Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
# Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest

The Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest is a 1,016,204 acres (4,112.43 $km^2)$ reserve of current and former forest in Minnesota's Driftless Area. Only 45,000 acres (180 $km^2)$ of the land is state owned, with the remainder owned by private individuals and community groups, governed by easements. Non-contiguous units are spread over seven counties ( Dakota, Fillmore, Goodhue, Olmsted, Houston, Wabasha, and Winona Counties), generally in areas just west of the Mississippi River, but extending much further west into the valleys of the Root and Zumbro Rivers.

A wide variety of recreational activities are offered: camping, fishing, horseback riding trails (including horse picket lines and corrals); an extensive network of hiking and nature trails (including a wheelchair-accessible trail), and off-highway vehicle trails.

It is named in honor of a former Commissioner of Conservation.

