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38-540: There are 64 state parks , nine state recreation areas, nine state waysides, and 23 state trails in the Minnesota state park system, totaling approximately 267,000 acres (1,080 km). A Minnesota state park is an area of land in the U.S. state of Minnesota preserved by the state for its natural, historic, or other resources. Each was created by an act of the Minnesota Legislature and is maintained by

76-526: A land lease from the U.S. government , while Mackinac National Park was handed down to become the first of the Michigan state parks . As with national parks, facilities at state parks are often leased to concessionaires to operate. Breaks Interstate Park is operated under an interstate compact by Virginia state parks , although it is also one of the Kentucky state parks , straddling both sides of

114-589: A few exceptions such as Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California, and Wood-Tikchik State Park in Alaska, the largest state park in the United States . In addition to preserving natural landscapes and providing recreational opportunities, many state parks also serve as important educational resources . They often offer guided tours, interpretive programs, and exhibits that help visitors learn about

152-498: A great amount of experience. There are over a dozen specific volunteer programs offered through the DNR that aim to preserve the state's natural beauty. The DNR offers a variety of educational resources including curriculum supplements (Project Learning Tree, Project WET, Project WILD, MinnAqua), outdoor skills and safety training, education materials (field guides, learning kits), volunteer training (Master Naturalist, hunter education), and

190-688: A political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational potential. There are state parks under the administration of the government of each U.S. state , some of the Mexican states , and in Brazil . The term is also used in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales . The equivalent term used in Canada, Argentina, South Africa, and Belgium,

228-699: A restaurant) for lodging at some parks. These typically use "Resort" in the name, such as "_____ Resort State Park" in West Virginia state parks and "_____ State Resort Park" in neighboring Kentucky state parks , which has 17 such resort parks, the most of any state. Other states use the Resort name inconsistently (like DeGray Lake Resort State Park , the only one out of three resorts in Arkansas state parks ), or have only one such park ( South Carolina state parks ' Hickory Knob State Resort Park ), or do not use

266-422: A state park with little chance of expansion, or largely local use rather than attracting visitors from all over the state and beyond. Four of these units were redesignated as state waysides and are listed above. The other former units were: Download coordinates as: State park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as

304-413: Is provincial park . Similar systems of local government maintained parks exist in other countries, but the terminology varies. State parks are thus similar to national parks , but under state rather than federal administration. Similarly, local government entities below state level may maintain parks, e.g., regional parks or county parks . In general, state parks are smaller than national parks, with

342-533: Is a "donor-supported magazine advocating conservation and careful use of Minnesota's natural resources." Most of the articles are also made available on the official DNR website. Many of the services provided by the Minnesota DNR are actually done by the more than 33,000 volunteers that actively contribute. The department has volunteer positions ranging from jobs that require little to no prior experience, to jobs that require specialists with varying skills and

380-568: Is educating the public about safety. Classes are taught by trained volunteers and are often related to the enforced laws. The division also enforces air and water quality laws. The Division of Fish and Wildlife was part of the original Department of Conservation. Originally called the Fish and Game Division, it was created to manage, protect and regulate the state's fish and wildlife resource. They also disperse licenses and recreational vehicle registrations throughout Minnesota. The Division of Forestry

418-526: The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration . Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Efforts to conserve Minnesota's wildlife began as early as 1876, with a forestry association established to protect the state's timber resources. However, those efforts became futile as the industry took over and people sought the money that could be made on the land. Over time, there were other attempts to control

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456-522: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources . The Minnesota Historical Society operates sites within some of them. The park system began in 1891 with Itasca State Park when a state law was adopted to "maintain intact, forever, a limited quantity of the domain of this commonwealth...in a state of nature." Minnesota's state park system is the second oldest in the United States , after New York 's. Minnesota's state parks are spread across

494-707: The Mississippi River . Interstate Park on the St. Croix River was created in 1895. Other sites were added over the next two decades, but with an inconsistent vision. Modest tracts of scenic land were acquired in Minneopa and Jay Cooke State Parks , but much effort was also expended on creating historical monuments relating to the Dakota War of 1862 and the Great Hinckley Fire . Moreover, most of

532-467: The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), including 22 parks with developments constructed by New Deal -era job creation programs in the 1930s. Minnesota's first attempt to create a state park came in 1885, when a 173-acre (70 ha) park was authorized to preserve Minnehaha Falls . The effort was delayed by legal appeals from the various landowners of the desired parkland, and by

570-422: The state legislature , some trails have been established in state statute, yet no usable mileage has been constructed. Several units added to the Minnesota state park system over the years have since been redesignated or transferred to other agencies, including the system's very first unit, Camp Release State Memorial Wayside , created in 1889. In most cases these decisions were due to the unit being too small for

608-643: The Department of Conservation was created, it brought together four separate state entities: forestry, game and fish, drainage and waters, and lands and timber, while adding a division of state parks and a tourist bureau as well. The Great Depression was an important time for the Department of Conservation. Federal unemployment programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration provided labor to construct buildings, clear trails, and plant trees. Many of

646-579: The buildings in Minnesota's state parks were built during this period. In 1971 the name of the agency was changed to the Department of Natural Resources to "better reflect its broader responsibilities." More sections of the Minnesota Government were added to the department and many of the division names changed. Old policies were replaced with new and more prevalent ones geared towards issues associated with an increase in state land use . The Division of Ecological and Water Resources studies

684-509: The city's disappearing lake . This resulted in the DNR getting 13 communities to adopt water conservation tactics to reduce water consumption. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources publishes a magazine called the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer . It is distributed bimonthly, mailed to subscribers the first weeks of January, March, May, July, September, and November. Minnesota Conservation Volunteer

722-414: The conservation of species that are not hunted. This would include trumpeter swans , bald eagles and Minnesota's state bird, the common loon . The division is also accountable for all lakes, rivers and streams, wetlands, and ground waters within the state. The division enforces permits implemented to protect and preserve Minnesota's water resources. The program works on observing the effects of climate on

760-476: The conservation of those species. Another part of the division's responsibilities is in managing threats against the ecosystem. These threats include: harmful invasive species, fish and wildlife diseases, and the negative impact human development can have on the environment. One of the largest programs that the Division of Ecological Resources is in charge of is Minnesota's Nongame Wildlife Program, which focuses on

798-738: The country's state parks. The NASPD further counts over 43,000 miles (69,000 km) of trail, 217,367 campsites, and 8,277 cabins and lodges across U.S. state parks. The largest state park system in the United States is Alaska State Parks , with over 100 sites encompassing 3.3 million acres. Many states include designations beyond "state park" in their state parks systems. Other designations might be state recreation areas , state beaches, and state nature reserves . Some state park systems include long-distance trails and historic sites . To encourage tourism in rural areas, several states have simple lodges, inns, hotels, or motels (usually with

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836-478: The designation at all (such as the lodges of Georgia state parks ). The term "lodge" may also refer to a hiking lodge , essentially a large cabin for hikers rather than a large facility with private rooms and a restaurant. Other lodging may include yurts and tipis . Not all parks owned by a state are necessarily part of its state-park system, such as Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta. Some Texas state parks are

874-579: The destruction of resources, but most only had effects on what was done to public land, such as the Land Commission established in 1885. In 1911 the Minnesota Division of Forestry was established to conserve the state's forests by promoting fire prevention and protection. The first agency created to protect the state's resources was founded in 1931 by the Minnesota Legislature as the Minnesota Department of Conservation . When

912-402: The ecosystems within Minnesota. They analyze the information in order to understand how the ecosystems function, how they benefit the citizens of Minnesota, how they are impacted by human use, and what long-term effects will take place on the health of the ecosystems. The division is involved in locating and protecting endangered and threatened species, as well as the habitats that are vital to

950-493: The local flora , fauna , geology , and cultural history of the area. These programs are designed not only to enhance the visitor experience but also to promote conservation awareness and encourage responsible enjoyment of natural resources. There are 6,792 state park units in the United States, according to the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD). There are some 813 million annual visits to

988-460: The sites were being administered by the state auditor, who had many other duties. Itasca State Park , meanwhile, was being administered as a state forest . In 1923, state auditor Ray P. Chase excoriated this situation, calling for wiser selection of park lands and a dedicated commissioner. Chase's comments had an impact, and two years later the Department of Conservation was created to manage

1026-600: The state government . The state park system includes nine waysides, most of them along Minnesota State Highway 61 on the North Shore . These are parcels of land too small to be full-fledged parks, but with cultural or natural resources greater than would be overseen by the Minnesota Department of Transportation as highway waysides . Generally development is limited to a parking area and a short trail; sometimes there are sanitation facilities and picnic tables as well. Since Minnesota state parks and trails are authorized by

1064-709: The state in such a way that there is a state park within 50 miles (80 km) of every Minnesotan. The most recent park created is Lake Vermilion State Park , created in 2010. The parks range in size from Franz Jevne State Park with 118 acres (48 ha) to Saint Croix State Park with 34,037 acres (13,774 ha). Two parks include resources listed as National Natural Landmarks ( Big Bog State Recreation Area and Itasca State Park ) and six parks encompass National Historic Landmarks ( Charles A. Lindbergh , Fort Snelling , Mille Lacs Kathio , St. Croix , Soudan Underground Mine , and Split Rock Lighthouse State Parks). 52 sites or districts across 34 Minnesota state parks are on

1102-474: The state line. Other multi-state parks are legally two separate parks with the same name and more informal cooperation between them. The title of oldest state park in the United States is claimed by Niagara Falls State Park in New York , established in 1885. Several public parks previously or currently maintained at the state level pre-date it. Indian Springs State Park has been operated continuously by

1140-454: The state of Georgia as a public park since 1825, although it did not gain the title "State Park" until 1931. In 1864 Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove were ceded by the federal government to California until Yosemite National Park was proclaimed in 1890. In 1878 Wisconsin set aside a vast swath of its northern forests as "The State Park" but, needing money, sold most of it to lumber companies within 20 years. Mackinac National Park

1178-457: The state's natural resources, including the state parks. Originally part of the forestry division, the state parks received their own division in 1935 to take advantage of federal programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). In 1971, the department became the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources . The state parks were closed for almost three weeks in July 2011 due to a shutdown of

List of Minnesota state parks - Misplaced Pages Continue

1216-499: The state. Itasca State Park is the second-oldest state park in the U.S., established in 1891 and contains the headwaters of the Mississippi River . The largest state park in size is the 33,895 acre (13,717 ha) Saint Croix State Park . On November 27, 2012, the White Bear Lake Restoration Association filed a lawsuit against the Minnesota DNR for what the group alleges is the agency's role in

1254-410: The time those were settled in favor of the state in 1889, Minnesota no longer had the money to purchase the land. Instead the city of Minneapolis fronted the cash. Owned and operated by Minneapolis, Minnehaha State Park was ultimately absorbed as a city park. Minnesota tried again in 1891, authorizing a state park around Lake Itasca both for its recreational opportunities and to protect the source of

1292-622: The water resources and analyzes the data in order to understand and address the impact the climate has on the Minnesota's wildlife and its citizens. As the name implies, the division focuses on the enforcement of Minnesota's natural resource laws. Originally part of the Fish and Game Division, the Enforcement Division's goal has not changed much: keep the public safe. Conservation Officers employed by this division enforce laws regarding hunting, fishing, trapping, recreational vehicles, State Parks and wild rice harvesting. A second focus

1330-754: The wildlife, so people will be able to appreciate the resources for generations. The division takes part in publishing individual water access maps by county, individual state trail maps, snowmobile trail maps, off-highway vehicle trail maps, Lake Superior kayak trail maps as well as maps of rivers within Minnesota for boaters and canoeists. The Parks and Trails Division manages 76 state park and recreation areas, 56 primitive campgrounds within Minnesota State Forests , 35 designated state water trails (totalling over 4,500 miles), over 3,000 public water accesses, over 1,300 miles of state trails (600 miles of paved trails), and over 300 fishing piers throughout

1368-473: Was established in 1875 as the second U.S. national park before being converted to a state park in 1895. The first state park with the designation of "state park" was Itasca State Park in Minnesota , established in 1891. Many state park systems date to the 1930s, when around 800 state parks (and several national ones) across the country were developed with assistance from federal job-creation programs like

1406-641: Was founded in 1911 as the Minnesota Forest Service, predating the Department of Natural Resources and its predecessor Department of Conservation. The mission of the Division of Forestry is to maintain healthy forests. This is done through cooperative forest management, fire management, and state land management. Cooperative management with private land owners vary and are carried out by the Forest Stewardship Program. Woodland Stewardship Plans The Parks and Trails Division

1444-505: Was part of the Minnesota Forestry Service until it was given its own division in the Department of Conservation in 1935. The Division of Parks and Trails has three major goals. The first being to preserve both natural and cultural resources in Minnesota. The second comes in educating visitors. The third goal is to support opportunities for visitors to enjoy recreational activities in the parks, without causing damage to

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