So beautiful. Worth the stop. You can either make a quick…read moretrip down the stairs or take the trails. The waterfall has a picnic area for family to hang out. Keep it clean cause it is so beautiful. You can get up behind the falls or play in it.

We did a quick walk down to the falls. It was impressive and pretty. There were a few people around…read moreso I didn't get the greatest nature only picture but it was worth the 100+ steps down and back and only took maybe about 15 minutes.

The name says it all. I didn't expect such a cool park hidden away in the back of Chisago City…read more Hidden across from the skating park by highway 8 is this awesome park. Upon reaching the playground from the parking lot, I first noticed a huge black hole at the end of a wooden bridge and a sign. I thought it was some kind of sewage hole but boy was I wrong! It's the entryway to a huge covered slide!!!! And a few feet away is a wide wavy double slide! Even better, next to the slides is another course - a zip line swing!! Oh man, in all my years I've never seen such cool playground courses in a park. Then you also have a complete playground course with many different slides, climbing Bridges, tunnels, rock climbing, money bars and a swivel bar with swings alongside. This park was definitely a paradise kind of park. Even I had to experience the slides & zip line for myself. Need a little adrenaline? This is where. Take a walk on the path down the dock to the fishing pier or alongside a small beach. It was a great small park filled with fun playgrounds for kids. Dogs are welcome here

Paradise Park was a great pit stop for our family in Chisago City on our way to northern…read moreWisconsin. It is a spacious park with tons of space. The highlight was the huge metal slides. The kids also liked the zip lines and the playground.

We came on MN State Park Day where entrance was free and this has been on my husband's list to…read morevisit so we gave it a go! We did a combination route along the Quarry Loop and Wolf Creek Trails and it was really great! I like how it also snaked past other trails like Hell's Gate and Deadman Trail, and you could hop off the trail for a bit and explore something else (like checking out the historic sandstone quarry ruins and the waterfall). Generous shade and well maintained, we had an awesome time!

We only got to spend about an hour at Banning State Park but it was an hour well spent. Lots of…read morehiking trails to choose from and a nice picnic area right off the parking lot that even has grills available. We took a short hike to see some rapids and even though the water was low it was quite beautiful! Trails were maintained and the colors were beautiful this time of year. Wish we could have spent more time! Not too far from the twin cities metro so makes for a nice day trip!

I can't believe it took me this long to explore this state park. Close enough to the cities for a…read moreday trip, big enough to make you want to come back and keep exploring -- it helps that the weather was perfect during our camping trip. The park itself is incredibly large. Be prepared to drive 5-15miles to get to different areas of the park. Plenty to do from the largest area of electric campsites I've seen at a state park, to river access for canoes/kayaks, to a beach to swim and relax, to the famous observation tower if you want the most scenic view of the park. Campsites are not super private, but very spacious -- so spacious you could easily fit a large camper (30ft+), a tent or clam, and your vehicle, and still have room for activities. Also, poor to no cell service at campsites (so you can disconnect!), but they do have wifi in park buildings. PS: climbing the tower isn't for the faint of heart -- steep.

This is a beautiful state park in Minnesota. It would be nice if they had a driving loop, but at…read moresome point, you have to drive out the way you came in. This means you have to factor that time into your total journey because the roads are mostly dirt and you can't really drive faster than 25 to 30 miles an hour, even if you wanted to. On the other hand, it is beautiful for driving. There is abundant camping, but I can't really speak to that because we were there just for a drive in early fall. The highlight of our visit to St. Croix State Park was definitely the historic fire tower. Built in 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, the tower stands 100 feet tall and has 134 steps leading to the observation platform. When I was there, someone painted numbers on each step, which is fun. Interestingly, the last person to staff the tower was a woman who had spent 19 years doing the job before the tower was retired from active service in 1981. What I found especially fascinating was that the tower almost seems designed so that each major platform gives you a different perspective on the forest canopy. The first key platform is still below the treetops, so you are looking up into the forest. Another platform puts you right in the tree canopy, where you are surrounded by the tops of the trees. Then, at the top, you rise above the canopy entirely and get a sweeping panoramic view. One surprising thing from that vantage point is how uniform the height of the trees appears. There are intermediate platforms as well, but the main ones have interpretive signs explaining what you are seeing in terms of the forest canopy, which made the climb even more interesting. The tower is not just a lookout--it is almost like a vertical nature exhibit.

I literally had the entire state park to myself yesterday, Tuesday, in the middle of summer. I was…read morehiking and there were no other cars there. The night before it was me and one other camper in 10 sites. We have 10 walk in tent sites. You need a reservation. It's $15 a night for up to six people per campsite. There's a picnic table in a fire at each site. There are pit toilets. There is no electricity anywhere in the park including no lights even in the parking lot. It's awesome. Great to see the night sky. On the east side of the park there is a picnic pavilion and several picnic tables with a charcoal grill On rainbow lake. Straight Lake has a boat access so does rainbow lake, but you have to carry the boat from the parking lot. Non-motorized boats only Like canoes and kayaks. Several miles of singletrack hiking trails as well as the Ice Age national scenic Trail which transects the park. I had trouble finding firewood in the area so I could not have a campfire. You're supposed to bring it in from only 10 miles away and the gas station in Frederick and Luck did not have any and I didn't see any roadside stand selling wood. If you want tranquility this is your place

Beautiful state park. Enjoyed a picnic by the lake, hiking on two trails, and seeing a variety of…read morewildlife. It was so quiet with only a few other people at the park. We plan to go back again and do some more hiking on the same and other trails.

Rustic (primitive) Burnett County park that is between Siren & Webster on Hiway 35. It is on the…read moreClam River. It has picnic tables, outdoor grills, a pit toilet, canoe/kayak access to the river, parking off the road, and a large stone & log park shelter. It is a free park, with no overnight parking. It's a nice stop along the highway to stop and enjoy the scenery!

I just enjoyed our first time at Big Marine Park Reserve. Yes, you do need a daily ($7) or annual…read moreWashington County pass ($35) if you plan on visiting this park. They have lovely grounds that are kept up. The playground didn't appear to be too old and they had one playground specifically for toddlers and another for big kids that had 2 huge slides. There are bathroom facilities near the beach and by the playground. They also had a water fountain. The beach was great. The water was clear and the floor was sandy. What a beautiful lake. And the water was warmer than I expected even on a cooler 75 degree day. Lots of places to park your cooler and/or towels and wasn't too busy. And lots of parking spaces too.

Our summers seem so short here in MN which is why whenever possible I love spending time of the…read morewater. The best I can do for golfing is mini golf and I'm not even that good and tend to play mini golf like Happy Gilmore. All the more reason for me to go out fishing or boating. One of our favorite locations is Big Marine Park. There is public access to the lake on the North end however for $7.00 a day or a $30.00 for the year, you have access to so much more. From a boating perspective, the access is wide and nicely paved. Room enough for two vehicles at a time where the other access is a single access. Plenty of room to park. There is a fishing pier that is handicapped accessible. A really nice beach with a playground, picnic area and pavilion. There are even scenic hiking trails. The park is open from 6:00am to 10:00pm. Lots to like and enjoy about Big Marine Park for kids of all ages which is just one reason why we look forward to our next visit.

Absolutely adorable. It's basically your opportunity to become Snow White for the day…read more This family-owned property is expansive, beautifully cared for, and filled with deer, goats, horses, moose, and more. The babies are ridiculously cute, the animals appear well cared for, and the customer service was exceptional. Our only complaint? Where is the summer membership?! We would buy one immediately. We will DEFINITELY be back.

Plenty of parking upon arrival. $12 for adults $11 for kids…read more2-12 honestly I think charging for 2/3 years old is kind of pushing it but whatever. They have tons of animal snack options to choose from, we chose the $9 bucket and if you keep the bucket you get refills for $4.50 another additional cost for the pony rides. There are tons of animals, cows, goats, deer, chickens, ducks and so much more. I was shocked how docile and calm ALL of the animals are. My kids loved it, I'm sure we will be back.

Great day at this park!! Educational and fun! Such…read morefriendly, interesting folks. Stop by, lots to learn.

Historic spot between Danbury/Webster. The French-Canadian fur traders called this area "forts…read morefolle avoine" (pronounced 'fall-of-wan') which means wild rice. It was a fur trading post on the Yellow River. Today this spot celebrates many cultures: Ojibwa, Swedish immigrants, the French Canadian fur traders. They offer many events on site (see their website for latest info: theforts.org There a general admission tour fee-see website for latest information for cost (it was on the day we visited $10/adult $8 kids $28/family of 4)