State parks, recreation areas and trails offer abundance of recreation opportunities Memorial Day weekend (published May 15, 2025)

In preparation for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is highlighting recreation opportunities across the state park, recreation area and trail system.

“We are honored to welcome visitors for a weekend of outdoor recreation and reflection over Memorial Day weekend,” said Ann Pierce, DNR Parks and Trails director. “State parks, recreation areas, trails and water recreation sites serve as sanctuaries for people to connect with nature, pass on a love of the outdoors to younger generations and create lasting memories. We welcome everyone to come out and enjoy the beauty and healing powers of nature.”

The DNR’s summer activities guide is a great place to start planning a Memorial Day weekend outing to a state park, recreation area, forest or trail. The guide lists warm weather activities for people of all ages and interests.

Fish, birds, bogs and more!

Many state parks and recreation areas offer events and programs led by interpretive naturalists. Participants can learn about wildlife, plants, park history, outdoor skills and more. There are 68 programs scheduled across the state from Friday, May 23 through Monday, May 26. Most naturalist events are free to attend, though some require reservations. Check the online events calendar for a full list of programming.

Walk, pedal, roll and ride on state trails

Minnesota offers more than 1,500 miles of state trails. Many state trails are paved, making them a great option for bikers, in-line skaters, and people using mobility devices or strollers. Some state trails are open to motorized use or horseback riding. State trails do not require a vehicle permit, but equestrians need a horse pass and off-road vehicles need to be registered to use state trails. Find trail maps on the state trails website.

Borrow equipment to try a new activity

Most state parks and recreation areas offer some equipment that can be borrowed at no charge, so visitors can try a new activity before purchasing their own gear. Fishing kits, birding kits, kids’ discovery kits and GPS units are available on a first come, first served basis at many park offices. Find what equipment is available to borrow where on the DNR’s borrow free equipment web page.

Enjoy the water

Minnesota is known for water recreation, and paddling is a popular activity. To learn about state water trails for a paddling trip, visit the DNR’s water trails web page.

If you don’t have a watercraft of your own, 32 state parks offer rentals, including canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. Life jackets are included with rentals. In addition, state parks and recreation areas are home to hundreds of lakes and many swimming beaches perfect for a day of play or relaxation. Use the ParkFinder tool to find parks with swimming beaches and rentals.

Very limited camping reservations are available

Camping and lodging in state parks and recreation areas requires a reservation, and at this time, 94 percent of available camping and lodging is booked for the three-day Memorial Day weekend. People looking for a camping reservation will find the most openings in northwest Minnesota. Locations with 10 or more available campsites include Hayes Lake, Lake Bronson, McCarthy Beach, Schoolcraft and Zippel Bay state parks and Red River State Recreation Area. Campers looking for a one- or two-night reservation will find more openings.

Campers who don’t have a reservation may consider state forest campgrounds, where all campsites are available on a first come, first served basis. Find these campgrounds on the camping in Minnesota state forests webpage. To pay state forest camping fees, campers should arrive at the campground, find a campsite, then pay for their camping fees. Camping fee payment can be made online using information at the campground. There is also a mail-in payment option for locations without good cell service.

Check visitor alerts before leaving home

State park and recreation area websites post visitor alerts to communicate important information related to safety, closures, construction projects and other helpful details. Find visitor alerts on individual park websites.

Practice campfire safety

Wildfire risk across Minnesota is currently high. Before lighting a campfire over the holiday weekend, check for any burning restrictions in the area on the DNR’s burning restrictions webpage. For a safe campfire, use only dedicated fire rings in campgrounds and picnic areas. Always supervise your fire; keep it small, not tall; and make sure it’s fully extinguished and there are no smoldering coals before leaving. Have a shovel and water available at the campfire site for extinguishing campfires. For more tips, visit the campfire safety webpage.

Expect crowds, purchase permits in advance

State parks and recreation areas are a popular choice for Memorial Day weekend outings, and we expect high visitation levels. DNR recommends buying vehicle permits in advance at mndnr.gov/permit. Visitor numbers typically peak between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Visitors wishing to avoid crowds can consider coming earlier or later in the day. State parks and recreation areas are open for day use from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

For more information about any of the recreation opportunities mentioned, visit mndnr.gov.