WHERE TO GO

Where to find ripe wild rice? The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 2008 Legislative Report “Natural Wild Rice In Minnesota” identifies lakes and rivers with wild rice in recent history. Their inventory results document wild rice stands on 1,292 lakes or river/stream segments in Minnesota.  Wild rice can and does vary in growth from year to year and we recommend you ask around, or better yet, go and check out the lake ahead of the season.  A bumper crop one year may be followed by no crop the next year. 

PLEASE NOTE: Not all lakes are open to harvest, depending on where they are located and who manages them. Lakes on Ojibwe/Chippewa Reservations are typically restricted to harvest by band members only. Please check local regulations.

Click for a list of lakes with an estimated wild rice coverage of over 50 acres.