These 10 Small Towns In Minnesota Have Stunning State Parks Right In Their Backyard
Minnesota has plenty of beautiful small towns and stunning state parks, and nothing is more perfect than when the two come together. It’s fortunate enough to have an adorable town conveniently next to a recreation destination. These 10 are some of the best small towns with gorgeous state parks to visit in Minnesota.
Beaver Creek Valley State Park has gorgeous hiking paths and perfect views of Southern Minnesota scenery just miles away from Caledonia, a small city of fewer than 2,800 residents.
Read our previous coverage to learn more about Beaver Creek Valley State Park.
Beaver Creek Valley State Park, County Road 1, Caledonia, MN, USA
Near this charming southwestern Minnesota city of approximately 4,500 people, the historic and amazing Blue Mounds State Park offers a prairie escape like no other. You can even see buffalo roaming here.
Read our previous coverage to learn more about Blue Mounds State Park.
Blue Mounds State Park, 1410 161st St, Luverne, MN 56156, USA
This adorable town of 200 is the Gateway to Lake Shetek where a stunning state park encompasses plenty of recreation land to enjoy. It may be one of the most beautiful state parks in Minnesota.
Read our previous coverage to learn more about Lake Shetek State Park.
Lake Shetek State Park, 163 State Park Rd, Currie, MN 56123, USA
Beautiful hidden falls and much more await at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park close to the small, beautiful town of the same name with just over 300 residents. You find plenty of things to do outside in Minnesota here.
Visit the Nerstrand Big Woods State Park web page for more information.
There's no doubt that the views in Lake Bronson are stunning with a state park on the same body of water! It's one of the best state parks in Minnesota.
Read our previous coverage to learn more about Lake Bronson State Park.
County Road 28, County Rd 28, Lake Bronson, MN 56734, USA
A few miles from the adorable town of Tofte on Highway 61 you can find the massive and gorgeous Tettegouche State Park with views of Lake Superior of no other. It's considered one of the best state parks in Minnesota.
Read our previous coverage to learn more about Tettegouche State Park.
The historic and beautiful Hill Annex Mine State Park is right next to Calumet, a small town with just over 400 residents. It's one of the most fascinating state parks to visit in Minnesota.
Read our previous coverage to learn more about Hill Annex Mine State Park.
Next to this small town of 1,100, you'll find one of the most stunning river parks in Minnesota. Jay Cooke State Park has beautiful hiking trails, stunning falls, and the historic swinging bridge.
Visit the Jay Cooke State Park web page for more information.
Epic views can be found right in Bigfork's backyard at Scenic State Park in Northern Minnesota. Offering numerous things to do outside in Minnesota, this is one state park you won't want to miss!
Visit the Scenic State Park web page for more information.
56956 Scenic Hwy, Bigfork, MN 56628, USA
How many of these towns with state parks to visit in Minnesota have you been to before? Did you visit only the town or the park as well? Let us know about your experience in the comments!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
The OIYS Visitor Center
State Parks To Visit In Minnesota
February 15, 2022
Melissa M.
What is the largest state park in Minnesota?
The largest state park at 34,000 acres is St. Croix State Park in Hinckley. It borders two rivers and offers enough outdoor recreation to keep you busy all year long. And if you’re curious about the smallest state park in Minnesota, it’s the 118-acre Franz Jevne State Park in Birchdale.
What are the best campgrounds in Minnesota?
Did you know that you can camp within a number of Minnesota’s state parks? Some, like Bear Head Lake State Park in Ely and Itasca State Park in Park Rapids, even offer year-round camping. You can find out more in this post.
What are the best hiking trails in Minnesota?
With all the options in Minnesota, how about some of the best shorter hikes that are under five miles? From the Quarry Loop Trail in Banning State Park to the Cascades Loop at Cascade River State Park, there’s plenty of scenery to view and you don’t even have to hike that far!
Minnesota In Your Inbox
Thank you! You'll receive your first newsletter soon!
Minnesota staff writer for Only in Your State and owner of Minnesota blog NorthGuide.co, I'm a Minneapolis transplant who loves my cats, camera, and local coffee. On the weekends I'm usually exploring the North Shore or making my way through the list of Minnesota's State Parks. Want to talk about MN or ask me a question? Tweet me @sotafiedjo!
