Hayes Lake State Park

About Hayes Lake State Park

The lake is fed by the north fork of the Roseau River and supports cappie, sunfish and the Northern Lights. Nowadays, not only divers and elks migrate to Hayes Lake, but also a variety of wildlife such as bears, wolves, coyotes, foxes, elks, deer, turkeys, pheasants, wild boars, ducks, geese, raccoons, squirrels, birds and much more.

Birdwatchers have discovered over 200 species in the park, and the summer is perfect for looking for orchids, gentians and blueberries, although you can't pick berries from the flowers.

Hayes Lake State Park is located on the north shore of Lake Superior and offers visitors beautiful views of the Hudson River, Minnesota River and the Twin Cities. The state forest and the island of Beltrami are connected, and visitors can swim in the lake and walk and cycle along the shore. Man-made Hayes Lake meets at the edge of the forest and offers spectacular views of the forest and coast.

Lake Agassiz left behind a flat landscape that retreated over much of northwestern Minnesota. The only significant interruptions were the ridges and river valleys that formed during the retreat of the old lake.

In picturesque places along the path through the park, visitors can see how the steep U-shaped floodplains were cut, hollowed out and eroded by the water. In some areas in the northwest, the glacier and lake bottoms of this park are exposed to the erosive forces of wind and water, as well as the effects of erosion.

Elk, fishermen, otters, lynx and wolves are seen throughout the park, but other wildlife are more common in the northern part of the state, such as the black bear. Black bears are the inhabitants of the northern forests and are occasionally seen in this park.

On the coast you can see whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals, walruses, otters and other marine mammals as well as birds of prey.

On the eastern side of the dam, at the foot of a stone tomb, is the first farmstead from the early 19th century. Further down the path from the tomb, you can see the remains of an original farmstead and farm. The most beautiful views of the river and the forest can be seen from this path near the farmhouse. Alva's grave, the oldest in Hays Lake State Park, can be seen on a path that begins northwest of the dam.

As the need for a water-based recreation area in the area was a priority, the first thing to do was to create a lake, which had been created by the construction of a dam on the river. The lake and the park were named after the land that is now part of the park, and the lake itself was named after Alva Hays, a local and former owner of a farmstead and farmhouse. It was officially declared a national park in 1967, inaugurated in 1973 and still attracts visitors attracted by the swimming and fishing opportunities at Hayes Lakes.

The park entrance is located at the entrance to Hayes Lake State Park, on the east side of the river, in the city of Hayes, New York.