State park map: Minnesota DNR
Afton (maps) Visited--Hiked a small portion after leaves were off the trees.
Should go back and hike some more. Very pretty views.
Banning (maps) Visited--Hiked to falls
Should go back and hike some more. Very pretty views.
Banning (maps) Visited--Hiked to falls
We love this park--the hikes are great and the Kettle River is beautiful. Site of an old stone quarry. Camp here someday!
Cascade River (maps) Drove through
Come back to camp! Need to see the falls--park right off 61 and hike to see them (like the border guy told us!)
Crow Wing (maps) Visited--Hiked a bit.
Lots of ticks in spring. On river, site of old town--can see old foundations of buildings. There's a boardwalk where the Main Street of the old town used to be, and old wagon tracks. Even one old building (a home). Lilacs where people planted them near their houses.
Father Hennepin (maps) Visited--Geocached
Great for camping right next to the lake for fishing etc. Smaller park, but great old buildings for events and picnicking.
Fort Snelling (maps) Visited (Erin and Brad only so far...)
Right next to airport. Great day-use only park. Right next to Historic Fort Snelling. Biking, fishing, hiking. Very pretty. Lakes and river.
Frontenac (maps) Visited--Hiked a bit
On Mississippi--Lake Pepin, actually. On the bluffs, and down to the river. Stunning views of the lake/river. Pelican migration in the fall--lots of birds right after Labor Day, on the river/lake.
George H. Crosby Manitou (maps)Visited--Drove through.
This looks like a fantastic place to camp. Very pretty campground. Historical remnants in park of some kind. Looks interesting. Maybe not as popular?
Glendalough (maps) Visited--Drove through.
This park looks like it would be a great place for cross-country skiing and fishing.
This park looks like it would be a great place for cross-country skiing and fishing.
Gooseberry Falls (maps) Visited--Hiked
We would love to come back and camp here, and do some more hiking, especially back to the falls that are upstream.
Grand Portage (maps) Visited--Hiked to waterfall
Come back in spring to see the falls at high water. No camping.
Interstate (maps) Visited--Hiking
Potholes! Kids' favorite because of that. Beautiful St. Croix River Dalles. Boat rides nearby. Can rent canoes here to take one-way down the river to various destinations. That would be so much fun to do someday!
Itasca (maps) Visited--Hiking
Headwaters of the Mississippi! We need to go back there and camp for a few days at least. Lots of trails--for bikes, too! Lots of different options for lodging, and the lodge is there, too, with the restaurant in it.
Jay Cooke (maps) Visited--Hiking, Camping, Geocaching.
A favorite! St. Louis River, Lady's Slippers in June, LOTS of hiking we haven't even attempted yet. Wolves!
John A. Latsch (maps) Visited--Drove into parking area.
A hike-in only park, in the bluffs of the Mississippi. Very pretty area.
Lake Maria (maps) Visited--Hiked and fished at Maria Lake (with no success), geocached.
Turtle exhibit. Seems quiet. Smaller park, but very nice area. Hardwoods and maple.
Maplewood (maps) Did a little walking up to one of the overlooks in the fall. Beautiful foliage and it looked like a really great camping area! Hilly.
Mille Lacs Kathio (maps) Visited--Camping, Hiking, Geocaching.
The mosquitoes, oh God, the mosquitoes! Never seen a place like it for that! Near Lake Mille Lacs. Huge park! Campgrounds are very nice, and there are lots of trails in all different types of forests. Hills formed by glacial activity. Very green and lush in summer. Bog area with boardwalk is really neat--and fewer mosquitoes there! Go back after frost.
Moose Lake (maps) Visited--Camped, Hiked
Nice smaller park. Good for fishing. Smaller campground. Resident skunk. Eeeek!
St. Croix (maps) Visited--Hiked, Played at playground
HUGE. Biggest park in the state. Lots and lots of hiking. Takes forever to drive to the farthest regions of the park. Still haven't done all that! Should try camping there. Kids like the playground next to the little lake.
Savanna Portage (maps) Visited--Hiked a bit
Beautiful northern park. Like Spider Lake a bit. One of the lakes is very secluded and has backpack in sites on the far side. That lake is surrounded by evergreens or tamarack (I think it's tamarack/larch), making it look very wild. Only electric boat motors are allowed in the park. We really want to go back there and camp.
Scenic (maps) Visited--Did a little hiking
Very pretty park near Spider Lake. We enjoyed hiking along the ridge separating the lake into two parts. This seems like it would be a fun place to camp. The fishing looks good, too.
Schoolcraft (maps) Visited--Drove through
Briefly visited this park on our way home from Spider Lake. Not very far from Grand Rapids. Right on the Mississippi, where it is very small. Can take boats out there. Doesn't seem to be used as much, and is a little more rustic.
Briefly visited this park on our way home from Spider Lake. Not very far from Grand Rapids. Right on the Mississippi, where it is very small. Can take boats out there. Doesn't seem to be used as much, and is a little more rustic.
Split Rock Lighthouse (maps)Visited--Walked along the lake, visited the history center/lighthouse
We want to go camping here! This park is drop-dead gorgeous! All the sites are walk-in, they provide carts. Showers and flush toilets, though! And the lighthouse!
Temperance River (maps)Visited--Camped, Hiked to Hidden Falls, played along the lake
The campground is pretty nice, but not fantastic--there's not a lot of room between the lake and Hwy. 61, so you hear cars a lot. The walk in sites are amazing, though, and that's the way to go at this park. Hidden Falls is stunning, and there is a lot more hiking in this park than we could handle at the time (with kids). The Lake Superior Trail goes through here. Lake is, of course, breathtaking. Showers and flush toilets!
Whitewater (maps) Visited--Camped, Hiked, Geocached
We loved Whitewater! What beautiful country. Blufflands. Beautiful streams filled with trout. Amazing hikes up to the tops of the bluffs. "Ghosts" (fog) moving along the river in the evening. Camping right on the river! Great exhibit in the visitor center. Snorting, angry raccoons. Never heard anything like 'em--scared me to death one night!
Wild River (maps) Visited--Hiking
Very nice park on the St. Croix. Only been there in fall. Stunning colors. We would like to camp there some time, since it's less than an hour away. Maybe the cabins?
William O'Brien (maps) Visited--Hiking, Geocaching
Another stunning St. Croix River Park. Two different campgrounds. One on the prairie lands, one in forest. Very pretty.
