Campsites still available at Minnesota state parks for Labor Day weekend

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Drive-in, backpack, and group campsites still available at Minnesota state parks for Labor Day weekend
(Released August 30, 2010)


The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has good news for anyone who hasn’t made plans for Labor Day weekend yet: there are still plenty of campsites available at Minnesota state parks and recreation areas.

Although it’s been a busy summer and reservable sites are all spoken for at some parks, other parks have vacancies in the double digits.

And there’s more good news: up to 30 percent of the campsites at each park are unreservable, so those sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Six of the parks with at least 10 reservable sites available both Friday, Sept. 3, and Saturday, Sept. 4, (as of Aug. 26) are within 100 miles of the Twin Cities:

Flandrau State Park (New Ulm), which has a swim pond popular with families on hot days.
Minneopa State Park (Mankato), which has a beautiful double waterfall.
Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area (Jordan), which includes a multi-use trail that runs parallel to the Minnesota River, an ideal spot for hiking, biking, and inline skating.
Myre-Big Island State Park (Albert Lea), where visitors enjoy canoeing, kayaking, and birdwatching on Albert Lea Lake.
Rice Lake State Park (Owatonna), with campsites nestled under tall hardwoods and opportunities to observe a variety of wildflowers and waterfowl.
St. Croix State Park (Hinckley), the largest Minnesota state park, with an extensive trail system, a fire tower that visitors can climb, two scenic rivers, and canoe rentals.
There are even a few sites left at Afton State Park, where campers leave their cars behind and backpack to their sites for a wilderness-like experience just east of St. Paul.

For those willing to drive a little further, the following Minnesota state parks also have at least 10 reservable sites open: Blue Mounds, Camden, Crow Wing, Kilen Woods, Lac qui Parle, Lake Bronson, Old Mill, Scenic, Schoolcraft, Upper Sioux Agency, and Zippel Bay.

Campsites are also available at other Minnesota state parks, but in more limited numbers. Those planning to spend the weekend with friends or family may have better luck finding multiple sites together at a group camp than in the main campground. Group camps are reservable, and many of them are currently available at Minnesota state parks and recreation areas.

Camping fees at Minnesota state parks and recreation areas range from $12/night at a rustic site with no showers or flush toilets up to $28/night for a site with electricity, water, and sewer hookups. The cost to reserve a group camp ranges from $30 to $75 a night. There is also a nonrefundable reservation fee of $8.50 per campsite. No reservations are needed to camp in Minnesota state forests, where sites are sometimes easier to come by on holiday weekends, and the cost is only $12/night.

The DNR advises anyone planning to camp over the holiday weekend to make their reservations as soon as possible by calling 866-85PARKS or 866-857-2757 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily, or by visiting stayatmnparks.com.

Those without reservations will increase their chances of getting one of the non-reservable campsites by arriving at their park of choice by Thursday morning. Additional campsites open up on Sunday, as weekend visitors begin to head home. People should call the park in advance to find out how many campsites are expected to be open.

People heading to a cabin or staying at a resort, should consider visiting a nearby state park or recreation area to hike, bike, or attend one of the many interpretive programs taking place throughout the weekend.

Most interpretive programs are free, and a variety of equipment is available to check out for free at many state parks and recreation areas (i.e. GPS units for geocaching, fishing kits, birding kits, and kids activity kits), but a vehicle permit is required to enter the parks.”

A one-day permit cost $5. Year-round permits, $25, provide unlimited access to all 73 Minnesota state parks and recreation areas for a full year from the month of purchase.

For details on Minnesota’s state parks, including descriptions of each park’s scenery, wildlife, and recreational opportunities, call 651-296-6157 or toll-free 888-646-6367 or visit mndnr.gov/parksandtrails.