Editing Itasca County, Minnesota (section)

==Geography==
The terrain of Itasca County is hilly, heavily wooded, and studded with lakes and ponds.<ref name="ICM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Itasca+County,+MN/@47.5820589,-93.9628469,72506m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x52ba78698e11067d:0x85966cb6bd53ef53!8m2!3d47.5507924!4d-93.5683651 ''Itasca County MN''  Google Maps (accessed March 12, 2019)]</ref> It generally slopes to the east, with its highest areas on its upper west border, at {{convert|1,437|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Find an Altitude/Itasca County MN"  Google Maps (accessed March 12, 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 12, 2019}}</ref> The county has a total area of {{convert|2928|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|2668|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|260|sqmi}} (8.9%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006102023/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> It is the third-largest county in Minnesota by land area.

The landscape in Itasca County varies greatly. The low plains, rolling hills, and [[wetland]]s occur where there was [[Glacial history of Minnesota|glacial activity in the past]]. This area is known greatly for being [[forest]]ed, and has been for centuries. The different forests are made up of trees such as pines, spruces, hardwoods, cedar, and tamarack. The many large forests in the area make [[forestry]] and [[logging]] major sectors in the economy.

In Itasca County there are many different bodies of water from big lakes, to small creeks, to major rivers. Over 1400 lakes are located within the county. These bodies of water help support many different [[wildlife]] species such as different birds and small mammals. Major bodies of water in the county include [[Lake Winnibigoshish]], [[Pokegama Dam|Pokegama Lake]], [[Deer Lake (Itasca County, Minnesota)|Deer Lake]], the [[Mississippi River]], Bowstring Lake, and the Blandin Paper Mill Reservoir.

===Major highways===
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* [[Image:US 2.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 2 in Minnesota|U.S. Highway 2]]
* [[Image:US 71.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 71 in Minnesota|U.S. Highway 71]]
* [[Image:US 169 (MN).svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 169 in Minnesota|U.S. Highway 169]]
* [[Image:MN-1.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 1]]
* [[Image:MN-6.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 6]]
* [[Image:MN-38.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 38]]
* [[Image:MN-46.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 46]]
* [[Image:MN-65.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 65]]
* [[Image:MN-286.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 286]]
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===Adjacent counties===
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* [[Koochiching County, Minnesota|Koochiching County]] - north
* [[St. Louis County, Minnesota|Saint Louis County]] - east
* [[Aitkin County, Minnesota|Aitkin County]] - south
* [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]] - southwest
* [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami County]] - west
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===Protected areas===

Source:<ref name=ICM/>

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* Big Fork State Forest
* Botany Bog Scientific and Natural Area
* [[Chippewa National Forest]] (part)
* George Washington State Forest (part)
* Golden Anniversary State Forest
* Marcell Experimental Forest
* Scenic State Park
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