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CARLOS AVERY STATE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA

6235 West Broadway Avenue, Forest Lake, Minnesota 55025

directions

From downtown Minneapolis, take I-35W North for about 14.5 miles to exit 33, the Lexington Avenue exit. Turn left onto Lexington Avenue and follow it for about 9.5 miles. Turn right onto West Broadway Avenue. A main entrance to the wildlife management area will be on your left beyond the wrought iron gates. The haunted area actually includes a large area that is in and around the wildlife management preserve. This includes roads in the area such as Old Gamefarm Road, Headquarters Road, Zodiac Street, and other nearby roads.

history

The history of this wildlife management area can be traced back to1933, when Crex Carpet used the core 8,000 acres of the current wildlife management area as farmland for wire grass used in much of their carpeting. Preservationist and state game and fish commissioner Carlos Avery purchased the land in 1933 to help preserve the Bob White quail, a bird that was endangered in the area.

In 1935, the WPA provided enough money for several buildings and other facilities to be built on the grounds. The wildlife management area and the eleven buildings that make up the facilities were eventually placed on the National Register for Historic Places. Today it is used as a hunting area to help control animal populations, and it’s also used as a wildlife sanctuary. Some suggest this place is a sanctuary for something else.

ghost story

For some reason, ghost cars seem to haunt this area. People driving through the area in and around the Carlos Avery State Wildlife Management Area at dusk or at night often notice headlights. Sometimes these headlights mysteriously disappear without there having been any place that the car could have turned off. More frequently, these headlights will be in impossible places. Witnesses will spot headlights to their right and will be shocked when they realize that the area where the headlights appeared is a pool or swamp.

These ghost cars aren’t the most famous mystery to haunt these woods. This area is home to the cryptozoological creature called the Linwood Wooly Beast. As early as the 1970s, people in the area have reported seeing a strange creature with the head of a goat on the body of a moose. The creature is typically described as being completely white and somewhat aggressive. While people have seen it crossing the road in front of them or running through a nearby field, they have also reported the creature charging at oncoming vehicles or approaching stopped vehicles to investigate them.

visiting

Many of the roads that traverse the remote sections of the wildlife preserve are unpaved and can get waterlogged and muddy. There is a danger of getting stuck, especially if you enter the preserve after a significant rain or snow and the road is unpaved. Also, pay close attention to any postings that describe visiting hours to the park. Many of the surrounding roads are open throughout the night, and the beast is typically only seen after dark, but there are some sections of the park that do have posted hours.

If you come across the Linwood Wooly Beast, you might want to stay in your car. Even though, reportedly, it has never hurt anyone, it is aggressive—so be cautious.