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Lake Maria State Park

4.1 (14 reviews)
Closed 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

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Bob A.

Another large & lovely place to enjoy nature in Minnesota. There are lots of hiking trails through the dense woods of this park, many of which can be enjoyed on horseback during the warmer months. But for my money, the best reason to come to Lake Maria State Park is to use the backpacking sites. If you look at a map of this park, you'll see that there are lots of lakes, lots of trails, and lots of camping options. The hiking trails mostly stay away from the lakes, but many of the backpacking sites are near those shores and give you a nice lakeside camping experience. That's exactly what I came for on this visit, and I wasn't disappointed. You won't find any small-group drive-up campsites at this park. You can book one of the large group sites designed for 20-50 people, and those are pretty close to the parking lot. However, any other camping will require a hike and a gear-shlep. You'll be more isolated though, but if you're on the eastern side of the park the atmosphere will be tainted by the noisier traffic on County Road 111. There are a lot of places for picnics; the main spot is by the largest lake, but there are picnic tables sprinkled around throughout the park. There is also a Trail Center with some tables both inside and surrounding the building. The hiking trails are woodsy, and they vary in how groomed they are. Some of the signposts are not as helpful as you might want & could use a "you are here" dot on the map. No big deal though; when I return here it will definitely be to get myself a nice lakeside backpacking site and enjoy some relaxing outdoors time.

Lake Maria.
John S.

More scenic beauty and solitude in a slightly smaller state park. I do like the direction signs while following on a paper map, readily available in the trail office. I know I'm on the right track and can stay on a three mile route rather than error and end up slugging ten miles in Minnesota humidity. There are well separated campsites which are considered backpack sites, (no vehicles)! That's a welcome relief as I visit and hike state parks to get away from vehicle and other noise. I see there are cabins for rent too for families to stay out of the buggy woods. There are a small chain of lakes with plenty of wildlife around. Standing on the dock there are frogs jumping, fishing flying out of the water and some great birds. I'm not sure what else is lurking in the forest areas.

Cabin for rent
Susan M.

Beautiful fall day spent with a great friend hiking through this park. Gorgeous fall colors at peak. Plenty of trails with lake views, thick forest views and rolling plains. Will definitely be back for another hike.

Lots of toads here!
Heidi H.

We spent a weekend here in May. All the campsites are hike-in and relatively secluded. You can't see or hear anyone once you're at your campsite. Campsites have a fire ring, vault style toilet, food box and a picnic bench. The hiking is hilly and shaded. My three year old carried her own pack and made the 3/4 mile trek in and out just fine. You can hear traffic, but it's not terrible. Lots of wildlife, toads to catch, turtles, birds etc. Some things to note: 1. Park office hours. You can only get firewood and fire starters during office hours. 2. No showers at this park. 3. Pump for water to fill your water bag is at the interpretive center, which also has flushing toilets and AC. 4. You can rent canoes at this park. 5. This is a glorified swamp. Bring yer deet spray or get carried off by the bugs. 6. This is not swimming water. It's gross and has turd looking algae. Leave your suit at home. Great hiking park. I love the secluded campsites. I would visit this park in the spring or late fall for least amount of bugs. It's close to Minneapolis, so we'll be back!

Lake Maria is the large lake in this park but water was pretty grody so I wouldn't swim in it. U can canoe here tho.
Margie A.

The best part about this park is that the campsite felt very private and it's a close drive from the Twin Cities (1 hr away). The hiking trails and lakes were just not that impressive though & it's a pretty small park. We reserved a backpacking campsite so parked about a mile from our site. OVERALL TIPS: - If you're getting to your campsite after 5pm, get wood in town before going to the park. The wood bundles are locked away & u can't buy them after the park staff leave at 5pm. It created an extra hassle for us. Other places have the wood out & you just put cash in a box if you take it but guess they don't trust folks to do that here. Luckily, the town of Monticello is close by but it did cut into our relax time since we had to hike a mile in and out in the dark. - Don't bother bringing a swimsuit The water looked gross, so no way was I going in there. There's a dock on Lake Maria if you have a boat though. - Good place to see a bunch of different birds. We saw an olive-sided flycatcher! - During July, all the pests are out so bug spray is a must. Mosquitos & flies were in full force but miraculously disappeared at night when it got a little cooler. - While there is a lot of foliage around the campsite & it feels secluded, you can still hear cars at night. - Road in the park is full of potholes and is dirt so drive a car you don't mind going getting a little banged up. - At night, look up! Saw some great stars & the milky way was right above us! Camping here made for a quick getaway from the cities. I'm glad I got to try a new park I haven't been to before, but I'll probably try some other parks next time I'm in the area.

Park check in where you pay for car permit, register for camp site, and pick up your keys if you're in a camper cabin.

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Review Highlights - Lake Maria State Park

Pump for water to fill your water bag is at the interpretive center, which also has flushing toilets and AC.

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Prarie Park - Playground

Prarie Park

4.5(2 reviews)
15.6 mi

Prarie Park is a nice place to spend time with your family. It has everything here. There is a…read moreplayground, half basketball court, a skate ramp, baseball field, soccer field, sand volleyball court, splash pad, picnic tables all around, and covered areas to eat. There's portapotties all around the area, but no actual bathrooms with plumbing or anywhere to change. The splash pad is just water spraying from the ground, there are no fun water tables or anything. The playground is pretty nice and there is a smaller one for smaller kids as well. There is also a fairly big parking lot so finding space should be easy. The park is very nicely maintained, the grass is cut and there's pretty flowers planted everywhere. There's no graffiti on the playground and there's no garbage thrown around.

This place is great! The water is cold in the water park which makes it good to cool off in heat!…read moreThere is a big and small park both for certain ages. There are water things that shoot out of the ground in the splash pad. There is one bucket that dumps on you in the splash pad. There is a soccer field and a gagaball pit! There are also pickleball courts that come WITH SUPPLIES! (Balls and rackets.) There is a full-court for basketball! (Even though it doesn't come with a ball it is still fun to bring a ball!) There is a lot of open space to like throw a football or play a game! There are picnic tables and portapotties! The playground isn't the most fun playground, but because of everything else this is 4 stars!!

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Lake Maria State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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