Great park to spend a few hours in. There is a little zoo with elk, bison, goats and some birds…read more Lots of playgrounds and trails to burn your kiddos energy down. On top of that, there is a nice little walk to a small water fall. No entrance or parking fees. Rustic camping is an option as well if you are looking for a place to stay. Big hadd to find, the park is right on town. A good use of a few hours if you want to get outside.

The zoo is a nice touch. My 4 year absolutely loved it. Lots of trails for folks if all ages plus a…read moregood driving path to the waterfall if that's all you want to see. We had fun and can't wait to go back to explore more.

We camped at Flandreau in the off season (fall). The electric campsite wasn't particularly wooded,…read morebut the spots were pretty spacious. It's nice being so close to a town without seeing/hearing much. Be forewarned - you will need to go up and down a significant hill, which can be challenging with some vehicle/camper setups. Overall, it was a peaceful experience and we will need to further explore in the future. I wish the man made pool was open more than the limited time in the summer. The road within the dump station is very rough - it could use resurfacing.

A super fun area to bring kids during the summer months! There is a "swimming pond" which is like a…read moreman made lake (with no fish!) There is also lots of trails to explore and hike on

Plenty of trails to pick from, although they can be a bit challenging to navigate by the postings…read more This may have been caused by the number of trails and lack of water in the creek. The park is full of deciduous trees, so they are beautiful in the fall.

Thank you Nicollet County for this awesome park! It is a hidden gem along Highway 169, between St…read more Peter & Mankato. If you blink, you might miss it...but be sure to turn around when it's safe and check out this special spot! We explored the west part of the park (hiking, picnic) but the park extends across 169 and has a boat landing on the Minnesota River (we will check that side out next time!). 628 acres of Nicollet County Park, 10 miles of multi-use trails with equestrian parking & highway underpass, 3 shelters & many picnic areas along the creek, a playground, 2 volleyball courts & a ball diamond. Brown Trout are stocked in Seven Mile Creek by the DNR, but be sure to have your trout stamp! We have had wonderful hikes in this park, meeting horseback riders (at crossroads between equestrian trails & hiking trails), enjoying the space and beauty. Next time you're headed south on 169, check it out!

What a fun park! You must drive through and see the Bison. They were so cute and so close while we…read moreare there. Then we went over to look at the waterfalls and those are easy to navigate to for any level. There are more adventurous hikes for those who want to explore, so something for everyone. I'll definitely be back!

Beautiful well kept "preserved " park. No bison were around to see though, all our cars driving up…read moreand down , they're smart to stay in the woods! Kind of a joke really. No matter trails great, parking ample.

Spent a weekend camping & hiking here and it's lovely! This state park occupies a large swath of…read morethe coastline of Lake Albert Lea, and is very convenient to the city of Albert Lea and 35-W. As such, this is a very easy park to get to. I camped in one of the two large drive-in campgrounds, both of which are very well-appointed with amenities. There are drinking water faucets distributed liberally throughout the campgrounds, and there are large restroom facilities at each, which are kept clean and have plenty of toilets, sinks, and showers. They even have little stations to plug in devices to charge them. Probably my biggest gripe with this park is that the restroom facilities are so brightly lit, right next to where the campsites are, that it strongly impacts the outdoorsy ambience. Many campers might not mind that & might even prefer it. But between that and the audible proximity to the Interstate, I prefer to feel a little more isolated. I saw lots of big trailers plugged into outlets, and there are also group camps, rentable cabins, and backpacking sites. I definitely want to return here to try one of those backpacking sites along the east side of the lake. Speaking of the lake, I did spot a number of fishing and canoeing options being taken advantage of. With all the beautiful lakefront area here, this is a really cool place for that kind of activity. I was surprised that the office wasn't staffed when i arrived mid-afternoon on a Saturday in June (2022) to check in; I wasn't able to get my hands on a physical map, and I had to put cash in an envelope to get some firewood. But other than that, it felt like a well-staffed park. All things considered, I will defintely return from the Twin Cities, and if it's more convenient to where you live, you can consider that a good thing! EDIT: I did indeed return two weeks later and try out a packpacking site. Loved it! It's way more remote over there. Really beautiful and lots of cool, well-posted trails. There was a big stash of firewood they'd prepared for free; do they do that for everyone? It's great! You can get to all the backpacking sites via canoe. Bumping my rating from 4 stars to 5!

Beautiful, large park with trails for walking and bike trails. Wetland areas, big trees, and well…read moremaintained public areas

Beautiful campground! All areas around the campground were…read morevery well maintained. Restrooms/showers were spacious, clean and plenty of hot water during showers. Campsite spots are Huge! Pretty sure the biggest spots of any campground I've been to and #9 the spot we camped has its own road leading to it so it's completely private from foot/vehicle traffic. Around 5 miles of trails from prairie hills to wooded trails across streams leading to the Des Moines River. Well marked and wide paths make it an enjoyable hike. Can't go wrong with a weekend at this campground

Not a ton of trails. Has some nice hills which provides an overlook of the prairie. Part of the…read moretrail was along the river, which with recent rain, was too waterlogged for us to use. We were able to find a 2-3mile path which took us through the woods and onto the prairie. Not the best of MN State Parks but still nice and well maintained.

$5 parking (not a state park so passes do not apply)…read more Clean and clear water. You can enter from a latter off the dock, jumping from the rocks, or walking in on the few stretches of shore. Water shoes not a must but I wished I had brought mine. I suggest going early. This is a very popular swimming destination so if you want solitude in nature, this may not be the place for you. Dog friendly! No lifeguard on duty-- jump in at your own risk. I'd definitely go again if I was in the area but I wouldn't necessarily drive from the TC exclusively to swim here.

This review is only regarding the cliff jumping you can do at the park into the water- this review…read moreis not meant to discourage others to go to this beautiful park - just to make people aware of the risks. If you plan to cliff jump - please read!!! I have been to this park many times in my life, and jumped off the high cliff into the water at least half a dozen times. Last Memorial Day, I went with my friends to enjoy the park. I went to the highest cliff jumping spot and I jumped off into the water. I immediately knew something was wrong with my spine when I hit the water as I could barely breathe and my back exploded in pain. As the signs state at the park - you jump at your own risk. It was clear they do not have a protocol for when people get injuries. It took about 10 minutes to get a ranger to come over and help, who did end up calling an ambulance, but they did not offer anything else. They didn't clear the area, and people continued to climb up and jump around me. My friends had to kick me across the whole quarry to get to the shore to get to the ambulance. At the hospital they did an x-ray and a vertebrae in my spine had compressed due to the angle I hit the water and fractured. It was about a 5-month recovery with a back brace full time. If you go for the cliff jumping just be aware that there is a risk jumping into the water, and the risk gets greater the higher you go. All this to say - the park is beautiful and it is still a lovely spot for swimming and hiking. Just know the risks before you go cliff jumping into the water.

A Park that is split with wetlands on one end with a river view hike, and prairie lands on the…read moreother, as well steep climbs with a view. This is not a park of deep forests and historic tall trees. There are a few camping sites including tipi sites. Horse lovers will rejoice in the many trails for the equine. Pick up a map at the self service booth at the entrance as there are very few markers and "Hiking Club" signs along the way. There is enough to do to spend a day or just a few hours by selecting the appropriate length of a trail. *There is a note on the website that Hwy 67 will be closed for a long time and you'll have to enter from Renville Cty Rd 10 to Yellow Medicine Cty 21.

This park has been closed since February 2024 . It was an incredible place to go hiking and such a…read morebeautiful land to explore and appreciate. Pretty sad that it's been taken away from people who wanted to continue to love and appreciate it.

One of my favorite places to go in the fall. I get lost every time. I'm in here and end up going on…read moredifferent trails every time. I eventually end up finding my way out. All the beautiful maples looks so beautiful in the fall. They have a small parking lot. If it is full, you could always park on the street where the trail entrance is. Be sure to keep an eye on signs so that you're not wandering into peoples private land.

I love these trails. I frequent the area regularly to walk my dog. There are a few muddy areas, but…read morenothing that is impassable. I love the old growth forests, the birds, and the flowers. There's some invasive species creeping in so i usually pull them myself (garlic mustard, tansy, and mullein). The deer enclosure in the middle of the park has a fallen tree that collapsed the fence so I'm sure deer have been able to get in there. Highly recommend this park anytime of year!!

On our quest to visit all MN State Parks, this was number 31. We did a 3+ mile hike through lakes,…read morewoods, and prairie. Loved the lookout hill to be able to see the colors highlighted by the sun on a beautiful fall day. Trail was well marked, wide, and well maintained. Watch out for horse droppings as you share the trail. There were quick a few cars in the parking area but we didn't see a ton of people on the trails so nice to be able to spread out. Easy hike for most. Enjoyed the day here.

This is a nice state park to hike. The natural trails are well marked. They had clean bathrooms and…read morea place to refill your water bottle. Fall colors at peak this year were disappointing.