History

• The second-oldest state park (after New York's Niagara Falls park) in the United States is Minnesota's Itasca State Park. Created in 1891 to protect against logging, Itasca is part of the state's well-planned parks system. No state park is more than 50 miles from a resident.
  
  

Features

• Minnesota's parks are open 365 days a year. Annual state permits are available, enabling visitors to experience unlimited access to not only the parks, but also other recreation areas.
  
  

Novelty

• Geocaching is a relatively new sport that combines GPS navigation devices that enable users to participate in a high-tech form of treasure hunting. All of Minnesota's state parks offer the popular activity.
  
  

Warning

• Do not bring any old firewood to the state's parks because it is against the law. If you want to build a campfire, purchase firewood from an approved vendor near the park site. The goal is to keep different invasive pests from endangering trees.
  
  

Lodging

• A tent is not necessarily for everyone. That is why the state offers listings of rental cabins and even private houses that are located in or near the parks and available to visitors.