By state

National parks in Minnesota

Every National Park Service unit in Minnesota, scored and ranked by our Experience Score.

Log buildings, stockade fence and dock near a large lake.

100ESSENTIAL NPS

National Monument · MN

Grand Portage National Monument

Grand Portage is a rare monument that earns its perfect experience score honestly.

Northern Lights over Voyageurs National Park waters

100ESSENTIAL NPS /Dimse

National Park · MN

Voyageurs National Park

Voyageurs is America's most water-dependent national park, and that is not a caveat but a selling point.

95ESSENTIAL NCTA

National Scenic Trail · MI

North Country National Scenic Trail

At nearly 4,800 miles across eight states, the North Country National Scenic Trail is less a single destination than a lifetime project.

A blue river winds through a valley lined with trees in autumn color.

92ESSENTIAL NPS / Pete Wintersteen

National Scenic Riverway · WI

Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway

Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway delivers over 200 miles of clean, navigable river corridor straddling Wisconsin and Minnesota, and it does so for free.

Large canoes and crews paddle down the river amidst autumnal color.

88ESSENTIAL NPS photo/Gordon Dietzman

National River & Recreation Area · MN

Mississippi National River & Recreation Area

Stretching 72 miles through the Twin Cities metro, this free park is genuinely unusual: a working urban river corridor where you can kayak past downtown Minneapolis, cross-country ski riverside trails in January, and watch migrating waterfowl all within city limits.

Pink wall of rock next to path and grass

76EXCELLENT J.Borden

National Monument · MN

Pipestone National Monument

Pipestone is one of the most quietly powerful sites in the National Park System, and the free admission removes every excuse not to visit.