Wild Rice Condition Updates
The 1854 Treaty Authority provides wild rice condition updates on waters included in the wild rice monitoring program, and on other lakes and rivers as information becomes available. Updates are provided periodically throughout the growing season and as harvest time approaches. Some information shared from other partners including the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Additional condition and other information can be found on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wild rice page. A heavy rain event in June (6/18/2024) resulted in high water and flooding across parts of the region, likely impacting wild rice production this season.
Please click list of wild rice processors and buyers for information developed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for the 2022 season.
| Water Body | Location | Date | Wild Rice Conditions | Photos |
| Big Rice Lake | FR #247, N of Virginia | 7/17/24 | sparse wild rice plants, plants standing up to 16 inches, road washouts - access lake from the north/Hwy 1 | |
| Breda Lake | CR #44, N of Brimson (paddle down Petrel Creek) | 7/16/24 | moderate density wild rice on north end of lake, appears more sparse on south half, wild rice floating-leaf with some starting to stand |
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| Cabin Lake | FR #359, E of Isabella (rough access road) | 7/22/24 | sparse to moderate density wild rice across most of lake, floating-leaf to standing 14 inches | |
| Campers Lake | CR #2 W of Isabella (paddle down Stony River) | 7/22/24 | sparse floating-leaf wild rice along shore, mostly open water in center | |
| Cramer Lake | CR #7, NE of Finland | 7/22/24 | good density wild rice over about 3/4 of lake, floating-leaf to standing 1 foot | |
| Kettle Lake | Kettle Lk Rd (off Hwy 210), SE of Cromwell | 7/16/24 | sparse floating-leaf wild rice along shore, open water across most of center of lake | |
| Little Rice Lake | CR #304, N of Virginia | 7/17/24 | a few wild rice plants, most floating-leaf with some starting to stand, thick other vegetation (watershield) | |
| Round Island Lake | FR #172, E of Isabella (rough access road) | 7/22/24 | thick other vegetation (watershield) across lake, only a few wild rice plants observed | |
| Stone Lake | FR #120, E of Hoyt Lakes (longer carry-down) | 7/17/24 | sparse wild rice plants, floating-leaf to starting to stand, thicker areas of other vegetation, high water | |
| Vermilion River | FR #4538, W of Crane Lake | 7/19/24 | moderate density wild rice along river channel near Goldmine Resort, rice in floating-leaf stage to standing 4-6 inches | |
| Clark Lake | CR #2, N of Two Harbors | 7/22/24 | appears moderate density wild rice on west end, floating leaf to beginning to stand (viewed from road) |
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| Leeman Lake | Hwy #73 (Ricehaven Road), S of Floodwood |
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| Wolf Lake | CR #547, W of Brimson |
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| Tommila Lake | FR #412, N of Brimson (longer carry-down) |
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| St. Louis River | FR #795 (Skibo), E of Hoyt Lakes |
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| St. Louis River | FR #130 (Norway Point), S of Hoyt Lakes | 7/17/24 | sparse wild rice observed from shore, most plants still floating-leaf |
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| Turpela Lake | CR #100, S of Aurora |
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| Moose Lake | CR #461, W of Britt (FR #11367 longer carry- down or ATV) |
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| Island River | FR #377/379, N of Isabella |
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| McDougal lakes | FR #106, W of Isabella |
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| Fourmile Lake | FR #170, N of Tofte |
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| Greenwood Lake | CR #2, N of Two Harbors | 7/22/24 | sparse wild rice along shore viewed from public access, floating leaf to beginning to stand, no report from north end |
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| Tamarack River / Tamarack Lake | Hwy #210, near Wright | 7/7/24 | moderate density wild rice in river near highway, floating-leaf to starting to stand |
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| Tamarack River / Long Lake | Hwy #210, near Wright |
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| Mark Lake | FR #161, W of Grand Marais |
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| Elbow Lake | CR #12 (Gunflint Trail), N of Grand Marais |
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| Northern Light Lake | CR #12 (Gunflint Trail), N of Grand Marais |
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| Moosehorn River | CR #61, S of Moose Lake |
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| Birch Lake | CR #407, N of Babbitt |
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| Swamp River | CR #16 (Arrowhead Trail), or Otter Lake Road, N of Hovland |
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| Cloquet Lake | FR #102, W of Finland |
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| Sand River | Hwy #169, N of Virginia |
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| Pike River | CR #26, S of Tower |
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| Little Indian Sioux River | CR #116 (Echo Trail), E of Buyck |
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| Butterball Lake | FR #795, E of Hoyt Lakes |
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| Little Butterball Lake | FR #795, E of Hoyt Lakes |
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| Seven Beaver Lake | FR #418, E of Hoyt Lakes (difficult access) |
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| Round Lake | FR #418, E of Hoyt Lakes (difficult access) |
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| Legler Lake | CR#2, N of Two Harbors (Kane Lake Rd, FR #839, ATV trail) |
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| Sand Lake | CR #2, N of Two Harbors |
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| Stony Lake | CR #2, N of Two Harbors |
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| Papoose Lake | CR #44, N of Duluth (canoe river from Indian Lake) |
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| Stone/East Stone/West Stone Lakes | CR #319, S of Zim |
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| Wabuse/Washusk #1/Washusk #2 Lakes | CR#351, E of Cotton (difficult accesss) |
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(CR - county road, FR - forest road, HWY - highway)
Friendly reminders:
- Access to some lakes may be difficult. Please plan ahead and check into access before heading out.
- These updates are not a complete list of conditions in the 1854 Ceded Territory this year. Only lakes and rivers that we have reports on are listed. Scouting other potential rice waters may lead to success.
- It is illegal to harvest unripe wild rice. Please be sure that the rice is ripe and ready for harvest.
Posting opening dates:
In the 1854 Ceded Territory, no lakes/rivers are planned to be posted with opening dates for wild rice harvest in 2024. Information will be provided here if that changes. Unless specifically posted, waters are open by the "green rice law", meaning that they are open for harvest when stands are ripe (and within the season beginning August 15th). It is the responsibility of ricers to properly make this determination.