List of Minnesota state parks facts for kids

Map of State Parks of Minnesota
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There are 67 state parks, nine state recreation areas, nine state waysides, and 23 state trails in the Minnesota state park system, totaling approximately 267,000 acres (1,080 km²). A Minnesota state park is an area of land in the U.S. state of Minnesota preserved by the state for its natural, historic, or other resources. Each was created by an act of the Minnesota Legislature and is maintained by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Minnesota Historical Society operates sites within some of them. The park system began in 1891 with Itasca State Park when a state law was adopted to "maintain intact, forever, a limited quantity of the domain of this commonwealth...in a state of nature." Minnesota's state park system is the second oldest in the United States, after New York's.

Minnesota's state parks are spread across the state in such a way that there is a state park within 50 miles (80 km) of every Minnesotan. The most recent park created is Lake Vermilion State Park, created in 2010. The parks range in size from Franz Jevne State Park with 118 acres (48 ha) to Saint Croix State Park with 34,037 acres (13,774 ha). Two parks include resources listed as National Natural Landmarks (Big Bog State Recreation Area and Itasca State Park) and six parks encompass National Historic Landmarks (Charles A. Lindbergh, Fort Snelling, Mille Lacs Kathio, St. Croix, Soudan Underground Mine, and Split Rock Lighthouse State Parks). 52 sites or districts across 34 Minnesota state parks are on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), including 22 parks with developments constructed by New Deal-era job creation programs in the 1930s.

History

Minnesota's first attempt to create a state park came in 1885, when a 173-acre (70 ha) park was authorized to preserve Minnehaha Falls. The effort was delayed by legal appeals from the various landowners of the desired parkland, and by the time those were settled in favor of the state in 1889, Minnesota no longer had the money to purchase the land. Instead the city of Minneapolis fronted the cash. Owned and operated by Minneapolis, Minnehaha State Park was ultimately absorbed as a city park.

Minnesota tried again in 1891, authorizing a state park around Lake Itasca both for its recreational opportunities and to protect the source of the Mississippi River. Interstate Park on the St. Croix River was created in 1895. Other sites were added over the next two decades, but with an inconsistent vision. Modest tracts of scenic land were acquired in Minneopa and Jay Cooke State Parks, but much effort was also expended on creating historical monuments relating to the Dakota War of 1862 and the Great Hinckley Fire. Moreover, most of the sites were being administered by the state auditor, who had many other duties. Itasca State Park, meanwhile, was being administered as a state forest. In 1923, state auditor Ray P. Chase excoriated this situation, calling for wiser selection of park lands and a dedicated commissioner. Chase's comments had an impact, and two years later the Department of Conservation was created to manage the state's natural resources, including the state parks. Originally part of the forestry division, the state parks received their own division in 1935 to take advantage of federal programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). In 1971, the department became the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The state parks were closed for almost three weeks in July 2011 due to a shutdown of the state government.

State parks and recreation areas

Park name	County or Counties	Size		Year Established	Water Body(s)	Coordinates	Remarks	Image
		acres	ha
Afton State Park	Washington	1,600	650	1969	St. Croix River	44°51′45″N 92°47′01″W / 44.8624675°N 92.7835367°W / 44.8624675; -92.7835367 (Afton State Park)	Lies on a glacial moraine with deep ravines that drop 300 feet (91 m) down to the St. Croix River.
Banning State Park	Pine	5,597	2,265	1963	Kettle River	46°10′15″N 92°50′39″W / 46.1707812°N 92.8440889°W / 46.1707812; -92.8440889 (Banning State Park)	Contains 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of whitewater rapids and the remains of a historic quarry operation.
Bear Head Lake State Park	St. Louis	3,013	1,219	1961	Bear Head Lake	47°47′47″N 92°04′37″W / 47.7963051°N 92.0768231°W / 47.7963051; -92.0768231 (Bear Head Lake State Park)	Provides road access and modern camping facilities in an environment similar to the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Beaver Creek Valley State Park	Houston	715	289	1937	East Beaver Creek	43°38′34″N 91°34′55″W / 43.6427458°N 91.5818101°W / 43.6427458; -91.5818101 (Beaver Creek Valley State Park)	Showcases the rugged topography of the Driftless Area in a narrow valley carved by a trout stream.
Big Bog State Recreation Area	Beltrami	9,170	3,710	2000	Red Lake, Tamarac River	48°10′22″N 94°30′43″W / 48.172761°N 94.512033°W / 48.172761; -94.512033 (Big Bog State Recreation Area)	Encompasses part of the largest peatland in the Lower 48 states (a National Natural Landmark) and a prime walleye fishery.
Big Stone Lake State Park	Big Stone	980	400	1961	Big Stone Lake	45°22′57″N 96°30′47″W / 45.3824644°N 96.5131148°W / 45.3824644; -96.5131148 (Big Stone Lake State Park)	Protects two sections of shoreline on Big Stone Lake, the source of the Minnesota River.
Blue Mounds State Park	Rock	1,567	634	1937	Mound Creek	43°42′25″N 96°11′13″W / 43.7069134°N 96.1869728°W / 43.7069134; -96.1869728 (Blue Mounds State Park)	Protects an escarpment of Sioux Quartzite and Minnesota's only public bison herd. A district of WPA structures is on the NRHP.
Buffalo River State Park	Clay	1,068	432	1937	Buffalo River	46°51′56″N 96°28′04″W / 46.8655165°N 96.4678474°W / 46.8655165; -96.4678474 (Buffalo River State Park)	Preserves part of one of the state's largest and best tallgrass prairies. A district of WPA structures is on the NRHP.
Camden State Park	Lyon	1,855	751	1935	Redwood River	44°21′45″N 95°55′30″W / 44.362462°N 95.9250247°W / 44.362462; -95.9250247 (Camden State Park)	Preserves a forested river valley in the midst of prairie and farm country. A district of VCC and WPA structures is on the NRHP.
Carley State Park	Wabasha	209	85	1949	Whitewater River	44°07′00″N 92°10′34″W / 44.1166318°N 92.1760002°W / 44.1166318; -92.1760002 (Carley State Park)	Donated by State Senator James A. Carley to protect a stand of white pines. Used as an overflow campground for nearby Whitewater State Park.
Cascade River State Park	Cook	2,867	1,160	1957	Lake Superior and Cascade River	47°42′35″N 90°31′20″W / 47.7097222°N 90.5222222°W / 47.7097222; -90.5222222 (Cascade River State Park Recreation Site)	Stretches along 10.5 miles (16.9 km) of Lake Superior coastline in land rehabilitated after construction of Minnesota State Highway 61. A WPA highway wayside is on the NRHP.
Charles A. Lindbergh State Park	Morrison	417	169	1931	Mississippi River	45°57′32″N 94°23′43″W / 45.9588545°N 94.3952813°W / 45.9588545; -94.3952813 (Charles A Lindbergh State Park)	Contains the restored home of Congressman Charles August Lindbergh and his son Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator. The house is a National Historic Landmark, and a district of WPA structures is on the NRHP.
Crow Wing State Park	Crow Wing, Cass, and Morrison	2,335	945	1959	Mississippi and Crow Wing Rivers	46°16′20″N 94°20′00″W / 46.2722222°N 94.3333333°W / 46.2722222; -94.3333333 (Crow Wing State Park)	Interprets the site of Old Crow Wing, an important town and trading center in the mid-19th century. The town site and a section of the Red River Trails are both on the NRHP.
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area	Crow Wing	6,850	2,770	1993	Chain of small lakes and streams, filled pit mines	46°29′22″N 93°58′39″W / 46.489550°N 93.977500°W / 46.489550; -93.977500 (Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area)	In development as the land is rehabilitated from open-pit iron mining. Includes Portsmouth Mine Pit Lake, the state's deepest lake.
Father Hennepin State Park	Mille Lacs	275	111	1941	Mille Lacs Lake	46°08′41″N 93°29′17″W / 46.1446779°N 93.4880157°W / 46.1446779; -93.4880157 (Father Hennepin State Park)	Provides lakeside recreation in the region visited by Father Louis Hennepin during a French expedition in 1680.
Flandrau State Park	Brown	840	340	1937	Cottonwood River	44°17′18″N 94°28′25″W / 44.2882956°N 94.4735837°W / 44.2882956; -94.4735837 (Flandrau State Park)	Created to provide water recreation near New Ulm. Entire park is a district of CCC and WPA structures on the NRHP.
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park	Fillmore	3,163	1,280	1963	South Branch Root River and tributaries	43°37′32″N 92°14′51″W / 43.6255204°N 92.247388°W / 43.6255204; -92.247388 (Forestville Mystery Cave State Park)	Encompasses the historic townsite of Forestville, the state's longest explored cave, and three blue-ribbon trout streams.
Fort Ridgely State Park	Nicollet and Renville	537	217	1911	Fort Ridgely Creek	44°27′09″N 94°43′51″W / 44.4524621°N 94.7308199°W / 44.4524621; -94.7308199 (Fort Ridgely State Park)	Surrounds Fort Ridgely, site of the Battle of Fort Ridgely during the Dakota War of 1862. The fort and a large district of CCC structures are both on the NRHP.
Fort Snelling State Park	Ramsey, Hennepin, and Dakota	1,825	739	1961	Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers	44°53′09″N 93°10′41″W / 44.8857988°N 93.1779985°W / 44.8857988; -93.1779985 (Fort Snelling State Park)	Contains historic Fort Snelling, built in 1819, and floodplain forest in the heart of Minneapolis – Saint Paul. The fort is a National Historic Landmark and the entire park is part of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.
Franz Jevne State Park	Koochiching	118	48	1967	Rainy River	48°38′32″N 94°04′49″W / 48.642240°N 94.080410°W / 48.642240; -94.080410 (Franz Jevne State Park)	Features scenic property on the Canada–United States border, donated by the sons of Franz Jevne, a lawyer, on the condition that the park be named after their father.
Frontenac State Park	Goodhue	2,226	901	1957	Lake Pepin on Mississippi River	44°30′27″N 92°19′35″W / 44.5074677°N 92.3262914°W / 44.5074677; -92.3262914 (Frontenac State Park)	Attracts 260 species of year-round and migrant birds with its variety of habitats. Includes a natural arch atop a 430-foot (130 m) bluff.
Garden Island State Recreation Area	Lake of the Woods	715	289	1998	Lake of the Woods	49°10′31″N 94°50′05″W / 49.175335°N 94.834671°W / 49.175335; -94.834671 (Garden Island State Recreation Area)	Comprises a nearly undeveloped island, 15 mi (24 km) from the closest mainland marinas, that once bore Native American gardens.
George H. Crosby Manitou State Park	Lake	6,200	2,500	1955	Manitou River	47°30′22″N 91°06′33″W / 47.506018°N 91.109045°W / 47.506018; -91.109045 (George H Crosby Manitou State Park)	Contains undeveloped North Woods wilderness geared towards backpackers.
Glacial Lakes State Park	Pope	1,857	752	1963	Several kettle lakes	45°32′15″N 95°31′19″W / 45.537461°N 95.521983°W / 45.537461; -95.521983 (Glacial Lakes State Park)	Preserves rolling tallgrass prairie amidst the glacial landforms of the Leaf Hills Moraines.
Glendalough State Park	Otter Tail	1,924	779	1991	Six kettle lakes	46°20′00″N 95°40′00″W / 46.3333333°N 95.6666667°W / 46.3333333; -95.6666667 (Glendalough State Park)	Developed from the former private retreat and game farm of the owners of the Star Tribune newspaper, with a heritage fishery of large game fish.
Gooseberry Falls State Park	Lake	1,741	705	1937	Lake Superior, Gooseberry River	47°08′49″N 91°27′48″W / 47.1468715°N 91.4632289°W / 47.1468715; -91.4632289 (Gooseberry Falls State Park)	Serves as the gateway to the scenic North Shore. Features five waterfalls, an agate beach, and a large district of CCC structures on the NRHP.
Grand Portage State Park	Cook	278	113	1989	Pigeon River	48°00′37″N 89°36′43″W / 48.0101633°N 89.6120317°W / 48.0101633; -89.6120317 (Grand Portage State Park)	Features a 120-foot (37 m) waterfall, Minnesota's tallest, on the Canada–United States border. Co-managed with the Grand Portage Indian Reservation, the only state – tribal collaboration of a U.S. state park.
Great River Bluffs State Park	Winona	2,122	859	1963	Mississippi River	43°56′47″N 91°23′58″W / 43.9463526°N 91.3993094°W / 43.9463526; -91.3993094 (Great River Bluffs State Park)	Features 500-foot-high (150 m) bluffs and steep goat prairies. Formerly named O.L. Kipp State Park.
Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area	Meeker	1,230	500	2004	Greenleaf and Sioux Lakes	45°00′57″N 94°28′00″W / 45.01591°N 94.46671°W / 45.01591; -94.46671 (Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area)	In development and open for limited day-use recreation.
Hayes Lake State Park	Roseau	2,118	857	1967	Hayes Lake, North Fork Roseau River	48°37′24″N 95°30′28″W / 48.623309°N 95.507753°W / 48.623309; -95.507753 (Hayes Lake State Park)	Provides fishing and swimming opportunities in an exclusively recreational reservoir free of agricultural runoff or water level fluctuations for irrigation or power generation.
Hill-Annex Mine State Park	Itasca	634	257	1988	Filled pit mine	47°19′39″N 93°16′39″W / 47.327490°N 93.277520°W / 47.327490; -93.277520 (Hill-Annex Mine State Park)	Offers tours of a former open-pit iron mine and fossil collecting. A district of mine structures is on the NRHP.
Interstate State Park	Chisago	288	117	1895	St. Croix River	45°23′42″N 92°40′11″W / 45.3949622°N 92.6696521°W / 45.3949622; -92.6696521 (Interstate State Park)	Created in conjunction with a state park in Wisconsin to protect a basalt gorge and glacial potholes. Two districts of CCC and WPA structures are on the NRHP.
Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area	St. Louis	1,864	754	2002	Lake Ore-be-gone	47°28′57″N 92°26′37″W / 47.48247°N 92.44349°W / 47.48247; -92.44349 (Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area)	Provides 36 miles (58 km) of trails for off highway vehicles.
Itasca State Park	Hubbard, Clearwater, and Becker	30,553	12,364	1891	Lake Itasca	47°11′51″N 95°12′07″W / 47.1974579°N 95.2019642°W / 47.1974579; -95.2019642 (Itasca State Park)	Minnesota's oldest state park, which preserves the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The entire park and an individual archaeological site are on the NRHP, and a subsection is a National Natural Landmark.
Jay Cooke State Park	Carlton	8,125	3,288	1915	Saint Louis River	46°38′59″N 92°19′51″W / 46.6496646°N 92.330748°W / 46.6496646; -92.330748 (Jay Cooke State Park)	Showcases a rocky, whitewater-strewn river churning through the North Woods. Three districts of CCC and WPA structures and a long-used portage route are on the NRHP.
John A. Latsch State Park	Winona	409	166	1925	Mississippi River	44°09′43″N 91°49′20″W / 44.1619082°N 91.8220997°W / 44.1619082; -91.8220997 (John Latsch State Park)	Features three steep river bluffs.
Judge C. R. Magney State Park	Cook	4,323	1,749	1957	Lake Superior, Brule River	47°51′05″N 90°03′30″W / 47.8512799°N 90.0584299°W / 47.8512799; -90.0584299 (Judge C R Magney State Park)	Contains the Devil's Kettle, a large glacial kettle into which half of the Brule River disappears.	,
Kilen Woods State Park	Jackson	202	82	1945	Des Moines River	43°43′36″N 95°03′47″W / 43.7266244°N 95.0630473°W / 43.7266244; -95.0630473 (Kilen Woods State Park)	Preserves a riverside parcel of forested hills on the Coteau des Prairies.
La Salle Lake State Recreation Area	Hubbard	1,000	400	2011	Mississippi River, La Salle Lake	47°20′14″N 95°10′14″W / 47.33719°N 95.17061°W / 47.33719; -95.17061 (La Salle Lake State Recreation Area)	In development around the second-deepest lake in Minnesota.
Lac qui Parle State Park	Lac qui Parle and Chippewa	897	363	1959	Lac qui Parle, Minnesota and Lac qui Parle Rivers	45°01′14″N 95°53′20″W / 45.0205141°N 95.888921°W / 45.0205141; -95.888921 (Lac qui Parle State Park)	Attracts thousands of migrating waterfowl, earning it the name "Lake that Speaks." A district of WPA buildings is on the NRHP.
Lake Bemidji State Park	Beltrami	1,653	669	1923	Lake Bemidji	47°32′11″N 94°49′22″W / 47.5363413°N 94.8227704°W / 47.5363413; -94.8227704 (Lake Bemidji State Park)	Features a recreational lakeshore and a spruce-tamarack bog. A district of CCC and National Youth Administration structures is on the NRHP.
Lake Bronson State Park	Kittson	2,806	1,136	1937	Lake Bronson, South Branch Two Rivers	48°43′29″N 96°36′12″W / 48.7247004°N 96.6033741°W / 48.7247004; -96.6033741 (Lake Bronson State Park)	Features a reservoir created during a drought in the 1930s. A district of WPA structures is on the NRHP.
Lake Carlos State Park	Douglas	1,175	476	1937	Lake Carlos	45°59′12″N 95°19′40″W / 45.9866293°N 95.3278143°W / 45.9866293; -95.3278143 (Lake Carlos State Park)	Preserves diverse habitats from prairie to hardwood forest to tamarack bog in a transition zone. Two districts of WPA structures are on the NRHP.
Lake Louise State Park	Mower	849	344	1963	Lake Louise, Upper and Little Iowa Rivers	43°32′01″N 92°31′32″W / 43.5335762°N 92.5254538°W / 43.5335762; -92.5254538 (Lake Louise State Park)	Features a reservoir surrounded by oak savanna and patches of hardwood forest. Minnesota's oldest continuous recreation area, formerly a town park since the 1860s.
Lake Maria State Park	Wright	1,475	597	1963	Several kettle lakes	45°18′50″N 93°57′26″W / 45.3138543°N 93.9572003°W / 45.3138543; -93.9572003 (Lake Maria State Park)	Provides a lightly developed wilderness area near Minneapolis – Saint Paul in a morainal landscape of Big Woods.
Lake Shetek State Park	Murray County	1,109	449	1937	Lake Shetek	44°06′08″N 95°41′24″W / 44.1021838°N 95.6900114°W / 44.1021838; -95.6900114 (Lake Shetek State Park)	Features remnants of pioneer history around the largest lake in southwestern Minnesota. Two districts of WPA structures are on the NRHP.
Lake Vermilion State Park	St. Louis	2,875	1,163	2010	Lake Vermilion	47°50′05″N 92°11′53″W / 47.83471°N 92.19812°W / 47.83471; -92.19812 (Lake Vermilion State Park)	Recently purchased and in development on the fifth-largest lake in Minnesota.
Maplewood State Park	Otter Tail	8,127	3,289	1963	Several kettle lakes	46°32′01″N 95°56′57″W / 46.5335703°N 95.9492193°W / 46.5335703; -95.9492193 (Maplewood State Park)	Preserves a forest/prairie transition zone in the Leaf Hills Moraines. A Native American archaeological site is on the NRHP.
McCarthy Beach State Park	St. Louis	1,908	772	1945	Sturgeon and Side Lakes	47°40′22″N 93°01′49″W / 47.6727068°N 93.0301834°W / 47.6727068; -93.0301834 (McCarthy Beach State Park)	Features a .5-mile-long (0.80 km) beach on an isthmus between two lakes.
Mille Lacs Kathio State Park	Mille Lacs	9,786	3,960	1957	Mille Lacs Lake, Rum River	46°07′44″N 93°44′26″W / 46.1288485°N 93.7405269°W / 46.1288485; -93.7405269 (Mille Lacs Kathio State Park)	Preserves 19 identified archaeological sites dating back 9000 years. The entire park is a National Historic Landmark and four sites are individually listed on the NRHP.
Minneopa State Park	Blue Earth	1,617	654	1905	Minnesota River, Minneopa Creek	44°09′44″N 94°06′08″W / 44.1621879°N 94.1021803°W / 44.1621879; -94.1021803 (Minneopa State Park)	Showcases the largest waterfall in southern Minnesota. The 1864 Seppman Mill and a district of WPA structures are each on the NRHP.
Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area	Hennepin, Dakota, Scott, Carver, Sibley, and Le Sueur	6,442	2,607	1969	Minnesota River	44°39′43″N 93°42′12″W / 44.661999°N 93.703337°W / 44.661999; -93.703337 (Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area)	Comprises non-contiguous sections interspersed with units of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in the valley formed by Glacial River Warren.
Monson Lake State Park	Swift	343	139	1937	Monson and West Sunberg Lakes	45°19′14″N 95°16′30″W / 45.3205175°N 95.2750235°W / 45.3205175; -95.2750235 (Monson Lake Memorial State Park)	Established as a memorial to settlers who died in the Dakota War of 1862. A district of CCC and WPA structures is on the NRHP.
Moose Lake State Park	Carlton	829	335	1971	Moosehead and Echo Lakes	46°26′11″N 92°43′31″W / 46.436319°N 92.72521°W / 46.436319; -92.72521 (Moose Lake State Park)	Provides water recreation and an exhibit hall on Lake Superior agates (the state gemstone) and the geology of Minnesota.
Myre-Big Island State Park	Freeborn	1,578	639	1947	Albert Lea Lake	43°37′26″N 93°17′21″W / 43.6238465°N 93.2890959°W / 43.6238465; -93.2890959 (Myre-Big Island State Park)	Features two islands with old growth hardwood forest since they were out of reach of prairie fires. Also houses one of the state's largest research collections of Native American artifacts.
Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park	Rice	1,646	666	1945	Prairie Creek	44°20′43″N 93°06′27″W / 44.3452425°N 93.1074337°W / 44.3452425; -93.1074337 (Nerstrand Big Woods State Park)	Preserves a remnant stand of Big Woods.
Old Mill State Park	Marshall	287	116	1951	Middle River	48°21′41″N 96°34′13″W / 48.361364°N 96.5703288°W / 48.361364; -96.5703288 (Old Mill State Park)	Features two mills and a log cabin from the late 19th Century. The Larson Mill and a district of WPA structures are each on the NRHP.
Red River State Recreation Area	Polk	104	42	1997	Red River of the North and Red Lake River	47°55′58″N 97°02′08″W / 47.9327778°N 97.0355556°W / 47.9327778; -97.0355556 (Red River State Recreation Area)	Reclaims land devastated by the 1997 Red River flood as part of the Greater Grand Forks Greenway, which serves the dual purpose of holding back river waters during floods and providing recreational opportunities.
Rice Lake State Park	Steele and Dodge	712	288	1963	Rice Lake	44°05′15″N 93°03′41″W / 44.0874639°N 93.061315°W / 44.0874639; -93.061315 (Rice Lake State Park)	Surrounds a shallow lake which attracts migrating waterfowl.
St. Croix Islands State Recreation Area	Washington	25	10	1935	St. Croix River	45°05′07″N 92°47′10″W / 45.08524°N 92.78608°W / 45.08524; -92.78608 (St. Croix Islands State Recreation Area)	Comprises five islands near the St. Croix Boom Site that came under state control but were never developed. Leased to the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway.
St. Croix State Park	Pine	31,775	12,859	1943	St. Croix River	45°58′27″N 92°35′01″W / 45.9741154°N 92.5835304°W / 45.9741154; -92.5835304 (Saint Croix State Park)	Developed as a Recreational Demonstration Area by the CCC and the WPA to repurpose land too poor to farm. The entire park is a National Historic Landmark.
Sakatah Lake State Park	Le Sueur and Rice	810	330	1963	Sakatah Lake on the Cannon River	44°13′16″N 93°32′09″W / 44.2210746°N 93.5357792°W / 44.2210746; -93.5357792 (Sakatah State Park)	Features a transitional zone between prairie and Big Woods on a natural widening of the Cannon River.
Savanna Portage State Park	Aitkin and St. Louis	15,277	6,182	1961	East and West Savanna Rivers, numerous kettle lakes	46°50′15″N 93°09′24″W / 46.8374455°N 93.1566054°W / 46.8374455; -93.1566054 (Savanna Portage State Park)	Preserves a historically important and legendarily difficult 6-mile (9.7 km) portage over a continental divide between the watersheds of the Mississippi River and Lake Superior. The portage is on the NRHP.
Scenic State Park	Itasca	2,370	960	1921	Sandwick and Coon Lakes	47°42′57″N 93°33′47″W / 47.7157733°N 93.5629701°W / 47.7157733; -93.5629701 (Scenic State Park)	Features pristine lakes and old-growth pines. Two districts of structures built by the first CCC state park camp in Minnesota are on the NRHP.
Schoolcraft State Park	Cass and Itasca	141	57	1959	Mississippi River	47°13′30″N 93°48′00″W / 47.2249502°N 93.7999449°W / 47.2249502; -93.7999449 (Schoolcraft State Park)	Honors Henry Schoolcraft, who charted the origins of the Mississippi River with the Ojibwe guide Ozawindib. Preserves virgin pine forest that includes a white pine over 300 years old.
Sibley State Park	Kandiyohi	2,540	1,030	1919	Lake Andrew and other kettle lakes	45°19′11″N 95°01′23″W / 45.3196867°N 95.0230696°W / 45.3196867; -95.0230696 (Sibley State Park)	Honors Henry Hastings Sibley, the first governor of Minnesota, with a popular recreational lakeshore and a morainal landscape. A district of CCC structures is on the NRHP.
Soudan Underground Mine State Park	St. Louis	974	394	1963	Lake Vermilion	47°49′29″N 92°15′23″W / 47.8246403°N 92.2562691°W / 47.8246403; -92.2562691 (Soudan Underground Mine State Park)	Offers tours of Minnesota's oldest, deepest, and richest iron mine and a modern high energy physics laboratory. The mine is a National Historic Landmark and a row of 20th Century boathouses is on the NRHP.
Split Rock Creek State Park	Pipestone	947	383	1937	Split Rock Lake	43°53′53″N 96°21′51″W / 43.8980264°N 96.3642032°W / 43.8980264; -96.3642032 (Split Rock Creek State Park)	Features a recreational reservoir on the Coteau des Prairies.
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park	Lake	2,112	855	1945	Lake Superior, Split Rock River	47°11′32″N 91°23′35″W / 47.1921472°N 91.3929484°W / 47.1921472; -91.3929484 (Split Rock Lighthouse State Park)	Surrounds the clifftop Split Rock Lighthouse, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States. The lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark.
Temperance River State Park	Cook	1,134	459	1957	Lake Superior, Temperance and Cross Rivers	47°33′16″N 90°52′21″W / 47.5543466°N 90.8723722°W / 47.5543466; -90.8723722 (Temperance River State Park)	Showcases the deep, narrow gorge of the Temperance River (so named for its lack of a "bar" at its mouth) and Carlton Peak, a rock climbing area.
Tettegouche State Park	Lake	8,998	3,641	1979	Lake Superior and Baptism River	47°21′32″N 91°15′51″W / 47.358806°N 91.2640506°W / 47.358806; -91.2640506 (Tettegouche State Park)	Encompasses the tallest waterfall within the state's borders, the iconic headlands of Palisade Head and Shovel Point, and a historic fishing camp which is on the NRHP.
Upper Sioux Agency State Park	Yellow Medicine	1,065	431	1963	Minnesota and Yellow Medicine Rivers	44°44′17″N 95°27′14″W / 44.7380132°N 95.4539039°W / 44.7380132; -95.4539039 (Upper Sioux Agency State Park)	Interprets the site of the agency that administered a Dakota Indian reservation until it was destroyed during the Dakota War of 1862. The agency is on the NRHP.
Whitewater State Park	Winona	1,672	677	1919	Whitewater River	44°03′30″N 92°03′32″W / 44.058297°N 92.0587726°W / 44.058297; -92.0587726 (Whitewater State Park)	Showcases a popular steep-sided river valley in the Driftless Area. A large district of CCC and WPA structures is on the NRHP.
Wild River State Park	Chisago	6,574	2,660	1973	St. Croix River	45°34′05″N 92°52′33″W / 45.5680159°N 92.8757696°W / 45.5680159; -92.8757696 (Wild River State Park)	Follows 18 miles (29 km) of one of the first waterways designated a National Wild and Scenic River. A section of the Point Douglas to Superior Military Road is on the NRHP.
William O'Brien State Park	Washington	1,783	722	1947	St. Croix River	45°13′10″N 92°45′58″W / 45.2194109°N 92.7660423°W / 45.2194109; -92.7660423 (William O'Brien State Park)	Provides outdoor recreation opportunities near Minneapolis – Saint Paul.
Zippel Bay State Park	Lake of the Woods	2,826	1,144	1959	Lake of the Woods	48°51′50″N 94°51′34″W / 48.8638742°N 94.8593862°W / 48.8638742; -94.8593862 (Zippel Bay State Park)	Provides water recreation and birdwatching opportunities on the shore of the country's sixth largest lake.

State waysides

The state park system includes nine waysides, most of them along Minnesota State Highway 61 on the North Shore. These are parcels of land too small to be full-fledged parks, but with cultural or natural resources greater than would be overseen by the Minnesota Department of Transportation as highway waysides. Generally development is limited to a parking area and a short trail; sometimes there are sanitation facilities and picnic tables as well.

Wayside name	County	Date established	Coordinates	Remarks	Image
Caribou Falls State Wayside	Lake	1947	47°27′52″N 91°01′51″W / 47.46452°N 91.03084°W / 47.46452; -91.03084 (Caribou Falls State Wayside)	Includes a waterfall on the Caribou River. Formerly Caribou Falls State Park.
Devils Track Falls State Wayside	Cook	1961	47°46′41″N 90°16′58″W / 47.77804°N 90.28273°W / 47.77804; -90.28273 (Devils Track Falls State Wayside)	A nearly inaccessible gorge on the Devil Track River within Superior National Forest. Formerly Devils Track Falls State Park.
Flood Bay State Wayside	Lake	1965	47°02′19″N 91°38′33″W / 47.03850°N 91.64254°W / 47.03850; -91.64254 (Flood Bay State Wayside)	A rocky Lake Superior beach just outside Two Harbors.
Inspiration Peak State Wayside	Otter Tail	1931	46°08′14″N 95°34′41″W / 46.13714°N 95.57809°W / 46.13714; -95.57809 (Inspiration Peak State Wayside)	The highest point of the Leaf Hills Moraines.
Joseph R. Brown State Wayside	Renville	1937	44°45′01″N 95°19′28″W / 44.750328°N 95.324425°W / 44.750328; -95.324425 (Joseph R. Brown State Wayside)	The ruins of Joseph R. Brown's three-story mansion, destroyed during the Dakota War of 1862. The ruins are on the NRHP.
Kadunce River State Wayside	Cook	1947	47°47′38″N 90°09′15″W / 47.79393°N 90.15414°W / 47.79393; -90.15414 (Kadunce River State Wayside)	Lake Superior shoreline around the mouth of the variably spelled Kadunce River. Formerly Kodonce River State Park.
Ray Berglund State Wayside	Cook	1951	47°36′32″N 90°46′10″W / 47.60894°N 90.76943°W / 47.60894; -90.76943 (Ray Berglund State Wayside)	A memorial at the mouth of the Onion River to a St. Paul businessman and conservationist, on land donated by his friends.
St. Croix Boom Site State Wayside	Washington	2016	45°05′02″N 92°47′14″W / 45.08386°N 92.78731°W / 45.08386; -92.78731 (St. Croix Boom Site State Wayside)	Commemorates the site of a log boom where timber was sorted. Became a state wayside in 2016 following a facelift of facilities formerly owned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Sam Brown Memorial State Wayside	Traverse	1929	45°35′46″N 96°50′29″W / 45.59616°N 96.84141°W / 45.59616; -96.84141 (Sam Brown State Wayside)	Created to honor Joseph R. Brown's son Samuel J. Brown, "the Paul Revere of the West," who rode 120 miles (190 km) through a storm on April 19, 1866 to warn of an expected Dakota attack. Formerly Sam Brown State Park.

State trails

Future trails

Since Minnesota state parks and trails are authorized by the state legislature, some trails have been established in state statute, yet no usable mileage has been constructed.

Former parks

Several units added to the Minnesota state park system over the years have since been redesignated or transferred to other agencies, including the system's very first unit, Camp Release State Memorial Wayside, created in 1889. 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. Four of these units were redesignated as state waysides and are listed above. The other former units were:

Former name	Date established	Date redesignated	Result	Image
Alexander Ramsey State Park	1911	1957	Transferred to Redwood Falls as a city park.
Birch Cooley Battle Field State Memorial Park	1929	1976	Transferred to Minnesota Historical Society.
Camp Release State Memorial Wayside	1889	1975	Redesignated Camp Release State Monument.
Chippewa Mission State Memorial Wayside	1931	1973	Transferred to Minnesota Historical Society.
Horace Austin State Park	1913	1949	Transferred to Austin as a city park.
Garvin Heights State Park	1922	1961	Transferred to Winona as a city park.
Kaplan Woods State Park	1935	1963	Part demolished to build a highway, remainder transferred to Owatonna as a city park.
Little Elbow Lake State Park	1963	1989	Transferred to White Earth Indian Reservation.
Old Crossing Treaty Historic Wayside	1931	1987	Parts transferred to Red Lake County and University of Minnesota Crookston, remainder added to Huot Wildlife Management Area.
Oronoco Park (later Oronoco State Scenic Reserve)	1937	1965	Transferred to Olmsted County.
Pine Tree State Park	1947	1965	Transferred to Blackduck as a city park.
Pomme de Terre Recreational Reserve	1937	1965	Transferred to Morris as a city park.
Sleepy Eye State Park	1921	1965	Transferred to Sleepy Eye as a city park.
Toqua Lakes State Park	1921	1965	Transferred to Big Stone County as a county park.
Traverse des Sioux State Park	1905	1981	Transferred to Minnesota Historical Society and city of St. Peter.
Watson State Wayside	1941	1959	Transferred to Watson as a city park.