Minnesota State Parks
One of our first purchases every spring is a Minnesota State Parks sticker for our windshield. There is no better bargain for family fun and adventure in the great Minnesota outdoors.
We raised five children and, even when they were babies, we took them camping. Though we do have some family favorites, we have enjoyed state parks from north to south in Minnesota.
The oldest, and most well known of Minnesota State Parks is Itasca State Park. Our family has close connections to this beautiful area and we continue to make new memories here every year.
This park is also one of the few places left to see stands of old growth forest represented by our magnificent Minnesota State Tree.
The state park campgrounds along the north shore of Lake Superior offer spectacular scenery. We love to score a tent spot as close to the shore as possible. We climb all over the rocky shoreline during the day, fish in the rivers that spill into the lake, make a bonfire on the beach at dusk and fall asleep in our tent to the sound of the waves. Heaven!
Tenting is not for everyone.
Minnesota RV campgrounds offer an alternative way to enjoy the state parks of Minnesota in the comfort of your "home on wheels."
Some of the most memorable times we have had with family and friends have been camping, hiking and exploring our Minnesota's state parks. We camped many times in Temperance River State Park and Tettegouche State Park.
Our favorite, "farthest north" state park is Zipple Bay on Lake of the Woods. This campground is never crowded and offers a fishing pier where we can catch walleyes to cook over our campfire.
This photo of our youngest son and his best friend is a reminder of the joy we find in these lovely places.
Minnesota state parks cover more than 260,000 acres of beautiful terrain and stunning vistas. For more about what will be happening in our beautiful state parks you can go to
Minnesota State Parks Information.
As you visit our state parks, you will discover:
- Old growth forests of ancient pine and oak
- Pristine lakes
- Cold, clear waterfalls crashing into Lake Superior
- Tall grass prairies
- Mississippi bluff country
- The "big woods" of southeastern Minnesota
The 66 parks that make up the Minnesota state park system each have their own unique character and beauty given their location. The challenge, even to life-long residents, is to explore as many of our beautiful parks as possible. So many parks; so little time! The other difficult decision is whether to visit a park that is new to us or to revisit a place that already holds wonderful memories.
For an overview of all 66 parks, just download the PDF file below. Once you have opened the file, or saved it to your computer, be sure to resize it (using the toolbar) so you can read it easily.
Minnesota State Parks Guide
Watch and listen as Ranger Paul shares
his favorite State Park campgrounds
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