Where Minnesota's farmland and prairie lands end, its woods begin. And those woods, with 52 native tree species growing across 17.4 million acres of forest lands, are incredibly rich in diversity. Depending on where in the state you are, "a walk in the woods" might mean a stroll through deep and shady hardwood stands, half-open oak savannas, stately conifer groves, or—wear your hip waders—boggy spruce-tamarack swamps. If you're a city dweller, you likely have favorite green spaces under the urban tree canopy; if you're a woodland owner, you probably have some on your own acreage.

On the pages that follow, take an armchair tour of the abundant tree life all around Minnesota—and plan your own next walk in the woods.