Manmade Hayes Lake attracts some anglers, but most people come to picnic, sunbathe or swim. The serpent-shaped lake makes it easy to canoe around a bend and lose sight of the beach crowd. The shoreline is covered by a balsam and spruce forest that inspires a sense of isolation. Loons, grebes and herons are best spotted along the shores at dawn and dusk. Because Hayes Lake is on the border of a wilderness region, it is possible to see black bear, moose or timber wolves.
Hikers are likeliest to spot beaver, deer or porcupine, however.
Southeast of Roseau. Both are called Interstate State Park, formed as a joint venture between Minnesota and Wisconsin in 1895 to preserve the wild topography of the St. Croix Dalles. The Wisconsin park is more spacious, with a swimming beach, Ice Age Interpretive Center and a large campground. The Minnesota park also maintains a campground. Both parks have hiking trails that show off the unique rock formations and deep potholes of the Dalles.