Best State Parks in Minnesota – Where to Visit

The Best State Parks to Visit in Minnesota

Minnesota, with its vast swaths of stunning green forests and incredible blue lakes, is a paradise for outdoor adventure. These habitats not only support amazing scenery, but also fantastic wildlife as well. The hot spots for these adventures revolve around the great state parks Minnesota maintains. With activities that span throughout the year, including fishing, hiking, hunting, birding, boating, and snowmobiling, there’s never a bad time to make the trip into the vast state parks of Minnesota. Below, we’ll explore some of the very best state parks you can access from your base at Crane Lake for your next vacation!

Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park

At the northern end of the state lies the fantastic Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park. Based right on the large Lake Vermilion, there are tons of recreation opportunities on the lake and surrounding forests. At the same time, this park offers an incredibly unique underground mine experience where you can venture up to a ½ mile underground!

Things to Do Near Lake Vermilion State Park:

The activities around Lake Vermilion are plentiful. On the lake, fishing, boating, and swimming are all popular activities. In the forests, many people hike, bird, and generally enjoy the incredible wildlife across the many miles of trails. A ½ mile underground lies tours surrounding mining and physics labs.

How to Get to Lake Vermilion State Park:

Lake Vermilion State Park is situated near Voyageurs Highway around the towns of Tower and Soudan. This is a short drive west from Ely along Route 1 or going northeast along Route 169 from Virginia. 

Bear Head Lake State Park

Once voted America’s Favorite Park in 2010, Bear Head Lake State Park offers a fantastic array of activities in a beautiful space. The undisturbed shorelines and peaceful lake make for a place of pure tranquility. As far as vacation getaways go, it’s hard to beat what Bear Head Lake can offer.

Things to Do Near Bear Head Lake State Park:

The outdoor activities around Bear Head Lake State Park are truly endless. Summers offer incredible hiking trails with stunning wildlife alongside. The fishing is incredible, especially along the 23 miles of lakeshore. With campsites available, you can truly connect with the environment around you as Bear Head Lake serves as a frontier to the wilderness beyond. 

How to Get to Bear Head Lake State Park:

Bear Head Lake State Park sits right below Eagles Nest along Voyageur Highway. Eagles Nest sits squarely in between Ely to the east and Tower/Soudan to the west; only a short drive from either town.

McCarthy Beach State Park

North central Minnesota has some fantastic lakes, one of which is Sturgeon Lake known for jaw-dropping sunsets. Boasting a sandy beachfront along the lake, McCarthy Beach State Park thrives in the summer with some great recreation opportunities. That said, different activities span throughout the year with nearby skiing in the winter and swimming during the summer.

Things to Do Near McCarthy Beach State Park:

Sturgeon Lake alongside McCarthy Beach State Park has a never ending supply of activities nearby. Fishing, boating, and swimming are fantastic during the summer, skiing and snowmobiling are great most of the winter. There is also no shortage of hiking trails, camping areas, and opportunities to relax.

How to Get to McCarthy Beach State Park:

McCarthy Beach State Park sits along Highway 5 at Side Lake. The park sits directly north of Chisolm and Hibbing while directly south of Bear River and Meadow Brook.

Scenic State Park

Located in northern Minnesota in Bigfork, Scenic State Park is among the most tranquil parks in a sea of tranquil forests. Scenic State Park is known particularly for its peaceful setting, with loads of untouched forest to enjoy. The activities are top notch year-round that keep people coming back annually.

Things to Do Near Scenic State Park:

The peaceful forests of Scenic State Park are truly second to none. With tons of hiking trails winding throughout, there are loads of cool places to find. On top of that, Scenic State Park has fantastic fishing and canoeing across one of the lakes in the cluster of water around the park. Campgrounds are plentiful to help you connect with the land that much more.

How to Get to Scenic State Park:

Just off Scenic Highway, Scenic State Park sits just outside the town of Bigfork. A short drive north on Route 38 to reach Effie. A longer drive south along Route 38 will eventually reach Grand Rapids.

Franz Jevne State Park

At the northern tip of Minnesota lies the Franz Jevne State Park along the incredible Rainy River. Known for fantastic fishing, Rainy River and Franz Jevne State Park have a load of engaging activities to blow your mind. On the quiet end, Franz Jevne State Park is a wonderful getaway throughout the year.

Things to Do Near Franz Jevne State Park:

Known particularly for fantastic summer activities, Franz Jevne State Park is an amazing getaway. Rainy River is famous for its fishing, with opportunities for Lake Sturgeon, bass, pike, crappie, and more. The surrounding forests have no shortage of scenic hiking trails to show off the landscape and overlook the water.

How to Get to Franz Jevne State Park:

Franz Jevne State Park sits along the Canadian border in Birchdale Minnesota along State Highway 11. Franz Jevne State Park sits about halfway between For Frances/Pelland to the east and Baudette to the west.

Big Bog State Recreation Area

Alongside Upper Red Lake lies the Big Bog Recreation Area with a ton of unique recreation activities for the adventurer. The surrounding lakes and forests are incredible to look at/experience while the unique mile-long boardwalk allows you to explore the bog.

Things to Do Near Big Bog State Recreation Area:

There is no shortage of activities at the Big Bog State Recreation Area. The mile-long boardwalk is one of the central features, but there are also great swimming, fishing, and boating opportunities on the water. What’s more, the wildlife is absolutely incredible, with rare birds and unique plants scattered throughout the unique landscape. Hunting opportunities also exist at certain times of year. With year-round camping opportunities, there is never a bad time to experience the Big Bog.

How to Get to Big Bog State Recreation Area:

Big Bog State Recreation Area sits in Waskish along Route 72. Straight to the north along Route 72 gets you to Baudette while a short drive south along 72 reaches Kelliger, Shooks, and Northome.

Hayes Lake State Park

Hayes Lake, along the Roseau River, is another incredible spot to be found and explored in Northern Minnesota. Crowded with incredible wildlife and surrounded by history, Hayes Lake State Park is truly special. The recreation opportunities are plentiful and high quality while spanning throughout the year; a truly must-visit park. 

Things to Do Near Hayes Lake State Park:

The recreation opportunities of Hayes Lake State Park are incredible. The warmer weather offers excellent fishing and boating while the bog boardwalk gives incredible views. Hiking trails are scattered about, and there are even horseback riding opportunities. The wildlife around the park is amazing, especially the shorebirds around the bog. 

How to Get to Hayes Lake State Park:

Hayes Lake State Park sits along Thompson Forest Road in Roseau. Getting there, you can drive east off Route 89 between Wannaska and Torfin. Then there is Winner that sits nearby to the east of the park along Winner Forest Road while Warroad sits northeast of the park. 

Zippel Bay State Park

Along the northern tip of Minnesota, along the famous Lake of the Woods, sits the incredible Zippel Bay State Park. With year-round recreation opportunities, stunning scenery, and the humongous Lake of the Woods, Zippel Bay State Park is a truly special space to explore. With activities for everyone in the family, fantastic experiences await those who venture to Zippel Bay.

Things to Do Near Zippel Bay State Park:

Lake of the Woods provides an incredible list of recreation at Zippel Bay State Park. The fishing is great, the birds are astonishing, and the hiking trails are plentiful. There are plenty of camping opportunities at some local state forests campgrounds. A sandy beach also exists in Zippel Bay for fantastic opportunities to relax. 

How to Get to Zippel Bay State Park:

Zippel Bay State Park is relatively easy to get to as it’s a short drive off County Road 8 NW. A short drive east from the park quickly reaches Wheelers Point, Hackett, and the start of the Rainy River. A short drive southwest will quickly get you to Williams, Minnesota.

Garden Island State Recreation Area

Only accessible by watercraft during the summer or snowmobile during the winter, Garden Island is one of the most remote recreation areas in the state. With that remoteness come extremely unique opportunities and fantastic, largely undisturbed wildlife. Located near the top of the ginormous Lake of the Woods, Garden Island is a unique place that many people don’t know about.

Things to Do Near Garden Island State Recreation Area:

Sandy beaches and picnic areas await those who trek out to Garden Island. Surrounding these areas are stunning forests and the incredible Lake of the Woods that offers legendary fishing opportunities including fantastic walleye chances. With snowmobiling available, especially when the lake freezes, there are great recreation opportunities on this remote island. 

How to Get to Garden Island State Recreation Area:

As mentioned, you’ll need to use a watercraft during the summer or snowmobile when frozen to reach Garden Island State Recreation Area. At the northern end of Lake of the Woods, this super remote island is super special. Long Point marks the closest spot to launch from while Wheelers Point and Warroad are further away, but still available for starting the journey out.

Lake Bronson State Park

At the northwestern corner of Minnesota lies the hidden Lake Bronson State Park. Another destination with incredible scenery, Lake Bronson boasts extensive hiking trails and the largest observation tower in a Minnesota state park. Unique habitats create unique opportunities to see wildlife, especially the birds.

Things to Do Near Lake Bronson State Park:

Lake Bronson offers some great recreation, especially around the shoreline. Camping and hiking opportunities are plentiful; prairie and aspen habitat creates great places for birdwatching and spotting other, larger wildlife. The largest observation tower in a Minnesota state park, Lake Bronson offers some truly amazing scenery.

How to Get to Lake Bronson State Park:

Lake Bronson State Park sits right along Route 59 in the northwest corner of Minnesota. Nearby towns include Karlstad to the southeast, also along Route 59 and Lancaster to the northwest along Route 59. 

This northeast Minnesota territory is part of Voyageurs National Park and offers many outdoor activities, such as kayaking, biking, hiking, and backpacking. Visitors from all over Minnesota, Wisconsin, and beyond travel to Crane Lake to enjoy the vast wilderness and explore the beauty of its many lakes and waterways. There are many local accommodations from cabin rentals to fishing tours with family fun activities for all ages. Contact us today to learn more about Crane Lake and plan your visit!

Plan Your Trip Today & Stay at Crane Lake!

With tons of incredible recreation and wildlife opportunities to be had at the amazing state parks scattered along Northern Minnesota, visiting these special places should be a no-brainer. Still, many people are unaware of just how amazing these state parks can be, which creates more opportunities for the rest of us to enjoy these incredible places. No matter your flavor of recreation, no matter the season, Minnesota state parks can be your home for exploring the outdoors. Plan your trip today to see for yourself how special this state is!