These Most Remote State Parks In Minnesota Are The Perfect Place To Escape
By Trent Jonas|Updated on April 19, 2024(Originally published August 13, 2023)
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Trent Jonas
Author
Trent Jonas came to Minnesota to attend college - and never left. He's a Twin Cities-based writer with a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing, a Minnesota Master Naturalist, and the proud father of two adult children. With more than a decade of freelance writing experience under his belt, Trent is often out exploring his favorite topics: Minnesota's woods, lakes, and trails. Rhubarb pie is his weakness, so discovering new diners is also a passion.
I recently took a long weekend to explore the most remote state parks in Minnesota – at least for those of us who don’t live near the Canadian border – that I could reach without using a boat. Although these spots took a little extra effort to reach, the payoff in terms of thinner crowds and actually being able to book a campsite on a summer weekend was definitely worth it. Not to mention, the parks themselves are stunning.
I set up my base camp at the Lady's Slipper Campground at Zippel Bay State Park. The park's three campgrounds offer wooded sites with good separation from your neighbors. Each campground has a vault toilet and a hand pump for drinking water. There are showers, bathrooms, and running water at a bathhouse near the park entrance.
Located on the southern shore of Lake of the Woods, Zippel Bay State Park has a wonderful strand of sandy beach. It's the northernmost state park in the state that you can drive to. (Garden Island State Recreation Area, an island in Lake of the Woods that's only accessible by boat when the lake isn't frozen, is probably the most remote.)
There was a restriction on burning when I visited, so I picked up a collapsible LED lantern with a flickering flame-effect at REI on the way out of town. Between the warm light and the warm nights, it was a pretty good substitute for a campfire.
On my second morning at Zippel Bay, I headed out on a day trip, eastward up the Rainy River to Franz Jevne State Park. At only 118 acres tucked against the Rainy River shoreline, it's the smallest park in the system.
Franz Jevne State Park, Minnesota 11, Birchdale, MN, USA
But it's a pleasant place to hike, with wooded trails that afford lovely views across the river to Canada. (Although, some of Canada may actually be in the park....)
From Franz Jevne, I moseyed further up the Rainy River, along the Waters of the Dancing Sky Scenic Byway, to the charming town of International Falls. I poked around town for a couple hours, grabbed some lunch, and made my way back to camp in time to enjoy the sun setting along the beach.
On the way back to my campsite at Zippel Bay, I paid a visit to the lovely town of Warroad. It's the only U.S. city on the shores of Lake of the Woods and a great place to spend some time. Of course, I had to sample some of the local wares.
On my last day, I broke camp and headed south for a stop at Big Bog State Recreation Area on my way back to the Cities. This stunning park includes a mile-long (one way) boardwalk out into the largest peat bog in the Lower 48.
At the of the boardwalk, as I looked out over the massive, seemingly endless sea of peatland, I understood how this area is home to the most remote place in Minnesota. And I was glad I had the boardwalk to guide me out of there.
If you’re looking for “state parks near me,” chances are these won’t pop up. For most of our state’s population, these Minnesota state parks are not really day trip destinations. But if you can make the time, these remote state parks in Minnesota are definitely worthy of a road trip and showcase much of what makes our state so beautiful. In fact, I think these are some of the best state parks in Minnesota!
Have you visited any of these state parks? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
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