Last Chance: Some State Park Reservations Due by April 10

Ever wish you could spend the summer lounging around a campfire?

Minnesota residents have until April 10 to reserve monthly or seasonal campsites at select Minnesota state parks. Visitors can stay for a month or even a full season, which runs May 4 – Sept 2.

People should call the individual park for pricing and other park-specific information or to apply for or make reservations. Rates and additional details are also available by visiting the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.

Eight Minnesota state parks offer monthly and seasonal camping in 2012.

• Hayes Lake State Park, 218-425-7504, in Roseau, offers monthly or seasonal camping at seven campsites, all of which have electric hook-ups.
• Old Mill State Park, 218-754-2200, in Argyle, north of Thief River Falls, offers monthly or seasonal camping at five campsites, all of which have electric and water hook-ups.
• Myre-Big Island State Park, 507-379-3403, in Albert Lea, offers monthly or seasonal camping at four campsites, three of which have electric hook-ups.
• Lac qui Parle State Park, 320-734-4450, in Montevideo, offers monthly or seasonal camping at two electric campsites.
• Upper Sioux Agency State Park, 320-564-4777, in Granite Falls, offers monthly or seasonal camping at three campsites, all of which have electric hook-ups.
• Big Stone Lake State Park, 320-839-3663, in Ortonville, offers monthly and seasonal camping at two electric sites.
• Rice Lake State Park may have sites available. Call 507-455-5871 to inquire.
• Kilen Woods State Park may have sites available. Call Phil Nasby at 507-831-2900, ext. 225 to inquire.

If demand exceeds availability at a particular park, a lottery will be conducted on April 10, and the park will notify applicants whether or not they were selected. If sites are available after this date, they will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis. No preference will be given to monthly or seasonal campers from prior years.

For monthly campsite reservations, the entire monthly fee is due by April 24. For seasonal campsite reservations, a one-month down payment is due by April 24, and the remainder of the seasonal fee is due when visitors arrive to check-in. If a lottery is not necessary and sites are available after April 10, the monthly fee must be paid at the time of reservation to hold the site.