv/trail_detail.html?id=30","type":"ohv_trail"},{"name":"Peloquin WMA ","url":"/wmas/detail_report.html?id=WMA0128600","type":"wma"},{"name":"Bowstring State Forest","url":"/state_forests/sft00009/index.html","type":"state_forest"},{"name":"Sturgeon River State Forest","type":"state_forest","url":"/state_forests/sft00050/index.html"},{"url":"/state_parks/mccarthy_beach/index.html","type":"state_park","name":"McCarthy Beach State Park"},{"name":"Big Fork State Forest","url":"/state_forests/sft00006/index.html","type":"state_forest"},{"url":"/state_trails/taconite/index.html","type":"state_trail","name":"Taconite State Trail"},{"type":"sna","url":"/snas/detail.html?id=sna01023","name":"Ladies Tresses Swamp SNA"},{"name":"Scenic State Park","url":"/state_parks/scenic/index.html","type":"state_park"}],"bbox":{"epsg:4326":[-93.599375,47.542762,-93.06115,47.89499]},"area":320534,"established":1931,"counties":["Itasca"]},"status":"SUCCESS"}