State Park Tour

[maplelakeduckslayer]

So gf really wants to visit all the state Parks.

Final part of her Christmas present was a state park pass to start doing some trips around the state

Any recommendations from people that's been to certain ones to plan more time at some/do certain things than at others?

The mine ones sound kind of cool to me. But never been so don't know what to expect.

Her birthday is coming up eom and was thinking of giving her like a week vacation at my dad's cabin... longville area...and day tripping as many as we could while we stay. Then planning a separate trip for like the north shore in early fall...se MN in later fall...and running around to others as time permits. Maybe even get her out pheasant hunting to hit the western MN areas in the fall.

Any recommendations on areas to stay in longer or spend more time doing?

[Mallard_maniac]

I've admittedly not been to all but several.

With a better half involved, I usually try to get a camper cabin vs sleeping on the ground. The Soudan mine is pretty neat, there's a big UofM lab beneath the tourist part that if you can get a tour of is better than the normal mine. I'm not sure if either though were affected after the fire they had a few years ago in the mine shaft? Seem to remember the university part may have been closed to the public since?

SE and NE parks are my favs. Itasca is cool enough, each seems to offer a little something. Not much for the SW, W or NW parks but Blue Mounds is neat enough with the bison. The metro one's they can keep.

[kwackkillncrew]

that soudan mine was pretty sweet when i did it 20 years ago or so. I was pretty young but still remember going down in the mine shaft and on the trollies down there. Remember grabbing a bunch of iron ore and when we left i was covered in red.

[Nershi]

You may want to avoid the North Shore during the weekends. It is pretty busy up there during the summer and fall. Make sure to hike the Temperance if you head up the shore.

Jay Cooke is pretty cool in the spring when the river is high. The best hiking trails are on the opposite side of the river from the visitor center.

[Drunk_Dynasty]

Well, first you could hit Lake Maria cause of how close it is.

I’ve been to a handful but can’t say I’ve really done of exploring in any of them.

Banning State Park is really cool. Similar to Jay Cooke. The walk down by the river in winter is pretty cool or spring when it’s really going.

Lake Shetek? More like lake shit. Not much there besides a campground and lake.

Sibley State Park by new London is nice. Some good walks there, good fishing nearby.

Fort Snelling I guess.

White water state park, crowded fishing but nice.

Forrestville/Mystery Cave, fishing a little less crowded.


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[Quack]

Be very aware of bugs… if you want to get this over with quickly take her to Savanna Portage in June. The mosquitoes will absolutely carry you away.

[lanyard]

If the goal is to visit them vs camping at them all I think you'll have more fun on the journey. If camping IS the goal, I'd recommend a pop-up or other small trailer. Tenting works if you're hitting a couple each summer, wanting to stay at tents only, or take advantage of non-reservation "drop-in" sites; but since marriage isn't in the plans, no need to introduce the pain of trying to tent at all of them, unless you're looking for a reason for the break-up.

[maplelakeduckslayer]

Thanks y'all

Lol, ya we don't want to tent or stay at every one just visit. Some are hittable from home, a lot from dad's cabin. Other ones probably take some long weekend trips and find air bnbs to stay at with the dog.

We've been to Maria and a couple on the north shore already but she'd like to hit them all...

Along with all the national parks eventually. That's a lil more expensive so we'll start with the state parks and go from there lol


Overall a cheap series of things to do if it gives her something to do and keeps her happy, I'm all about that

[Fish Felon]

Become a Passport club member.

Realize there are three tiers of state parks/SRA's that need to be experienced a certain way to adequately "earn" each stamp.

Tier #1: this is the top tier....the best parks. You need to camp them for at least a weekend in order to properly experience them in a manner that is worthy of saying,

"Oh, I've been to [name of state park]."

A handful, like Itasca, I'd recommend three if not four nights to fully get the experience. My ex and I did a cart in site there for four days....had an entire small lake within the park as our view looking out from the tent with no other campers seen or heard.

Bugs were exceptionally bad though....most of MN state parks have unreal bad mosquitoes. In the case of Itasca it was mosquitoes, every type of fly and gnat imaginable. Thermacells and bug netting are necessities.

Tier #2: These are day trip ones, which a lot I'd recommend bringing a boat and launching and fishing for a day. Generally, tier #2 parks are connected to a bigger resource....whereas in tier #1 the park is the bigger resource.

Tier #3: these are the ones where it's totally acceptable...practical really....to get out of the vehicle for the stamp, drive the loop, maybe get out and walk the dog.....an hour at these parks "earns" you the stamp....you can fully experience what's there in an hour...two tops.

[lanyard]

Tier #4- she needs to give him a hummer in each.