Minnesota State Highway 32 is a highway

Highway

A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...

 in west-central and northwest Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

, which runs from its intersection

Intersection (road)

An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...

 with State Highway 34

Minnesota State Highway 34

Minnesota State Highway 34 is a highway in west-central and north-central Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 9 in Barnesville and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with State Highways 200 and 371 in Walker.The route is concurrent with U.S...

 in Tansem Township near Barnesville

Barnesville, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,173 people, 865 households, and 569 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,032.8 people per square mile . There were 923 housing units at an average density of 438.7 per square mile...

 and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 11

Minnesota State Highway 11

Minnesota State Highway 11 is a highway in northwest and north-central Minnesota, which runs from North Dakota Highway 66 at the North Dakota state line and continues east to its eastern terminus at the community of Island View at Rainy Lake, near International Falls.The route follows the Rainy...

 in Greenbush

Greenbush, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 784 people, 317 households, and 194 families residing in the city. The population density was 534.6 people per square mile . There were 348 housing units at an average density of 237.3 per square mile...

 at Roseau County

Roseau County, Minnesota

Roseau County is a county located in the state of Minnesota, United States. As of 2010, the population was 15,629. Its county seat is Roseau.-Geography:...

.

Highway 32 is 145 miles (233.4 km) in length.

Route description

State Highway 32 serves as a north–south route between Tansem Township, Twin Valley

Twin Valley, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 865 people, 360 households, and 192 families residing in the city. The population density was 987.0 people per square mile . There were 399 housing units at an average density of 455.3 per square mile...

, Fertile

Fertile, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 893 people, 396 households, and 220 families residing in the city. The population density was 471.9 people per square mile . There were 433 housing units at an average density of 228.8 per square mile...

, Red Lake Falls

Red Lake Falls, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,590 people, 608 households, and 380 families residing in the city. The population density was 749.7 people per square mile . There were 652 housing units at an average density of 307.4 per square mile...

, Thief River Falls

Thief River Falls, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,410 people, 3,619 households, and 2,091 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,760.0 people per square mile . There were 3,931 housing units at an average density of 822.7 per square mile...

, and Greenbush

Greenbush, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 784 people, 317 households, and 194 families residing in the city. The population density was 534.6 people per square mile . There were 348 housing units at an average density of 237.3 per square mile...

 in west-central and northwest Minnesota.

Highway 32 parallels U.S. 75

U.S. Route 75

U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Kittson County, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side of a closed border crossing. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 30 and Interstate 45 in Dallas,...

 and U.S. 59

U.S. Route 59

U.S. Route 59 is a north–south United States highway . A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, U.S. 59 is now a border-to-border route, Part of NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It parallels U.S. Route 75 for nearly its entire route, never much more than away, until it veers southwest...

 throughout its route.

The route passes through the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge

Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge

Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge was created on October 12, 2004, the 545th National Wildlife Refuge in the United States. Its creation was the result of cooperation between at least 30 agencies or governmental entities. The creation of the refuge was spearheaded by The Nature Conservancy,...

 in Polk County

Polk County, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 31,369 people, 12,070 households, and 8,050 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . There were 14,008 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile...

, east of Crookston

Crookston, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,192 people, 3,078 households, and 1,819 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,658.8 people per square mile . There were 3,382 housing units at an average density of 684.8 per square mile...

, west of Erskine

Erskine, Minnesota

Erskine is a city in Polk County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 503 at the 2010 census. It is part of the 'Grand Forks- ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area'.-Geography:...

.

History

Highway 32 was authorized in 1920 from present-day U.S. 2 to Greenbush. The southern segment extending to Highway 34 was authorized in 1933.

In 1940, the route was mostly gravel north of U.S. Highway 2

U.S. Route 2 in Minnesota

U.S. Highway 2 is a highway in northwest and northeast Minnesota, which runs from the Red River at East Grand Forks and continues east to Duluth, where the route crosses the Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge over the Saint Louis Bay. The route connects the cities of East Grand Forks, Bemidji, Grand...

. By 1953, only the southernmost five miles (8 km) of the route were still gravel. Completely paved in the present day.

Major intersections