Discovery Sites
How to Get There: North access to the Marsh Lake Dam: From Hwy 59/7 in Appleton, go south on Hwy 119, turn west (right) onto Hwy 51/90th St SW. Stay on Hwy 51 until the pavement ends, continue going west on 95th St SW for 0.5 miles then take a left onto 255th Ave SW.
South access to the Marsh Lake Dam: From Hwy 59/7 in Appleton, go south on Hwy 119 from Appleton to Hwy 34. Turn west (right) onto Hwy 34. Go 2 miles to 271st Ave, turn north (right) and take the gravel road straight to the parking lot.
What You Will Find: Natural areas known for birdwatching and a fishing pier.
Services at This Site: Parking lot and day use areas.
Marsh Lake is on the upper Minnesota River between Odessa and Appleton, MN. The Marsh Lake Dam is owned and maintained by the Corps of Engineers as part of the Lac Qui Parle flood control project. The fixed-crest spillway portion of the dam was converted to a fishway as part of the Marsh Lake Ecosystem Restoration Project in 2020.
Marsh Lake lies within the Lac Qui Parle Wildlife Management Area and is home to Minnesota’s largest breeding colony of American white pelicans and several species of fish. Creation of the reservoir and rerouting of the Pomme de Terre River in 1939 increased reservoir fish and wildlife habitat and created new colonial water bird habitat. The reservoir contains crappie, walleye, northern pike and white bass.
Things to Do: Discovery Site, Outdoor Activities
