List of Minnesota state parks

Map of State Parks of Minnesota
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There are 67 state parks, seven state recreation areas, eight state waysides, and 22 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. Currently 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	Area		Date established	Body of water	Coordinates	Remarks	Image
		acres	ha
Afton State Park	Washington	1,600	650	1969	St. Croix River		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		Contains undeveloped North Woods wilderness geared towards backpackers.
Glacial Lakes State Park	Pope	1,857	752	1963	Several kettle lakes		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		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		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		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		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		In development and open for limited day-use recreation.
Hayes Lake State Park	Roseau	2,118	857	1967	Hayes Lake, North Fork Roseau River		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		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		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		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		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		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		Features three steep river bluffs.
Judge C. R. Magney State Park	Cook	4,323	1,749	1957	Lake Superior, Brule River		Contains the geologically unexplained 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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		Preserves a remnant stand of Big Woods.
Old Mill State Park	Marshall	287	116	1951	Middle River		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		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		Surrounds a shallow lake which attracts migrating waterfowl.
St. Croix Islands State Recreation Area	Washington	25	10	1935	St. Croix River		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		Features a recreational reservoir on the Coteau des Prairies.
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park	Lake	2,112	855	1945	Lake Superior, Split Rock River		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		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		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		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		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		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		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		Provides water recreation and birdwatching opportunities on the shore of the country's sixth largest lake.

State waysides

The state park system includes eight 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 estab- lished	Coordinates	Remarks	Image
Caribou Falls State Wayside	Lake	1947		Includes a waterfall on the Caribou River. Formerly Caribou Falls State Park.
Devils Track Falls State Wayside	Cook	1961		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		A rocky Lake Superior beach just outside Two Harbors.
Inspiration Peak State Wayside	Otter Tail	1931		The highest point of the Leaf Hills Moraines.
Joseph R. Brown State Wayside	Renville	1937		The ruins of Joseph R. Brown's three-story mansion, destroyed during the Dakota War of 1862. The ruins are on the NRHP.
Kodonce River State Wayside	Cook	1947		Lake Superior shoreline around the mouth of the variably spelled Kadunce River. Formerly Kodonce River State Park.
Ray Berglund State Wayside	Cook	1951		A memorial at the mouth of the Onion River to a St. Paul businessman and conservationist, on land donated by his friends.
Sam Brown Memorial State Wayside	Traverse	1929		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

Trail name	Trailheads	Length in miles (km)	Surface	Remarks
Arrowhead State Trail	Tower – International Falls	135	217	Unpaved	Serves primarily as a winter snowmobile route, branching off the Taconite State Trail.
Blazing Star State Trail	Albert Lea – Myre-Big Island State Park	6	9.7	Paved	Planned to continue to Austin and connect with the Shooting Star State Trail.
Blufflands State Trail: Harmony-Preston Valley Segment	Harmony – Preston	18	29	Paved	Climbs out of the Root River Valley.
Blufflands State Trail: Root River Segment	Fountain – Houston	42	68	Paved	Extends along the Root River.
Casey Jones State Trail	Pipestone – Murray County, Lake Shetek State Park – Currie	19	31	Partly paved	Invokes legendary train engineer Casey Jones in three unconnected segments that reflect railroad and pioneer history.
Central Lakes State Trail	Osakis – Fergus Falls	55	89	Paved	Skirts a series of glacially formed lakes in Central Minnesota and connects to the Lake Wobegon Trails.
Cuyuna Lakes State Trail	Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area	6	9.7	Paved	Wends through a regenerating open-pit mining area and connects with several mountain biking trails.
Douglas State Trail	Pine Island – Rochester	13	21	Parallel paved and unpaved	Stretches through the rural scenery of a rich agricultural region.
Gateway State Trail	St. Paul – Pine Point Regional Park	18	29	Paved with 10 miles (16 km) of parallel unpaved	Extends from an urban setting to a rural park near Stillwater.
Gitchi-Gami State Trail	Gooseberry Falls State Park – Beaver Bay, Schroeder – Tofte	25	40	Paved	Runs along the shore of Lake Superior in multiple unconnected segments. Planned to run continuously from Two Harbors to Grand Marais.
Glacial Lakes State Trail	Hawick – Willmar	22	35	Parallel paved and unpaved	Traverses gently rolling glacial landforms.
Goodhue Pioneer State Trail	Red Wing – Hay Creek Township, Zumbrota	10	16	Paved with some parallel unpaved	Exists in two sections, but planned to run from Red Wing to Pine Island.
Great River Ridge State Trail	Plainview – Eyota	13	21	Paved with some parallel unpaved	Wends past the river bluffs of the Driftless Area.
Heartland State Trail	Park Rapids – Cass Lake	49	79	Paved with some parallel unpaved	Passes through mixed northern forests, intersecting with the Paul Bunyan State Trail.
Luce Line State Trail	Plymouth – Cosmos	63	101	Unpaved	Stretches from the Minneapolis suburbs out to a rural landscape.
Mill Towns State Trail	Northfield – Dundas	3	4.8	Paved	Planned to connect the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail in Faribault to the Cannon Valley Trail in Cannon Falls
Minnesota Valley State Trail	Shakopee – Belle Plaine	42	68	Mostly unpaved	Follows the Minnesota River.
North Shore State Trail	Duluth – Grand Marais	146	235	Unpaved	Traverses the inland backcountry of the North Shore, primarily as a winter snowmobile route.
Paul Bunyan State Trail	Brainerd – Lake Bemidji State Park	112	180	Paved	Comprises one of the country's longest continuously paved trails, with a planned extension to Crow Wing State Park. Intersects with the Heartland State Trail.
Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail	Faribault – Mankato	39	63	Paved with some parallel unpaved	Follows the Cannon River and passes through Sakatah Lake State Park.
Shooting Star State Trail	LeRoy – Adams	14	23	Paved	Crosses open country and passes through Lake Louise State Park.
Taconite State Trail	Grand Rapids – Ely	155	249	Mostly unpaved	Serves primarily as a winter snowmobile route, intersecting with the Arrowhead State Trail.
Willard Munger State Trail	Hinckley – Duluth, Wrenshall – Carlton, Chengwatana State Forest – Holyoke	76	122	Paved	Honors state legislator and trail advocate Willard Munger with a trail system of three segments.

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.	100px
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.

See also

• List of Minnesota state forests
• List of U.S. national parks

Further reading

• Arthur, Anne. Minnesota's State Parks. Adventure Publications, 1998. ISBN 1-885061-51-X
• Meyer, Roy Willard. Everyone's Country Estate: A History of Minnesota's State Parks. Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1991. ISBN 0-87351-266-9

External links

• Minnesota State Parks on the Department of Natural Resources website
• 2006 Minnesota Statute sec. 85.012 State parks—statutory list
• Minnesota State Park System—Legislative Auditor Report