Minnesota DNR Offers 4th Of July Activity Ideas At State Parks

If you're looking for a way to celebrate America's 250th birthday by enjoying some of the natural beauty our country has to offer, the Minnesota DNR is floating out some great ideas at the state's many parks.

Minnesota has a total of 64 state parks, along with 9 state recreation areas, that combine to offer thousands of campsites and a multitude of hiking, wildlife viewing, fishing, and many other outdoor activities.

The Minnesota DNR says most Minnesotans live within 30 miles of at least one of these state parks or recreation areas, which means a quick trip to a beautiful place meant for exploring and enjoying is easy to do.

With the 4th of July holiday coming up in just a matter of days, the Minnesota DNR is offering some ideas on ways to make the most of these outdoor opportunities this summer. Some of them might seem obvious, but some you might not know about.

READ MORE: Northern Minnesota & Northern Wisconsin 4th Of July Fireworks & Community Festivities Guide

Camping is something you'll probably want to act quickly on. Sites fill up fast for big holiday weekends, especially at the state's most popular parks. You can conveniently see what camping or lodging options (it isn't just tent/RV camping sites!) are available and book your desired accommodations via the DNR's reservations page.

Watercraft rentals give you the option to spend time on the water. A number of state parks offer canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard rentals. The cost for any of these is $15 for a half-day rental and $25 for a full-day rental, plus tax. You can see what parks offer each of these on the DNR's paddle rentals page.

Beach time is an option at several Minnesota State Parks, with more than 25 parks and recreation areas offering public swimming beaches. You can see them all here.

Fishing opportunities are available at many state parks, with several even having loaner gear to try your hand at fishing if you don't have your own gear. You can learn more about fishing opportunities at Minnesota's state parks here.

Tours and programs are regularly offered at Minnesota's parks, and there are several planned for the 4th of July holiday weekend.

Get our free mobile app

Some of the tours available include prairie and bison tours at Blue Mounds State Park, Mystery Cave tours in Minnesota's longest cave at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, and underground mine tours into Minnesota's deepest mine at Lake Vermilion Soudan Underground Mine State Park. 

You can see more of the tours available around the state on the Minnesota DNR's tours page, and you can also see all of the events and programs planned for the holiday weekend on the Minnesota DNR's parks and trails events calendar.