Keystone Woods is a developing 1,820-acre wildlife management area located in Washington County. It contains a variety of landscapes, including woods, wetlands, prairie, grasslands and small lakes.
Keystone Woods is open to hunting during the 2024 hunting season. It offers deer, turkey, waterfowl, pheasant and small game.
Hunters need to know that:
- Only nontoxic ammunition can be possessed on their person and used to take, or attempt to take, wild animals on Keystone Woods WMA. That requirement keeps the area's long-standing best practice of nontoxic ammunition use in place. In addition:
- Hunters must submit to firearm inspection when requested in the field.
- Individuals with a valid permit to carry may possess a handgun and ammunition which is not nontoxic but may not use that ammunition to take wild game.
- Firearm discharge is not allowed in seven areas of the WMA near residences. Download the printable map and zoom in to view all areas.
Please be mindful of property boundary signs and respectful of adjacent landowners.
For additional hunting guidance, please refer to the general WMA rules on page 105 of the 2024 hunting regulations.
The property is located at the intersection of 170th Street North and Manning Trail North in May Township in Washington County.
Do not park on the shoulders of Manning or Keystone avenues. Use the two mowed designated parking areas:
- The Barker Lake lot is along a dirt road off the west side of Manning Trail North about ¾ mile south of the intersection with 170th Street North.
- A second lot is located on 155th St. North about ⅓ of a mile east of the intersection with Manning Trail North.
The lot being developed at the farmstead property near the intersection of Manning Trail North and 155th Street North (picured in red on the map) is not yet open.
Formerly owned by the Kelley Land and Cattle Company, this sprawling parcel of land remains one of the largest tracts of undeveloped land in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
It has a diversity of different land cover types, including hardwood forest, woodlands, grasslands and numerous interspersed wetlands. The land provides significant habitat for a variety of wildlife species and is part of the larger Carnelian Creek habitat corridor linking to the St. Croix River.
The property contains several small lakes, which provide great habitat for a variety of aquatic species, including Barker Lake.
For additional questions about Keystone Woods, please contact the North Metro area wildlife office.