Rice Lake

Minnesota's ghost towns are lumber camps and Iron Range locations, most of them already half-digested by the north woods.

Rice Lake is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,112 at the 2020 census. Main routes include Rice Lake Road (County Road 4) and Martin Road (County Road 9). Rice Lake Road runs north–south, and Martin Road runs east–west. Other routes include Howard Gnesen Road, Arnold Road, Calvary Road, West Tischer Road, and West Beyer Road.

The on-the-ground condition of Rice Lake is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Rice Lake is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Rice Lake is roughly 46.8792, -92.1200 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.