Big Stone Lake State Park Minnesota

Big Stone Lake is 26-miles long and is located on the South Dakota-Minnesota border. The lake is the source of the Minnesota River and attracts anglers who catch walleye, northerns and bluegills. The northern section of the park, called the Bonanza Area, provides a picnic area, boat launch and a primitive group camp for guests. The area also includes the Bonanza Education Center which provides a place to discover the past and ways to preserve it. The southern section of the park, called the Meadowbrook Area, contains a campground, swimming beach and hiking trails.

Big Stone Lake State Park is part of the Minnesota River Country Landscape Region, a large area which extends almost 200 miles from Ortonville to Mankato. At one time, the landscape consisted of tall and mid-grass prairie interspersed with marshes, lakes and streams. Today, extensive farming has replaced the prairie. Cottonwoods, ash, and silver maples can be found on the lake’s shoreline.

The Bonanza Scientific and Natural Area located within the park protects more than 80 acres of native oak savanna and glacial till prairie habitat. Bonanza also includes 50 acres of oak basswood forest and spring-fed ephemeral streams. Deer, raccoons, thirteen-lined ground squirrels, meadowlarks, sedge wrens, pheasants, bobolinks, wild turkeys, thrashers, and mourning doves are sighted in the park.

Location

Big Stone Lake State Park Minnesota
35889 Meadowbrook State Park Road, Ortonville, MN 56278, United States

Hours

Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Canoe and kayaks available on weekends – Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

Fees

Park permits: $35 annual, $26 second vehicle, $12 handicapped, or $7 daily. Camping fees are separate. Book an online reservation 24 hours a day.

Contact Details

(320) 839-3663 (Phone)

(866) 857-2757 (Toll Free)

(320) 839-3676 (Fax)

Official Website: Big Stone Lake State Park Minnesota

Area Attractions

Suggested Equipment for Big Stone Lake State Park Minnesota:

Activities & Tips

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