3 Minnesota State Parks Where Camping Is Not Allowed

I never realized I made this assumption until today. I always thought that one staple of a state park is that there's camping available. Apparently, that's not true!

In Minnesota, we have 64 state parks (that's crazy!), but there are 3 of them that don't allow camping. Yes, there are still 61 other options, so it's not like that's an issue, I was just really surprised to learn about this.

Minnesota also has a few state recreation areas. Some allow camping, but some don't. So why don't we call these 3 state parks that don't allow camping 'recreation areas'? I'm sure there's a reason for it, but that's not what we're here to talk about today!

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Minnesota State Parks That Don't Allow Camping

These three state parks don't allow camping. And in case you were wondering, no, you can't just go set up camp there anyway, that's not allowed either.

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Up first, Fort Snelling State Park in St. Paul.

Fort Snelling doesn't allow any kind of camping. However, you can go fishing, hit up the hiking and biking trails, and visit the visitors center to learn more about the area.

Another state park that doesn't allow camping is Grand Portage State Park in Grand Portage.

It's unfortunate that there's no camping here because Grand Portage is awesome.

This state park is home to Minnesota's tallest waterfall. It also has a ton of history; you can learn about the Ojibwe, their traditions, and the trading trail that ran through the area. It's also home to the Grand Portage National Monument, which is super cool.

My husband and I went a few years ago and would definitely recommend! There are other parks nearby where you can camp. We stayed at Judge C. R. Magney State Park.

And finally, John A. Latsch State Park in Altura.

Like the others, John A. Latsch has some hiking trails to explore and great views. It also has "a strenuous half-mile hike up to the top of Mount Charity." The hike is all stairs. They say the view is totally worth it, though.