Minnesota National Parks

Minnesota national parks honor European and Native American history, culture, and commerce. You can also take time to enjoy the recreational opportunities along our nation’s longest river or walking among the many hiking trails, natural and geologic formations that make this state special.

Visit These Minnesota National Parks:

Grand Portage National Monument: Voyageurs – French for "travelers." The hardy French Canadians were more at home in birchbark canoes than on land. Their reputation for working energetically without complaint, chanting nostalgic French songs as they paddled, and vigorously defending the honor of folk heroes. "There is no life so happy as a voyageur’s life," reminisced one who retired after 41 years.

Grand Portage Weather     Grand Portage Ratings

Mississippi National River & Recreation Area: From northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River flows on, remembering its past, nurturing the present, and shaping the future. Fed by 250 tributaries in 31 states from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians, the Mighty Mississippi ripples with stories of people and places reflecting major scenes in the great American pageant.

Mississippi River Weather

North Country National Scenic Trail: Our northern tier of States offers some of the most outstanding scenic beauty to be found anywhere in America. The "North Country" is a land of diversity whose beauty is accentuated by its distinctly changing seasons. As you travel the North Country, the hills and valleys, lakes and streams, show how the glaciers molded the landscape. Historic sites along the way tell the story of how America was settled and grew as a nation.

North Country Ratings

Pipestone National Monument: Across the Great Plains, the stories of the pipestone pipes differ from Sioux to Crow, from Blackfoot to Pawnee. Variation is one indication of the geographical extent to which the red stone and pipes were used and traded. The reverence with which the stories are passed down through generations is testimony to their importance.

Voyageurs National Park: Nearly 200 years ago voyageurs paddled birch bark canoes full of animal pelts and trade goods through this area on their way to Lake Athabaska, Canada. Today, people explore the park by houseboat, motorboat, canoe and kayak. Voyageurs is a water-based park where you must leave your car and take to the water to fully experience the lakes, islands and shorelines of the park.

Voyageurs Weather