These are the six sites in Minnesota administered by the United States National Park Service (NPS.)
- Grand Portage National Monument, Grand Portage, Google map, National Park Service website
- Mississippi National River and Recreation Areas, 72 miles of riverfront stretching from Dayton, north of the Twin Cities, to the Saint Croix River, Visitor Center in Saint Paul Science Museum, Google map, NPS website
- North Country National Scenic Trail (parts in Minnesota,) the Minnesota portion goes north from the Wisconsin border near Duluth along the North Shore (The Superior Hiking Trail) then turns west and goes to the Dakotas, Google map, NPS website
- Pipestone National Monument, Pipestone, Google map, NPS website
- Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (with Wisconsin,) Visitor Center in Saint Croix Falls, WI, Google map, NPS website
- Voyageurs National Park, International Falls, Google map, NPS website
- The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, is managed by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, instead of the National Park Service.
Note: Isle Royale National Park, Google map, (NPS website) is technically in Michigan, but is most easily reached by ferry from Grand Portage, Minnesota.
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Click here for a complete list of United States National Park Service sites.
Note that as of November 2020, the National Parks will be free for all military veterans and Gold Star families (families of an enlisted service member killed in action.)
More info from MNTrips
See the list of all Minnesota State Parks, including basic permit information. We also have a list of all Minnesota Historical Society sites. We’re adding our commentary to the park and historical sites as we visit them.
Check out our recommendations for what to carry in your hiking day pack when you check out the extensive Minnesota State Park and National Park system.
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