Tiny But Mighty, The Smallest State Park In Minnesota Is A Hidden Gem Worth Exploring
By Melissa Mahoney|Published September 06, 2022
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
St. Croix State Park is Minnesota’s largest state park at 34,000 acres. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the smallest state park in Minnesota, the Franz Jevne State Park. It may be small at less than 120 acres, but it’s certainly a hidden gem worth exploring.
If you're looking for peace and quiet, Franz Jevne State Park is quite a hidden gem. And it's only 118 acres!
Although small in size, it's no less scenic than any of Minnesota's larger state parks. With its location along the Rainy River in Birchdale, the Franz Jevne State Park offers a little something for everyone.
To explore the park, 2.5 miles of hiking trails will take you through a forest filled with pine and birch trees. And in the winter, visitors can snowshoe through this tiny, secluded parcel of land.
If you have a boat, bring it along and launch it at the public boat ramp. Bring your fishing poles, too, as the Rainy River is an excellent fishing spot.
Camping is an option here as well. There are 18 drive-in campsites that are first come, first serve. Two of these sites have electric hookups. Three RV sites can accommodate an RV up to 30 feet as well.
Have you been to the Franz Jevne State Park, the smallest state park in Minnesota yet? If not, you should make a plan to go! To learn more about this tiny hidden gem park, visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.