My furry friend group chose this spot for our big annual camping trip! There were 86 of us total, and we utilized the Group Site that has several cabins available, plus a main cabin that serves as the place to gather and eat with a full kitchen and walk-in fridge. I really enjoyed the cozy feel to the cabins, which have wonderfully rustic wooden paneling and floors. Our cabin had two wings with four bunk beds each, plus a center room with a large bed (ideal, no doubt, for scouting purposes). The cabins are heated by thermostat and there are a few electrical outlets, but no other amenities that I was aware of. The main cabin had a large center fire pit that made the whole place wonderfully cozy. Also included are several long tables with benches to sit at, as well as additional chairs with backs to gather around the firepit. There are electrical outlets too. Flooring was a mix of wood and tile. There are also restrooms nearby, which include toilets, sinks, and showers. Separated by gender, male and female. The designated parking lot for the Group Site was able to accommodate around 40-45 cars, which served our purposes well. There is also a small roundabout that leads up to the main cabin for ease of unpacking/dropping off gear. All these amenities made the long-weekend very enjoyable! This isn't a huge park by any means, but even in the icy snow, I was able to enjoy a few of the trails while there. The alphabetical trail markings confused me a bit at first, but then I realized it was how the park was indicating "you are here" without customizing each sign. At the trailheads are large informational signs that give you the distance, difficulty, and features you'll see on said trail. The river that cuts through here is really gorgeous. It was partially frozen over during our visit, and we got some flurries while we were camping, which covered everything in a beautiful fresh coat of white powder. Got some great photos and great memories. I was a bit bummed that the Nature Store wasn't open (it's seasonal), because I am a sucker for souvenirs on sightseeing trips to parks and such. read more

Whitewater is a gorgeous park with some varied scenery. There are a lot of neat formations to check out such as the bluffs, forests, rivers, and more. There are some easy to more challenging hikes available. There are also a lot of nice amenities and a beach area. read more

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It's a treat for the senses! Beautiful foliage, the smells of fall and summer, rustle of leaves and babble of creek... what a lovely way to spend an afternoon. It's worth the trip! We came here as part of a day trip to the area. We took two small hikes, Trout Run and Chimney Rock. The restrooms were clean and functional, the rangers polite and helpful, and the parking ample. I'd caution that the maps aren't always entirely clear, and the descriptions of the hikes may not be entirely accurate (though that may be because we are big hikers). The hike to Chimney Rock was described as "moderate," but it definitely involved a bit more actual climbing/heaving yourself up than I'd expect. No special equipment required for most people, but it wouldn't be manageable for some people. If you're in decent shape, have good balance, and don't mind a bit of hands and knees, you'll be rewarded with glorious views. read more

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Beautiful state park in Southern MN. We stopped on our way home from La Crosse and I wish I would've known how cool this place was so I could've spent more time there. We climbed a fairly moderate level hike up to Chimney Rock, and the views were phenomenal from the top. I loved that they had an interactive interpreter center, swimming area & rental of cabins. Next trip, I want to stay overnight to explore more of this place. read more

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In the winter ... no fee to enter. Great bird watching..sandhill cranes, white pelicans, lots of blue jays and wood peckers. Deer. I dont go when its really cold but make the long drive from Ohio on the occasional winter pleasant weathered day. read more

If you want elevation in your hike this is the place to go! There are some great geological formations like Chimney Rock as well. The paths can be challenging with rocks, steps, and big steps up and down. There are areas that I needed to think and be strategic in my step. The rough terrain in areas was worth it for the fantastic views. read more

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This place is a goldmine in our state. Multiple spots to hike, visitors center (Covid restrictions) great access to river and trails and excellent picnic area all within 95 minutes of the Twin Cities and a stones throw from Rochester. The fall has breathtaking views get out and enjoy the great outdoors read more

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I came down here from St Paul because it was an unseasonably beautiful day for November and I wanted a moderate hike in a beautiful place. My needs were very much met by Whitewater State Park! There was no mobile service the whole time I was there, which tells you how remote it is. There seem to be two main areas for trail hiking, and the one I chose included Chimney Rock and Inspiration Point. Those trails aren't long but they include some uphill climbs that would be an unpleasant surprise for someone looking for more of a casual stroll. Those trails are also all dirt & gravel, not very wide, and have sections that require gingerly stepping on or around stones and boulder chunks. The views are worth it, though; it's very pretty up there. Many Minnesota State Parks are well equipped for camping, and that seems to be a main draw for this one. I know several people who have come here for camping and loved it. They have a variety of campground areas, including a newer one with a lot of drive-in sites, which is a little more close-to-other-campers than I prefer. But they also have ones that are more remote, big group sites, and even cabins. Pretty much every version of camping is covered here. The trails are not as well signposted as I'd like. When I wanted to go to the Chimney Rock trail from the main visitor center, the only sign I spotted that pointed in the right direction was in a strange place and was too ambiguous to be helpful at all. On the trail there are intersections which are supposed to correspond to letters on the map, but some of those intersections don't have signs. Aside from that caveat, I'll be stoked to spend another chunk of day enjoying this park. (One telling thing I want to add is that when I made an Instagram/Twitter post about this trip to Whitewater, I got a WAY above average number of replies along the lines of "Whitewater is awesome, I love it there!") read more

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Best camping trip of the year! Would 100% visit again. Campsites were well maintained, bathrooms clean, and the visitor center was super fun to pop into! Staff were helpful with helping us pick a trail. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our time! read more

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I loved this state park. We stopped at it on our way home the Caves in Harmony,Mn. I loved all the stairs. It is in a state park so you do need a state park pass. The view from the top is awesome. They have nice camping area too. It also looks like a great spot to fish. I am definitely can't go back again. read more

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We stopped here for the first time. It is November and not many people at the park but they have done many new renovations and have a great looking camping and camper cabin area. The trails range from flat plains near the river to difficult trails to the top of bluffs. If you are looking for either of them, they are across the street from the gift shop building. The stairs would be the difficult hike up and down. To the left of that trail is a flat plains area that runs near the river/creek. This place would be even nicer in the warmer months. I will be back. read more

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This park is more for camping than anything else. During the peak of a short Minnesota summer there were many people obtaining their permits and maps. There are a few hiking trails which can break to a difficult trail. The road along the campsites is about as busy a city street so I quickly headed for the hiking trails. The easy trails are wide and smooth but when they warn of a difficult trail it is more challenging than rough trails at other parks, mainly because there are steep hills to climb. Bring your water and Deet if you like because despite previous hype the skeeters are plentiful and large and aggressive. read more

Whitewater State Park - Pointing the way for the Coyote Point Trail. - Parks Near Me - Altura, Minnesota

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This is a nice park - apparently one of the more heavily visited (probably by people from Rochester?) and they boast NO MOSQUITOES (which I found to be true!) I had booked a campsite sight unseen and it turned out it was across the highway from the visitor center and is a brand new campground. The amenities were top notch- wonderful bathrooms and showers, however our site (210) had NO SHADE as the trees have just been planted. Some of the sites had a bit of shade, but for the most part they were pretty open. This campground is probably best for campers/RVs vs. tents (and they do have a number of pull through sites. As for the hiking, we were going to go to Chimney rock but took a wrong turn at the top of the steps and instead ended up at inspiration point. It was a beautiful view - from what I could see from my safe spot on the ledge :| We took the "backside" down to the trout stream trail and I counted 291 steps down - glad we didn't go up that way! The trout trail was mud after about .5 miles or so so we didn't go any further. Later in the day we did the meadow trail and combined it with the valley trail - this was a nice flat hike. Another note, the wood you have to buy here is pretty horrible. It seems to be off-cuts from a lumber mill or something. I wasn't very happy with it! read more

Easy enough to find parking and navigate the maps. The scenery is beautiful--prairie, rocky ascents, woods, streams, and lots of beautiful flowers in the spring. Perfect for an afternoon adventure. read more

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This was our first visit to Whitewater State Park and we enjoyed the hiking to Inspiration Point on a warm Saturday afternoon. Not too crowded and the swimming hole was pleasant to cool down. Be sure to take water bottles with you and the maps provided were easy to get acquainted with the trails. read more

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We made this a stop on trip to WI. We stayed in one of the cabins. The cabin was nice but I would suggest you bring an air mattress. read more

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We've stayed here several times over the years on our way out west and back. The campground is quiet with large, treed sites and plenty of space and vegetation between you and your neighbors. read more

Beautiful park! We went here for several hours of hiking and were really impressed. The autumn foliage is great and there are numerous trails that take you over crystal clear streams and past tall bluffs. We hiked to inspiratation point and then Chimney rock. These hikes are steep and pretty difficult, bring some water and maybe a walking stick. I'm usually not afraid of heights but inspiration point did get a bit freaky. Helpful hint. Cost is $10 but an annual pass is only $25 and good at all MN state parks I shall return. read more

Whitewater State Park - Parks Near Me - Altura, Minnesota

I have hiked many State Parks in my quest to hit all of the MN State parks but this one is by far one of my favorites and at a time when it was the dead of winter and all of the trees were bare! I can't wait to come back here when the trees are full or when they change color in the fall. If you came here for a nice easy stroll, you can forget that. The vast majority of the trails are hard treks uphill, rough, rocky uneven trails and lots of stairs! I love a good uphill challenge and despite the fact I was breathing heavy on the climb up to Chimney Rock and thinking I was going to die, I was elated. The views from the many vistas were simply breathtaking! I kept taking out my camera to shoot picture after picture. We noticed as we were walking along the river that the beavers had been busy. They chewed the base of a lot of trees, some completely off or almost through. They can be pretty destructive if not controlled. Some of the trees had wire mesh put around the base to stop them. Our hike started at the visitor center and traveled along Coyote point trail. It was a gradual uphill climb to a prairie and then followed until we came to a junction where there really wasn't much signage. Thankfully I had a map and my gps which allowed me to figure out where we were. We walked down to Coyote point which was an amazing view of the valley from a sheer cliff drop off. We then hiked west along the Dakota trail to the river. This section was very rocky, uneven and narrow. Once by the river, it was a nice flat walk along the river and through the camper cabin grounds. The cabins all looked very nice and well maintained with electricity and a modern bathroom for all the campers to share. I contemplated staying there perhaps next summer. We came to the long stair case up to Eagle Point. I climbed it, but ultimately I wasn't all impressed with the view from that particular vantage point, so I would skip it next time. We followed the meadow trail to the public beach and then up the many steep stairs to Chimney Rock which WAS totally worth the climb. The view from up there was spectacular and the rock itself was totally cool. We walked back down along a narrow rock path, crossed the road and walked through the cedar hill campground back to the center. Overall we hiked 6 miles that day. Next time I return, it will be in the spring and I want to hike out to Inspiration point. There is so much to see there and if you are an avid hiker, many miles to hike if you hike all the trails. If you love a good uphill challenge, this is the place. It's a 2 hour drive from the twin cities so it's not the most convenient but a good place to camp if you are into that. While headed home, you should consider heading back through Red Wing and checking out Frontenac State Park. This park on Lake Pepin is another one of my all time favorites and the trails there are primo. read more

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One of our favorite parks in MN around the Rochester area! It's big enough for an enjoyable hiking trip with a variety of elevations and trails. Numerous camping spots. Friendly staff that are very helpful. Once you take some of the trails to hike up the hills around the park, you'll see an awesome view of the whole area! So beautiful! For best viewing of the fall colors (amazingly nice colors esp at this park), I'd recommend coming here towards the middle and end of October. Be careful to use mosquitoes repellents to stay safe of their nasty bites! With the water bodies and the river, you should expect to see a lot of them, esp as it starts to her dark. Overall, this is a cool park for group BBQs and parties, or just to go enjoy nature and do some hiking with friends and family. read more

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Decided to make a day trip to this state park for some hiking. Cost for one day is $7 which includes entrance to any state park for that entire day. My friends and I started at the Dakota Trail which is a 3.9 mile hike, rated as difficult. There are two main areas to start it - either the south side picnic area or the entrance across the road from the gift shop. We started at the south side picnic area which was nice because the hike began as a gradual slow incline uphill. If you start on the road across from the gift shop, the hike almost immediately begins with a long, steady winding path of wooden steps that appear never ending and is actually a quite intimidating start to the hike as it makes it seem like it'll be more tiring than it actually is. If you're a beginner, definitely start on the south side. Once we looped back around to the north side picnic area, we began the Oxoboro trail which connected to the Chimney Rock, then back down to Inspiration Point. They have signs near the beginning of each trail that state the distance, difficulty rating, and estimated time, but I will say that the estimated time for each trail was well overestimated and most of the trails are less than a mile and is much more family-friendly if you are traveling with a lot of kids. We were able to finish these 3 trails in about 3-4 hours (even though Dakota trail itself was estimated to take 3-4 hours alone). If you are short on time and only able to do one hike, I'd definitely recommend Inspiration Point. In my opinion, this one had the best lookout and views. Things I enjoyed about this park: family-friendly, pet-friendly, well shaded. The reason why I rate this 3-stars is because practically the entire hike is through the forest and very rarely are you able to come across an area with a good lookout without some trees blocking your view. Even at the lookouts, you can see roads and parking lots so while it's still a beautiful view, it's very clear that you're still in civilization and the park itself isn't that secluded from the outside world. The trails itself are super confusing to follow. There are maps along the way, but they don't point you in the right direction at forks. My friends and I often followed one trail until it seemed like we were going the wrong way at which point we had to turn around and go back to the fork and try the other route. Other people we ran into asked us how to get to Inspiration Point, stating that they tried the previous day and were unable to find the correct route - that's definitely a challenge! I think they could greatly improve this park by just adding some arrow signs at the forks. Because you're in the forest for most of it, there's lots of bugs everywhere (luckily, I didn't witness any mosquitoes though but then again, I was covered in a good layer of deet); I would definitely be cautious of ticks and still do tick checks after each hike. Regardless of my rating, still a beautiful state park that I would recommend! read more

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This is my first hike in Minnesota since moving here for 3 years. It was a great hike within a 2 hour drive from the twin cities. My friends and I decided to take the Dakota trail starting from the south picnic area. From the Dakota trail, we made our way to the chimney rock trail and connected to Inspiration Point. This hike was moderate in difficulty with ample amount of shade throughout the hike. It took our party roughly around 3 hours to finish three trails. Be cautious of some narrow and slippery trails. I enjoyed this trail because I did not encounter a mosquito at all in early July. Bring your hiking boots, sunscreen, water, and embrace the nature Minnesota has to offer! read more

Whitewater State Park - Appreciate the shade and nature - Parks Near Me - Altura, Minnesota

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A beautiful place for hiking, with incredible views of the rocky landscape, steep hills and lush forestry. read more

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