Beautiful trails, very nice campsite and gorgeous bathroom/shower facilities! It was our first time visiting and we enjoyed the family-friendly atmosphere. A very easy and beautiful drive from Rochester, perfect for a weekend getaway! read more

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We visited the electrical campsites for a weekend in August. We appreciated the proximity to the cities/Mississippi River, and the number of trees surrounding the campsites. The sites were very close together in the first loop and not particularly spacious. There are several walking paths with lookouts close to the campgrounds. I would not consider those paths friendly to all - they are uneven, narrow, and there is no railing. Full disclosure, it was rainy during our stay so we didn't get to fully experience the park. read more

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Best way to spend my birthday out snowshoeing with friends! The trails here are very scenic with views of the Mississippi, and lots of wildlife to boot. Definitely worth the trip especially if you are visiting nearby Red Wing. My only criticism would be that the maps along the trail didn't have a "you are here" marker, but that went away once I figured out each intersection being assigned a letter. Will have to come back in the warmer seasons for a hike and/or camping trip! read more

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This is one of my favorite Minnesota State Parks and it's less than 1.5 hours from the Twin Cities! It has trails for all skills levels, and a lookout point for those who just want to relax or picnic with a view! There are a variety of trails with different vibes- prairie, bluffs, forest; hilly, flat; paved, dirt, gravel. Some of the trails are along or have views of the Mississippi River/ Lake Pepin. This park also has an all-terrain track chair for individuals with limited mobility to explore. This park has something for everyone! Fall is my favorite time to visit to see all of the changing colors. read more

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Frontenac state park is a beautiful and stunning state park, Lots of great hiking on Lake Pepin and the Prairie. There's difficult terrain and easy hiking for whatever you prefer. A must visit to enjoy the beauty and be in the location of Little House on the Prairie! read more

Another awesome Minnesota State Park! I spent one night here in June, 2021 at a drive-in campsite. They also have cart-in sites with carts available, and some backpacking sites. I also spotted a building that looked like a rentable event room. But if you just want to spend part of a day here picnicking or hiking trails, they have you covered as well. When I arrived, I went to the front office to check in and buy firewood. The staff were were really, really nice. Like, exceptionally enthusiastic about welcoming campers. And they provided a lot of useful information. There are a good number of drive-in sites, but they were mostly occupied even on this rainy weekend so definitely consider reserving in advance if you can. The whole park is right by the part of the Mississippi River that's wide enough that they call it Lake Pepin. You might spot that on the map and expect that you will constantly be seeing cool views of the lake, but in fact there are so many tall trees along the slopes that you have to go find lookout spots to see the water. It is totally worth finding those lookouts! There are some very gentle hiking trails through the pastures and woodlands, but the Upper and Lower Bluffs trails are definitely more challenging. Lots of nice lookout platforms along those trails, plus there are spots where you can walk down to the rocky beach. Overall I had a great time exploring this park, and I'm excited to return! read more

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Beautiful park with great trails. If you go early enough (sunrise) there is plenty of space in the parking lot and no people.

Along the Mississippi banks is Frontenac State Park located near a town of the same name. There is an easy trail or be brave and take the Lower Bluff Trail as you make your way down down closer to the water, remember you have to come back up and there lies the challenge depending on your stamina. Plenty of picnic stops and lookout points and spectacular views. An easy to reach camping area and a few acres of parking in this quiet natural setting. read more

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Hiked the lower & upper bluff trails along with the 2 rivers edge side trails in 1.5hrs at a leisurely pace, effort level 2.5/5.0. Definitely recommend it. read more

Driven past this too many times over the years as an after thought on the way to "Whitewater State Park," but finally went last weekend, and can confirm the high ratings! This is one of my new favorite state parks for a good H.I.I.T. workout, (next to Interstate State Park) as the undulating terrain (on the main trail leading down to the river, then back up in a 2 mile loop) lends perfectly to a challenging choose your own adventure style sprint up and down through the trails and stairs, and around the fallen branches and trees, not to mention sizable boulders. Assuming you're in the typical shape of the average American, just walking through here would give you the workout of your lifetime. Though it was a few weeks past peak for Fall color, some nice fall yellows were enjoyed from the many maple's, and the place was extremely busy, but it wasn't to busy once you hit the trails. read more

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We just spent the weekend in Cart-in campsite #4. It was a neat, memorable experience! The carts are provided at the lot across the street where you park. It is 1/4 of a mile up and down a hill to the sites. Not for the couch potato! Site #6 is the best and most private, but not reservable. Site #1 is closest to the pit toilet and the least private. We loved the view from the Point No Point picnic area. Most of the trails in the park were grass cross country ski trails. There is a paved trail from the big campground to the picnic area that is about one mile long. The trails going down the bluff to the water were dirt and rock with wood stairs at some places. This park feels remote and peaceful. We also liked that it was close enough to Red Wing in case it rained and we wanted to shop. (I rated the park 3 stars as we saw it all and I don't feel like I would need to go back.) read more

Frontenac State Park - trail to the cart-in site - Parks Near Me - Frontenac, Minnesota

This park has steep trails and lovely tall trees. Easy trails, picnic areas, and camping are available as well. My group started by going down the lower bluffside trail. It's just outside the picnic area. Parts of the lower bluffside trail were difficult and required careful planning. We went after a heavy rainfall, and everything was wet and slippery. A few trees were down as well. Lots of stairs, rocks, and packed dirt. Going up towards the upper bluffside trail, there was a short treacherous stretch. The rest was easy. There are plenty of overlooks going up towards the upper bluffside trail. A few tips: It gets humid in the forest. Bring water, Gatorade, and snacks, especially if traveling on a hot and humid day. Some may want a hiking pole. This would be a lovely hike in the fall when leaves change color. Can't wait to go back. read more

One of my favorite parks to hike. This place is amazing! Many miles of well maintained trails from mowed town turf through prairie to narrow dirt paths through the woods and along the bluff of Lake Pepin. I lead a hiking club several times a year through this park and everyone enjoys it immensely. Tips: if you choose to hike the lower bluff, be very prepared for a very difficult climb back to the top of the bluff. Many many steep stairs. Some of my hikers really struggled. Don't try to hike this part of the park on a hot day, you will regret it. The trail through the praire on the other side of hwy 2 is amazing! It traverses along a shaded trail by a lake and through the beautiful well maintained prairie grasses. The rangers here are aggressive with giving citations if you don't have a permit. Do yourself a favor and buy the day pass or annual pass when you go. The fines are hefty if you don't! read more

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Minnesota has troves and troves of park. Too many other ones are always visited and raved about but this park is a hidden gem. I had no idea what I was getting into when I decided to come out. The lake is beautiful. There are tons of hikes. Tons of big beautiful birds, and even some wild life thrown in! I will definitely be back. The park ranger was amazing at helping me find hikes that were less common and super helpful at getting me a campsite which was best for a hammock tent! read more

Frontenac State Park - My hammock setup with the site the park ranger suggested - Parks Near Me - Frontenac, Minnesota

Wanna take your hiking game to the next level? Come here and bask in the beauty of the Mississippi, Lake Pepin, and some really sweet Bluffs. Frontenac State Park was on my summer hiking bucket list. I was fiending to go to Interstate, but the St. Croix had flooded bad enough to have google maps tell me no dice. Since I was already planning to drive an hour, Frontenac was the obvious second choice. Google also took me through Prescott and I followed 35 down and got some sneak peaks of the river and bluffs. I was way giddy before I even arrived. Upon getting to the park, I was spoiled with a panoramic view of the river, the bluffs and Lake Pepin. Once my heart slowed a bit from all the sheer beauty, I found a trail and immediately started down the bluffs on a dirt trail (with the occasional rock, tree roots, and steps). This was unlike any hiking I had done in the past. They warn you to step carefully--please heed the advice. I may have almost twisted my ankle on a few occasions. Once you get to the bottom of the bluffs, In-Yan-Teopa rock overlooks Lake Pepin. There's a short decent that takes you to the shore, and then the decent back up starts. I was on Upper Bluff Trail, Lower Bluff Trail, In-Yan-Teopa Trail and finished off by the Picnic area via a self guided trail. All in all, my Fitbit said I managed to climb just shy of 60 floors during that hike. Also included with the hiking is a history and geology lesson. Inner geek satisfied. This hiking journey is well worth the hourish drive southeast of the Twin Cities. read more

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Did I like it? Yeah. Would I come back? Probably not. The best view in the park happened to be where we parked and the hiking brought us to lesser scenic views. read more

The views alone are breathtaking in this park of the Mississippi River. Many wooded campsites, trails and a large picnic grove. We live about 7 miles from it so we spend a lot of time there. There is even a natural wonder there in the form of a rock formation. Here is a reflection of it. https://youtu.be/HWT-OHuKohU read more

Frontenac is one of our favorite state parks. It's a little bit of a drive from the Twin Cities, but really worth it. As a history buff, I really enjoy walking through the loop trail that goes along the river. You can see the history of how they mined big blocks of rock, and there are lots of informational signs telling you the history of the area and what happened there. I will warn you though, the stairs down to the loop trail and (more importantly) the stairs back up are totally brutal. At least for a fatso like me :-) There are plenty of places to see a scenic overlook, stop and have a picnic or even camp overnight. To me, it is one of the most interesting state parks (with Interstate probably being my other favorite) to visit in the area and is part history lesson and part outdoors adventure. read more

Frontenac is a really nice state park. It has plenty of water bodies, trails and stuff to do. The cart-in campsites are great because they afford a lot of privacy and are well away from the road. It's easy to get to them and besides one little hill it's no sweat to cart in all the stuff you'd like. There are trails all over and it would be great for cross-country skiing. The park is only about an hour from the Twin Cities, give or take. This makes it an ideal spot for weekend camping. You can take the river road on the Wisconsin side of the river for part of the drive and it's just beautiful. Red Wing and the town of Frontenac are nearby. But the park itself offers plenty to do. We did the 800-foot boardwalk trail to Sand Point, which offers spectacular views and many bird-watching opportunities. There's a beautiful beach at Sand Point that would be nice for swimming or just hanging out. The views of Lake Pepin and the bluffs on the river are astounding. You can walk all the way out to where the sand is slowly being deposited by the river. There's a bridge on the way to Sand Point that needs to be fixed, though. It's after the boardwalk through the wetland and it's like something out of the movie Stand By Me. You hope you get across before the planks give out. That's one thing I thought should be pointed out to users of the park. The Sand Point trail is really not safe for young kids or old people as it's currently constituted. It is a bit hairy in places. Then there's the lookout picnic area near the campground, which provides a tremendous spot to enjoy a fire or just hang out, as well as some steeper river bluff trails. There are bald eagles and many other birds living in the park and I would advise bringing binoculars. A few deer even ventured close to our campsite. Frontenac is a great, affordable way to spend some time away from the city. read more

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We enjoyed our stay here. Check the size of your RV though if using one. We found only two sites that we could use with ours. (39 feet). There were multiple campers with 3 and 4 dogs each in the campground which caused for having to get up earlier than planned as when one started barking they all had to chime in. Great hiking park, biking and kids activities are lacking. Lots to do in the area. read more

WOW! Simply amazing. Beautiful bluffs, decent hiking trails and accomidations any camper would love to have. We opted for the hike-in camp sites that offered more privacy, only one pit toilet and bear boxes. There were wheelbarrows for trekking your stuff to your site and it was a cheap $14. We self-registered our car and campsite after the office closed, and paid $19 with a 20 as we didn't have change. The camp staff awoke early and left a dollar on our car windshield with a thank you note. This blew me away, and the condition of the trails, clean, stocked bathrooms and flush toilets topped it off. Wish they kept the $1 as a tip. The views are great, and at night it's hard to find better elevation and overlooks than here until you reach the Rockies. Cannot recommend enough. We have cart-in site #4 as well. read more

Mosquito and deer fly free. Avoid campsite 38. It is like a corner lot, no privacy, and no room for a tent larger than 8 by 8.

We loved Frontenac! More suitable for smaller rigs, our 15 foot pop-up was perfect. No sewer or water hookups...but we don't care about that. Lovely treed sites, reasonably clean restroom and shower facilities, and even a paved path for wheelchair access. Forest, prairie, and river... And some more challenging trails for the adventurous. We will be back in the spring. Downside: Minnesota parks are just as expensive as private campgrounds... And require a day pass or yearlong sticker at extra cost. read more

I live less than a mile from the trails and they're always trimmed. Never a bad time to go for a walk. Truly an amazing forest with very dedicated workers keeping it perfect. read more