The MNDOT road closure on Hwy 71 that began on 6/22/26 may impact your travel route from the Park Rapids area to Itasca State Park. See the project website for Hwy 71 Hay Creek for more information.
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The Wilderness Drive scenic road may close on short notice due to weather conditions or maintenance. Signs located near park entrances indicate if it is open or closed. Updated July 8, 2026
The state's first park, kept since 1891, and the place you can step over the Mississippi before it runs 2,552 miles south. Over a hundred lakes, a fire tower, and Wilderness Drive threading 2,000 acres of pine nobody ever cut.
Things to do
🥾 Hiking
🚲 Biking
🛶 Paddling
🏊 Swimming
🎣 Fishing
⛵ Boating
Amenities & facilities
🏕️ Campsites
🚿 Showers
🚻 Restrooms
👥 Group Sites
🛝 Playground
🚤 Boat Ramp
🚐 RV Dump Station
🌿 Nature Center
♿ Accessible Facilities
RV / campsite hookups
⛺ Primitive / No Hookups
Camping options
Drive-in Sites (223 sites in two campgrounds)
Electric Sites (160 sites in two campgrounds)
Accessible Sites (Four sites)
Backpack Sites
Cart-in Sites
Group Camp (Accommodates up to 50 people)
Group Center (Accommodates up to 75 people)
Entrance fee
$7 per vehicle — One-day vehicle permit $7; year-round permit $35 ($26 for an additional vehicle, $30 motorcycle, $12 with a disability permit). Free year-round permits for disabled veterans, active-duty military and members of Minnesota’s 11 federally recognized tribes.
Hours
Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Hours as published by Minnesota DNR. Check the official page before a long drive.