in the
Minnesota state park system. A Minnesota state park is an area of
land in the
of Minnesota
preserved by the state for its natural, historic, or other
resources. The Minnesota State Park system consists of 66
, six state recreation areas, eight
state waysides, nineteen state trails, and 54
. The
operates sites within some of them.
Minnesota's state parks are spread across the state in such a way
that there is a state park within 50 miles (80.5 km) of every
Minnesotan.
Park Name |
Site |
County or Counties |
Area in acres (km²) |
Date
established |
Body of Water |
Coordinates |
Remarks |
Afton State Park |
[71645] |
Washington |
acres (6.86 km²) |
1969 |
St. Croix
River |
|
Park lies on a glacial moraine with deep
ravines that drop 300 feet (91.44 m) down to
the St. Croix River. |
Banning State Park |
[71646] |
Pine |
acres (25.09 km²) |
1963 |
Kettle River |
|
Park contains 1.5 miles (2.41 km) of whitewater rapids and
an historic quarry. |
Bear Head Lake State Park |
[71647] |
St. Louis |
acres (18.30 km²) |
1961 |
Bear Head Lake |
|
Park
is located just south of the Boundary
Waters Canoe Area Wilderness . |
Beaver Creek Valley State
Park |
[71648] |
Houston |
acres (4.80 km²) |
1937 |
East Beaver Creek |
|
The narrow valley carved by a trout stream showcases the rugged
topography of the Driftless
Area. |
Big Bog State Recreation Area |
[71649] |
Beltrami |
acres (38.28 km²) |
2006 |
Red Lake |
|
The
Big Bog, the largest peatland in the Lower U.S.[71650], sits on the southeast side of glacial
Lake
Agassiz . |
Big Stone Lake State Park |
[71651] |
Big Stone |
acres (3.99 km²) |
1961 |
Big Stone Lake |
|
The park is located on the former southern outlet of glacial
Lake Agassiz. |
Blue Mounds State Park |
[71652] |
Rock |
acres (7.39 km²) |
1937 |
Mound Creek |
|
The park is named after a linear escarpment of Precambrian quartzite
bedrock. |
Buffalo River State
Park |
[71653] |
Clay |
acres (5.35 km²) |
1937 |
Buffalo River |
|
The prairie within the park is judged to
be one of the largest and best of the state's prairie
preserves. |
Camden State Park |
[71654] |
Lyon |
acres (9.09 km²) |
1935 |
Redwood River |
|
Thirteen buildings and structures are listed on the National Register of
Historic Places. |
Carley State Park |
[71655] |
Wabasha |
acres (0.85 km²) |
1949 |
Whitewater
River |
|
Park is named after State Senator
James A. Carley, who donated the land. |
Cascade River State Park |
[71656] |
Cook |
acres (20.43 km²) |
1957 |
Lake Superior and Cascade
River |
|
Park is connected to the Superior Hiking Trail and North Shore State Trail. |
Charles A. Lindbergh State Park |
[71657] |
Morrison |
acres (2.3 km²) |
1931 |
Mississippi River |
|
Contains the restored home of Charles August Lindbergh, Congressman and the father of the famous
aviator, Charles Lindbergh. |
Crow Wing State Park |
[71658] |
Crow Wing , Cass , and Morrison |
acres (12.62 km²) |
1959 |
Mississippi and Crow Wing Rivers |
|
Interprets the site of Old Crow
Wing , an important trading settlement. |
Cuyuna
Country State Recreation Area |
[71659] |
Crow Wing |
acres (11.22 km²) |
1993 |
Chain of small lakes and streams, filled pit mines |
|
The Cuyuna Range was the last of
Minnesota's three major iron ranges to be discovered and
mined. |
Father Hennepin State Park |
[71660] |
Mille Lacs |
acres (1.29 km²) |
1941 |
Mille Lacs Lake |
|
Park is named after Father Louis
Hennepin, a priest who visited the area with a French expedition in 1680. |
Flandrau State Park |
[71661] |
Brown |
acres (4.07 km²) |
1937 |
Cottonwood
River |
|
Park is named after Charles
Eugene Flandrau, an important figure in the Battles of New Ulm during the Dakota War of 1862. |
Forestville
Mystery Cave State Park |
[71662] |
Fillmore |
acres (12.83 km²) |
1963 |
South Branch Root River
and tributaries |
|
Park contains Mystery Cave, the longest cave in the state that
is open to the public. |
Fort Ridgely State Park |
[71663] |
Nicollet and Renville |
acres (4.21 km²) |
1911 |
Fort Ridgely Creek |
|
Park
preserves Fort
Ridgely , which is notable for its use during the Dakota War
of 1862. |
Fort Snelling State Park |
[71664] |
Ramsey , Hennepin , and Dakota |
acres (11.86 km²) |
1961 |
Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers |
|
Park
contains historic Fort Snelling , which was built in 1819. |
Franz Jevne State Park |
[71665] |
Koochiching |
acres (0.48 km²) |
1967 |
Rainy River |
|
The sons of Franz Jevne, a lawyer,
offered to donate land to the state for use as a park on the
condition that it be named after their father. |
Frontenac State Park |
[71666] |
Goodhue |
acres (9.3 km²) |
1957 |
Lake
Pepin on Mississippi
River |
|
Park is home to 260 species of birds for part or all of the
year. |
Garden
Island State Recreation Area |
[71667] |
Lake of the
Woods |
acres (2.97 km²) |
1998 |
Lake of the Woods |
|
Formerly the site of a large garden created by Native Americans
taught by La
Vérendrye who explored the area. |
George
H. Crosby
Manitou State Park |
[71668] |
Lake |
acres (27 km2) |
1955 |
Manitou River |
|
Park contains many undisturbed miles of fir,
cedar, spruce, and
northern hardwoods. Park is geared towards backpacker. |
Glacial Lakes State Park |
[71669] |
Pope |
acres (9.8 km2) |
1963 |
Several kettle lakes |
|
Park contains many glacial landforms, including rolling glacial
hills unlike others in the state, created by ice sheets during the
Wisconsin Stage. |
Glendalough State Park |
[71670] |
Otter Tail |
acres (7.81 km2) |
1992 |
Six kettle lakes |
|
During the 1950s, when it was a resort, former presidents
Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon were guests at Glendalough. |
Gooseberry Falls State Park |
[71671] |
Lake |
acres (6.82 km2) |
1937 |
Lake Superior , Gooseberry
River |
|
The
park includes Lake
Superior shoreline,
five waterfalls, Gooseberry River and gorge, an agate Beach and the
Picnic Lava Flow. |
Grand Portage State Park |
[71672] |
Cook |
acres (1.12 km2) |
1989 |
Pigeon
River |
|
Park contains a 120 foot (37 meter) waterfall, the tallest in the state shared on a
border. |
Great River Bluffs State Park |
[71673] |
Winona |
acres (12.4 km2) |
1971 |
Mississippi River |
|
Features high bluffs and steep "goat
prairies" Formerly named O.L. Kipp State Park. |
Hayes Lake State Park |
[71674] |
Roseau |
acres (11.97 km2) |
1967 |
Hayes Lake, North Fork Roseau River |
|
Hayes Lake was created for the park by damming the Roseau
River. In
the Glacial Lake
Agassiz lake bed. |
Hill-Annex Mine State Park |
[71675] |
Itasca |
acres (2.57 km2) |
1988 |
Filled pit mine |
|
Well preserved historic mine buildings that are on the National Register of
Historic Places |
Interstate Park |
[71676] |
Chisago |
acres (1.2 km2) |
1895 |
St. Croix
River |
|
This
was the first park in the United States to span two states (Minnesota and Wisconsin ). |
Itasca State Park |
[71677] |
Hubbard , Clearwater , and Becker |
acres (132.29 km2) |
1891 |
Lake Itasca |
|
Minnesota's oldest state park. Lake Itasca is the source of the
Mississippi River. |
Jay Cooke State Park |
[71678] |
Carlton |
acres (35.53 km2) |
1915 |
Saint Louis River |
|
Features rustic style historical structures and swinging bridge
built by the CCC between
1933 and 1942. |
John A. Latsch State Park |
[71679] |
Winona |
acres (7.57 km2) |
1925 |
Mississippi River |
|
Features three steep river bluffs named Faith, Hope, and
Charity. |
Judge C. R. Magney State Park |
[71680] |
Cook |
acres (18.78 km2) |
1957 |
Lake Superior , Brule
River |
|
Contains "Devil's Kettle" a large glacial kettle into which half of the Brule
River disappears. |
Kilen Woods State Park |
[71681] |
Jackson |
acres (2.21 km2) |
1945 |
Des Moines River |
|
Park is on the Coteau des
Prairies. |
Lac qui Parle State Park |
[71682] |
Lac qui Parle and Chippewa |
acres (4.26 km2) |
1959 |
Lac qui Parle , Minnesota and
Lac qui Parle Rivers |
|
Lac qui Parle is a widening in the Minnesota River, stopover
for thousands of migrating waterfowl. Park contains 3 buildings on
the NRHP. |
Lake Bemidji State Park |
[71683] |
Beltrami |
acres (6.98 km2) |
1923 |
Lake Bemidji |
|
In addition to recreational lakeshore, the park features a
boardwalk trail out into a spruce-tamarack bog. |
Lake Bronson State Park |
[71684] |
Kittson |
acres (11.36 km2) |
1937 |
Lake Bronson, South Branch Two Rivers |
|
Hayes lake was created for the park, by damming the Two Rivers.
In the
Glacial Lake
Agassiz lake bed. Park is on the NRHP. |
Lake Carlos State Park |
[71685] |
Douglas |
acres (5.00 km2) |
1937 |
Lake Carlos |
|
Five buildings on the NRHP. In a hardwood transition zone
between prairies and coniferous forest. |
Lake Louise State Park |
[71686] |
Mower |
acres (4.64 km2) |
1963 |
Lake Louise, Little Iowa
River |
|
Minnesota's oldest continuous recreation area. Lake Louise was
created by damming the Little Iowa River. |
Lake Maria State Park |
[71687] |
Wright |
acres (6.53 km2) |
1963 |
Several kettle lakes |
|
Lightly developed to provide a wilderness
area near Minneapolis-Saint Paul . |
Lake Shetek State Park |
[71688] |
Murray County |
acres (4.48 km2) |
1937 |
Lake Shetek |
|
Eight historic resources within the state park are on the NRHP.
Located on the Coteau des
Prairies, the park was once treeless prairie. |
Maplewood State Park |
[71689] |
Otter Tail |
acres (37.49 km2) |
1963 |
Several kettle lakes |
|
The park preserves a pre-contact habitation site that was
occupied in two different periods (650–900 CE and 1450–1650) in a
forest/prairie transition zone. |
McCarthy Beach State Park |
[71690] |
St. Louis |
acres (9.99 km2) |
1945 |
Sturgeon and Side Lakes |
|
Highways' Magazine rated the beach on Sturgeon Lake
one of the top 17 beaches in North America. |
Mille Lacs Kathio State
Park |
[71691] |
Mille Lacs |
acres (42.71 km2) |
1957 |
Mille Lacs Lake , Rum River |
|
Park contains 19 identified archaeological sites. The earliest
site shows evidence of copper tool manufacture. The Kathio site is
a National Historic
Landmark. |
Minneopa State Park |
[71692] |
Blue Earth |
acres (10.89 km2) |
1905 |
Minnesota River, Minneopa
Creek |
|
Contains Seppmann windmill which is on the NRHP. Minneopa Creek
and its waterfalls are the major features that attract
visitors. |
Minnesota Valley State Recreation
Area |
[71693] |
Hennepin , Dakota , Scott , Carver , Sibley , and Le Sueur |
acres (22.2 km2) |
1969 |
Minnesota River |
|
The
sections of this non-contiguous park are interspersed with units of
the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife
Refuge in the valley formed by Glacial River Warren. |
Monson Lake State Park |
[71694] |
Swift County |
acres (0.75 km2) |
1937 |
Monson and West Sunberg Lakes |
|
Established as a memorial to settlers who died in the Dakota War of 1862. |
Moose Lake State Park |
[71695] |
Carlton |
acres (4.85 km2) |
1971 |
Moosehead and Echo Lakes |
|
The Moose Lake Agate and Geological Interpretive Center is
located in the park. Contains an exhibition of Minnesota's state
gemstone, the Lake Superior
agate, and contains displays on rocks, minerals and geology of Minnesota. |
Myre-Big Island State Park |
[71696] |
Freeborn |
acres (8.2 km2) |
1947 |
Albert Lea Lake |
|
Two islands protected from prairie fires by the surrounding
water bear old growth hardwood forest. Has one of the
largest collections of native artifacts in the state and is
available for research. Formerly named Helmer Myre State Park. |
Nerstrand-Big Woods State
Park |
[71697] |
Rice |
acres (11.6 km2) |
1945 |
Prairie Creek |
|
Preserves a remnant stand of Big
Woods. |
Old Mill State Park |
[71698] |
Marshall |
acres (1.16 km2) |
1951 |
Middle River |
|
Eight buildings and structures, built by the WPA, are listed on the
NRHP. Contains
a steam-powered flour mill that is started up to grind flour once a
year. |
Red River State Recreation
Area |
[71699] |
Polk |
acres (4.97 km2) |
1997 |
Red River of the North and Red Lake
River |
|
Part of the Greater
Grand Forks Greenway. After the 1997 Red River Flood approximately 500
homes and buildings were removed to make way for the greenway. The
Greenway serves the dual purpose of holding back river waters
during floods and providing recreational opportunities. |
Rice Lake State Park |
[71700] |
Steele and Dodge |
acres (4.3 km2) |
1963 |
Rice Lake |
|
Shallow lake is a stopover for migrating waterfowl. |
Saint Croix State Park |
[71701] |
Pine County |
acres (137.16 km2) |
1943 |
St. Croix
River |
|
Originally the St. Croix Recreational Demonstration Area, the
park was created from land too poor to farm. It is listed as a
National Historic Landmark as the largest and one of the best
examples of Recreational
Demonstration Area planning during the Depression. |
Sakatah Lake State Park |
[71702] |
Le Sueur and Rice |
acres (3.4 km2) |
1963 |
Sakatah Lake on the Cannon
River |
|
This parcel of hardwoods along the transition zone from forest
to oak savanna was never logged. |
Savanna Portage State Park |
[71703] |
Aitkin and St. Louis |
acres (64.01 km2) |
1961 |
East and West Savanna
Rivers, numerous kettle
lakes |
|
Established as a state park in 1961 to preserve the historic
Savanna Portage, a difficult six-mile (10 km) trail connecting
the West Savanna River and upper Mississippi River with the East
Savanna River, St. Louis River, and Lake Superior. A continental divide, visible in the park,
separates the West Savanna and East Savanna rivers, which flow in
opposite directions. |
Scenic State Park |
[71704] |
Itasca |
acres (13.59 km2) |
1921 |
Sandwick and Coon Lakes |
|
First park with a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. Contains 10
CCC buildings. |
Schoolcraft State Park |
[71705] |
Cass and Itasca |
acres (0.91 km2) |
1959 |
Mississippi River |
|
Named after Henry Rowe
Schoolcraft who charted the origins of the Mississippi river
with an Indian guide, Ozawindib. Contains
virgin pine forest with some trees over 300 years old. |
Sibley State Park |
[71706] |
Kandiyohi |
acres (10.15 km2) |
1919 |
Lake Andrew and other kettle
lakes |
|
Named for Henry Hastings
Sibley, the first governor
of the state. |
Soudan
Underground Mine State Park |
[71707] |
St. Louis |
acres (5.05 km2) |
1963 |
Lake Vermilion |
|
Minnesota's oldest, deepest, and richest iron mine. The tour of
the mine goes below the Earth's surface. Hosts the Soudan
Underground Physics Laboratory High Energy Physics Lab which
searches for Dark Matter. |
Split Rock Creek State Park |
[71708] |
Pipestone |
acres (5.27 km2) |
1937 |
Split Rock Lake |
|
Split Rock Lake, a human-made lake, is the largest body of
water in Pipestone County. This park is located on the Coteau des Prairies. |
Split Rock Lighthouse State
Park |
[71709] |
Lake |
acres (8.9 km2) |
1945 |
Lake Superior |
|
Lighthouse was commissioned in 1910, one of the most
photographed lighthouses in the United States. Lighthouse is built
on anorthosite, a remnant of ancient lava flows. |
Temperance River State Park |
[71710] |
Cook |
acres (20.47 km2) |
1957 |
Lake Superior and Temperance
River |
|
Named the Temperance River because there was no sand "bar" at
its mouth. |
Tettegouche State Park |
[71711] |
Lake |
acres (38.69 km2) |
1979 |
Lake Superior and Baptism
River |
|
Park contains a 60 ft (18 m) tall waterfall, the tallest
entirely within the state. Shovel Point and Palisade Head cliffs are popular for rock climbing. |
Upper Sioux Agency State
Park |
[71712] |
Yellow
Medicine |
acres (5.18 km2) |
1963 |
Minnesota and Yellow Medicine Rivers |
|
Preserves the site of the historic Yellow Medicine Agency which was
destroyed in the Dakota War of
1862. |
Whitewater State Park |
[71713] |
Winona |
acres (11.1 km2) |
1919 |
Whitewater
River |
|
Bald eagles remain year round. With
adjacent Whitewater
Wildlife Management Area the park forms a flood buffer. Park is
in the Driftless area |
Wild River State Park |
[71714] |
Chisago |
acres (27.38 km2) |
1973 |
St. Croix
River |
|
Named after the St. Croix's status as a National Wild and Scenic
River. |
William O'Brien State Park |
[71715] |
Washington |
acres (6.55 km2) |
1947 |
St. Croix
River |
|
Provides outdoor recreation opportunities
near Minneapolis-Saint Paul . |
Zippel Bay State Park |
[71716] |
Lake of
the Woods |
acres (11.76 km2) |
1959 |
Lake of the Woods |
|
Moose and Timberwolves can be seen at the park, formerly
the site of a village. |
|
. These are parcels of land too small to be full-fledged
parks, but with natural resources greater than would be overseen by
the
. Generally development is limited to a
parking area, picnic tables, outhouses, and a short trail.
In most cases these
decisions were due to the unit being too small for a state park
with little chance of expansion, or largely local use rather than
attracting visitors from all over the state and beyond. Some of
these units were redesignated as state waysides. 23 state monuments
were also part of the state park system at one time or another
until legislation in 1975 transferred responsibility for all state
monuments to other agencies. The other former units were: