A cattle ranch in Washington County closed to become a park. Now the DNR seeks input on plans.

It’s big and quite beautiful, but what will the Keystone Woods Wildlife Management Area become?

The Department of Natural Resources plans to hold two public meetings in February — one online and one in person — to talk about the future of the 1,820-acre parcel in northern Washington County.

Open to the public just since September, the former cattle ranch was purchased from its private owners last year in a $27 million deal that amounted to the largest-ever use of Outdoor Heritage Fund dollars.

So far, some signage has gone up, along with temporary parking, DNR spokesperson Lauren Peck said.

“Even though the property is open, the public will definitely still see ongoing DNR work happening at Keystone,” Peck said.

State law dictates that any land purchased with Outdoor Heritage Fund dollars cannot be developed; those funds can be spent “only to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands, prairies, forest and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife,” according to the Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment to the state constitution.

The acreage was formerly home to the Kelley Land and Cattle Co., also known as Kelley Farms, a ranch and hunting property established in 1958 by Twin Cities businessman James E. Kelley. He died at age 93 in 1989, and his heirs continued to raise cattle and manage the land for years after his death.

Considered one of the largest undeveloped tracts in the metro area, the property includes lakes, woods, wetlands, wildlife habitat and wide open expanses of rolling prairie and grassland that for years sustained sheep and a herd of Angus cattle.

The sale was decades in the making, with about two-thirds of the 2,582-acre ranch purchased in stages by the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit organization that functioned as an intermediary in the deal. Using taxpayer funds from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, the nonprofit finished buying the land last year and turned it over in September to the Department of Natural Resources.

When it was Kelley Farms, the land was home to specialized training for hunting dogs. DNR officials in 2023 told the Star Tribune that they expect that will continue on the site, along with other uses.

“Because it’s so close to the Twin Cities metro, Keystone Woods has the potential to offer expanded amenities and opportunities that aren’t typically available at our other WMAs,” said Gretchen Miller, Minnesota DNR Central Region wildlife manager, in a statement. “We’re excited to hear the public’s thoughts.”

The remaining Kelley Farms land is being purchased by Washington County in three phases to become a 685-acre addition to Big Marine Park Reserve.

The county land will eventually hold a multi-use trail and camping, but those plans are still in the works and the land has not yet been made open to the public.

Members of the public who want to comment on the future of the Keystone Woods WMA can also reach out to the DNR through March 2 by completing an online survey, emailing northmetro.wildlife@state.mn.us, calling Keystone Woods staff at 651-539-3324 or mailing Keystone Woods WMA Public input, 5463-C West Broadway Av., Forest Lake, MN, 55025.

The online meeting about Keystone Woods will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 12 via WebEx. A link to join the webinar is available on the Keystone Woods WMA webpage.

The in-person meeting will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 13 at Hugo City Hall, 14669 Fitzgerald Av. N.