Favorite State Park

[Big Dave2]

Just came back from spending the weekend at Jay Cooke State Park. I have to say I was very impressed, very nice park. It is now one of my favorites probably right next to Itasca State Park but I will be the first to admit that we have not utilized State Parks enough while camping.

What is your favorite Minnesota State Park and why?

[upnorth]

Depends.

Temperance is our Fav in the fall. The fall colors and the hiking are nothing short of spectacular.

Gooseberry in the spring. The Falls and hiking in the spring are very cool.

Jay Cooke cuz there is always good hiking or Xcountry skiing.

[Jarrid Houston]

Tough ?, I love any park, but I truly love being as north as one can get. I love the start of ole Miss, and where Itaska is located is in the heart of great woods and waters! I also love the N Shore parks as well, and think that they are all awesome spots for fall colors. There are also great Sconnie spots to i.e. Amnicon & Pattison hold sweet scenery and pretty fall colors, not to mention they both have water falls.

[Powerstroke]

I will be blasphemis and say that I have never camped at the "top-ranked" parks like Gooseberry,Itasca etc. I've never even been to Itasca.

I have done the cart-in camp at Split-Rock lighthouse and site 19 is my favorite. On a rock bluff over the lake and its all the way in. I've been to most of the north shore state parks, but rarely camp there because they are so busy.

As far as our favorites, we like almost all of them. We've stayed at around 20 of them. My favorites include Bear Head, Forestville, Camden and Whitewater.

This weekend we are staying at Glacial Lakes and I want to get into Sibley, but its always booked.

I will say that my least favorite park so far was Great Bluffs. It had a couple neat hiking trails, but otherwise lacked in every way.

My $25 state park sticker is probably my number one investment every year.

[chasineyes]

We love Jay Cooke, due to proximity to Duluth. You can camp for 20$ vs. $200 for a hotel in Duluth!!!!

Plus the kids can throw rocks ALL DAY LONG in the river or at Lake Superior. Very cheap entertainment.

[lucky]

We like jay cook and it has lots of hiking. Our favorite would have to be scenic SP. Very quiet and pretty also they have boat in sites.

[mtwalleye]

We really like Bear Head and Whitewater. Favorite would be Bear Head.

[reinhard1]

my favorite is Bearhead as well. great location, great staff, fishing has always been good for me, and something to do for everyone. i like the 10 mile per hour speed limit on the lake plus two trout lakes within the park. good luck.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Bearhead and Whitewater are way over rated. Stay away from those two

[nige]

Bearhead and Itasca for me

[Bran32]

I will have to say Itasca but I cannot wait until Vermillion gets opened up!! But Jay Cooke is up there as well for me and it sounds like I will have to make a trip to Bearhead!! I pretty much love something about all of the ones I have been to!!

[reinhard1]

one thing about the new vermillion park once it opens up, it will be easier to get into Bearhead as far as reservations. however i think vermillion will be a super park once it opens up. good luck.

[titelines]

For my money you can't beat Tettegouche. You've got the river mouth and great campsites, but what does it for me is the hiking. Along the shore it's great, but go into the woods and it's awesome. There's a seven or so mile loop that goes back to the old camp and Micmac/Tettegouche/Nipisquit lakes, then circles back. There's also a few spurs that take you to the overlooks. Great skiing and snowshoeing in the winter too. We rented a few of the camp cabins one New Year's too and it was a blast.

[OnAFly]

I'll second Tettagouche. There is one camp site in particular there that is my favorite. Right on the lake and river mouth. You can't beat it waking up to that.

[itchmesir]

Judge CR Magney... Small.. beautiful.. Devil's Kettle is amazing..

Tettegouche is just too dern busy.. I like camping in peace..

[fishwater]

Crosby Manitou is my favorite state park. Lots of nice ones. Blue Mounds is a great small one too.

[CrappiesNCats]

The off the beaten path parks are my favorite. I loved VISITING Sibley, but we stayed at Monson Lake. Small, quiet campground on a nearly undisturbed lake. Sibley was too busy for my tastes, but was a great place for a day visit. I think if I camped at Sibley I'd want to do a few of the sites away from the main campground. Their RV sites make me happy to be a tenter as I think you can reach through your camper and high five the folks in the next camper over.

Caught several bass on Monson including a PB 20.5" 5lb+

[itchmesir]

The off the beaten path parks are my favorite. I loved VISITING Sibley, but we stayed at Monson Lake. Small, quiet campground on a nearly undisturbed lake. Sibley was too busy for my tastes, but was a great place for a day visit. I think if I camped at Sibley I'd want to do a few of the sites away from the main campground. Their RV sites make me happy to be a tenter as I think you can reach through your camper and high five the folks in the next camper over.

Caught several bass on Monson including a PB 20.5" 5lb+

just looked at the dnr site... i may have to check this place out next year

[toughguy]

+1 for Whitewater. Cool area of the state!