My family and I stopped by this park while on vacation in the area in March 2024. We were thrilled…read moreto see there are hiking trails as well as the fire tower, plus there are a lot of interesting things to read about the tower history and fire history in the area. The whole park is nice - clean, well kept, both paved trails and gravel lined trails, well-built steps, and quality railings where steps are located. There is a paved trail that goes to the tower, as well as an unpaved trail that is a good uphill climb. The tower looks neat, and we would have loved to climb it, but it was closed. There is a big fence with a locked door around it. This was a bummer for me - the websites that I found describing the park had said that the park was open year-round, which I (wrongly) thought included the tower. I do understand - it is an unseasonably warm winter, and most people aren't going hiking or climbing giant towers in March. I was just disappointed. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our time there - both the hiking and learning about fire safety in the area.

The playground could use some updates, but cute concept. The kids seem to really enjoy it, but just…read moregetting a bit old. There is a bandshell and music in the park event in the summer which is a great community event. You can also launch your boats into the lake. The area near the serpent statue no dogs allowed which is a bummer. Skate park and police station all in the same area.

Beautiful park! Super clean and fun! We were visiting from out of town, and this place didn't…read moredisappoint.

Crow wing is a lovely place to get out and connect with nature! There are many hiking and bike…read moretrails. It also is filled with wildlife! You can take a walk through the old town of Crow Wing and learn alot about its past! You can go down and see the Mississippi River while you have a picnic or hotdogs over a fire. The cabin is very rustic but it does not have electricity. Still overall a very nice place!

Excellent day of hiking! Trails are well marked and maintained. Only a small area are paved the…read morerest of the trails are grassy or wooded. Checked in with Ranger Barry Osborne. He was Uber helpful and friendly. We enjoyed the historic markers and learning about the area. Lots of good picnic spots.

We had a great time here. A few small gardens and many hiking trails. They have winter activities…read moretoo. Trails are adequately marked and mowed or gravel. Will definitely go back.

My wife Julie and I spent about 3 hours here today and had a super time. We started about walking…read moreand saw two of the gardens this way. When we realized how big the Arboretum is (400) acres we switched to the car to drive to other gardens. The gardens are pretty well maintained and we found two plants we'll be adding to our yard. It seems like a perfect destination for adults with kids. We saw several moms with kids enjoying the area. The gift shop is small but has a nice selection of unique items. There is a small admission charge which we found reasonable ($5.00 for seniors). We'll be back in the other seasons. While we aren't doing snowshoeing any more, there seemed to be a number of (lighted?) trails for snowshoeing or skinny skiing.

The Pelican Lake Conservation Club is a local organization dedicated to improve the lake,…read moresurrounding area, and its community members. If you live in the area please join the club, it's only a few dollars a year and all of the cool kids are doing it. Well maybe not "kids" as the average member age is about 65, but please don't let that stop you as everyone is very inviting, fun, and young at heart. If you are visiting the area stop by and take a walk on the nature trails or use the kids playground (both open to the public) and on the second Saturday of each month they host the most amazing pancake breakfasts complete with sausage, egg bake, biscuits and gravy, coffee and juice for only $7. They also serve dinners once each month, and conduct the bar bingo and pull tabs at several of the local bars to raise money for other organizations in the community. This is truly a wonderful organization and I am proud to be a member! TIP: If you a member living in the area they have offer free composting area for your grass clippings.

We are going on our 28th year in the park. There have been many changes, most to the park's…read morebenefit. Our dues are reasonable. We are on the front row, and have our dock in front of our unit. There have been many social events, with fun for young and old. Our campfires are great, and we welcome anyone in the park. Our pool is beautiful. We had it restored a few years ago, and is enjoyed by everyone. It is great for walking, tennis courts, horseshoe, volleyball, public showers and laundry room; storm shelter, (with wifi), bike riding, and small beach with playground. It is seasonal; open with private water to your unit from May 1 to October1; weather permitting . The storage garages are a great amenity. Each lot is entitled to a storage garage. If your unit does not include a garage, there are some available for purchase. A great place to be in the summer on the Whitefish Chain. We have access to 14 lakes. Always units for sale.

We love it here! There is no better place to enjoy life on the chain, at a fraction of the cost of…read morea traditional cabin. We have a nice view of Little Pine, a cute fire pit, and a great dock slip. The association dues are reasonable, and most units have a garage, parking, and a shed. We love the amenities- nice pool, pool house with wi-fi, tennis courts, walking trail and more! There are several units for sale- check us out!

Batting machines both were broken fast ball and slow the softball one could only work but they did…read morehave tons of fun activities but they did have bats but they scratched off the bat labels so you do not know each length but overall good place

Super fun place a little bit speedy but totally worth it they have literally everything to do so…read moremuch fun I love it here

This is a very interesting nature center. They have several hiking trails in beautiful forests…read more They have a nice visitor center with a gift shop. There is a bunkhouse for youth camps. They do a lot of educational events. Busses of kids are coming and going every day education of nature and wildlife.

Banning State Park was one of our favorite outdoor stops during our Hinckley getaway. The park is…read moreknown for its scenic hiking trails, sandstone cliffs, and the views of the Kettle River, making it a great place to spend a few hours exploring. Our goal was to find the waterfall, but like many first-time visitors, we ended up taking a wrong turn and wandered a little longer than expected. Honestly, it turned into part of the adventure. As we explored, we spotted deer quietly moving, squirrels darting between the trees, and plenty of birds and caterpillars along the way. We discovered quiet trails, beautiful overlooks, and peaceful stretches of the river that we might have missed if we'd gone straight to our destination. The sound of the water, the surrounding rock formations, and the forest scenery made it one of those places where you naturally want to stop and take it all in. If you're visiting Banning State Park for the first time, don't stress if you get a little turned around. Give yourself extra time, wear comfortable shoes, and enjoy the journey.

This is a beautiful state park that offers so many opportunities to commune with nature. Lush…read moretrails, flowers native to shorelines and wet soils, and a waterfall are among some of the many joys here. It is located off I-35 near Sandstone, and 90 miles away from the Twin Cities (about an hour and a half away). It is worth making a day trip to visit. The park stretches along 10 miles of the Kettle River, and has 1.5 miles of churning class IV rapids for those daring kayakers.

We are on a quest to visit all MN State Parks. This park is focused on off road cycling and it's…read moreamazing. We are hikers so we opted for parking in the lot and walking up the road to the lookout point for a short 1+ mile hike. It was a beautiful walk. You can also drive to the top. Hikers are not allowed on the bike trails. The trails for bikes are at all levels from 'easy for a 10 year old' to 'omg, you better know what you are doing or you could get very hurt'. What a cool opportunity for cyclists in MN. A local told me it was named for the founder and his dog Una. Equally cool.