Editing Clay County, Minnesota (section)

==Geography==
{{Stack|[[File:Clay Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf|thumb|right|Soils of Clay County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). ''Savanna Soils of Minnesota.'' Minnesota: Self. pp. 57-60. {{ISBN|978-0-615-50320-2}}.</ref>]]}}
Clay County lies on the western side of Minnesota. Its western boundary line abuts the eastern boundary line of the state of [[North Dakota]] (across the [[Red River of the North|Red River]]). The Red River flows northward along the western boundary line of the county, on its way to the [[Hudson Bay]] in Canada. The [[Buffalo River (Minnesota)|Buffalo River]] flows west-northwesterly through the center of the county, joined by the South Branch Buffalo River west of [[Glyndon, Minnesota|Glyndon]], before discharging into the Red on the county's western border near [[Georgetown, Minnesota|Georgetown]]. The terrain consists of rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds in its eastern portion.<ref name="CCM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Clay+County,+MN/@46.8901295,-96.7863726,101957m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x52c8853edd1217e5:0x8774acf3831637f7!8m2!3d46.878186!4d-96.4257589 ''Clay County MN''  Google Maps (accessed March 6, 2019)]</ref> The terrain slopes to the west and north, with its highest point near the southeastern corner, at {{convert|1,430|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Find an Altitude/Clay County MN" Google Maps (accessed March 6, 2019) |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=March 7, 2019}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1052.629|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1045.176|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.453|sqmi}} (0.71%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2024 County Gazetteer Files – Minnesota|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_gaz_counties_27.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2025}}</ref> It is the 19th largest county in Minnesota by total area.

===Major highways===
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* {{jct|state=MN|I|94}}
* {{jct|state=MN|US|10}}
* {{jct|state=MN|US|52}}
* {{jct|state=MN|US|75}}
* {{jct|state=MN|MN|9}}
* {{jct|state=MN|MN|32}}
* {{jct|state=MN|MN|34}}
* {{jct|state=MN|MN|336}}
{{div col end}}

===Transit===
* [[MATBUS (Fargo-Moorhead)|MATBUS]]
* [[Jefferson Lines]]

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Norman County, Minnesota|Norman County]] - north
* [[Becker County, Minnesota|Becker County]] - east
* [[Otter Tail County, Minnesota|Otter Tail County]] - southeast
* [[Wilkin County, Minnesota|Wilkin County]] - south
* [[Richland County, North Dakota]] - southwest
* [[Cass County, North Dakota]] - west
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* Aspen State Wildlife Management Area
* Bjornson State Wildlife Management Area
* Bluestone Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
* Clay County State Wildlife Management Area
* Cromwell State Wildlife Management Area
* Felton Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
* Goose Prairie State Wildlife Management Area
* Gruhl State Wildlife Management Area
* Hawley State Wildlife Management Area
* Hay Creek State Wildlife Management Area
* Highland State Wildlife Management Area
* Hitterdal State Wildlife Management Area
* Jeral State Wildlife Management Area
* Magnusson State Wildlife Management Area
* Skree State Wildlife Management Area
* Ulen State Wildlife Management Area
* Ulen Wildlife Refuge
{{div col end}}
<ref name=CCM/>