Parks in Minnesota

#11 · Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area

0.0(0)·Park·Darwin·2 trails

Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area is the result of grassroots efforts to protect natural shore land and productive wildlife habitat from development. Among the area’s treasures are a unique forested island on Sioux Lake with a rare mixture of American and rock elms along with large basswood, green ash, bur and red oak seldom found in Minnesota. Visit to experience an area rich in wildlife where water, prairie, forest and agriculture all meet.

#12 · Afton State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Hastings·14 trails

Afton State Park was established in 1969 for visitors to experience unique natural features and enjoy outdoor recreation. Just forty minutes east of the Twin Cities, the park lies along bluffs overlooking the St. Croix River. Here you will see wildflowers and grasses in restored prairies that were once agricultural fields. Below, outcrops of limestone jut from the sides of deep, forested ravines that drop three hundred feet to the river. Make your way down to the water’s edge and watch for wildlife. The park’s diverse habitats make it a birdwatcher’s haven with over 190 species, some of which are rare.

#13 · Schoolcraft State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Deer River·1 trail

Created in 1959, this 225-acre park is a wonderful place to escape. Quiet and peaceful, visitors have only the whisper of the wind through the pines to accompany their thoughts. Sit by the shore of the Mississippi River and watch the sunrise amid grasses, wild rice and beds of water lilies. The park was named for Henry Rowe Schoolcraft who charted the headwaters of the Mississippi River with Anishinabe guide Ozawindib. Today, there is much for you to discover here. Stay for a rustic camping experience, to fish the river, soak in scenic views, or wildlife watch.

#14 · Jay Cooke State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Carlton·12 trails

The park was established in 1915 with a donation of land from the St. Louis River Power Company. Today, the park protects nearly 9,000 acres of forests and streams that surround the water-eroded gorge, steep valleys and rock formations of the St. Louis River, Lake Superior’s largest tributary in the United States. Millions of years of dramatic geologic events, including volcanic activity, glaciation and plate tectonics, formed the unique rock you experience here. The area also has a rich human history. Dakota and Ojibwe Indians, French fur-traders, railways, hydropower companies, and the Civilian Conservation Corps all left impressions you may notice as you explore. The stunning landscape hosts a healthy ecosystem. Walk quietly, listen and look, and you may find some of the diverse wildlife that rely on the park’s varied habitat. Watch for white-tailed deer, black bears, timber wolves, an abundance of birds, and more.

#15 · Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Nerstrand·12 trails

In 1945, the creation of this park protected one of the last remnants of Minnesota’s Big Woods. A visit today reveals the ancient forests of pre-settlement Minnesota. Walk beneath sugar maple, basswood, elm, green ash and ironwood trees. Find over 50 varieties of wildflowers and many species of ferns and mushrooms along the rolling hills and glacial-cut valleys. Prairie Creek flows through the park, its picturesque Hidden Falls just waiting to be discovered. Picnic, hike, birdwatch, take photographs or camp. There is so much to see and do.

#16 · Sakatah Lake State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Waterville·5 trails

Established in 1963, Sakatah Lake State Park offers you the opportunity to camp, hike and recreate by the lake, while still protecting forests, wetlands, prairies and the creatures that depend on them. Members of the Dakota Nation, the Wahpekute (Wapacoota) tribe gave this area the name Sakatah, meaning "the sights and sounds of children playing on the hill," or loosely translated to "Singing Hills." The rolling terrain is the work of glaciers that deposited mounds of rocks and mineral debris (called moraines) some 14,000 years ago. In some places these deposits are up to 400 feet deep.

#17 · Lake Carlos State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Alexandria·12 trails

Established in 1937, the park holds 1,154 acres with rolling hardwood forests, prairie meadows, wetlands and over a mile of lakeshore. Visit the park to swim, fish, boat, hike, camp or horseback ride. Enjoy Lake Carlos by swimming at the beach, walking along the shore, watching for wildlife, or angling for an abundance of gamefish. Lake Carlos is the largest and deepest in the Alexandria chain of lakes at 2,520 acres and up to 163 feet deep. The water, trails and great campsites make this a popular destination.

#18 · Minneopa State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Mankato·6 trails

Established in 1905, Minneopa State Park is the third oldest state park in Minnesota. It is best known for the double waterfall that thunders during high water. The upper falls drops 7 to 10 feet and the lower falls tumbles another 40. This feature is the result of water cutting into layers of sandstone over time. Take the Mill Road to look for the bison, reintroduced in 2015. These animals will naturally manage the prairie ecosystem, just as they did over a hundred fifty years ago. Near this area, you may view another reminder of the park’s rich history: Seppmann Mill. Enjoy a walk to the sandstone windmill that ground wheat and other grains from 1864 to 1890.

#19 · Fort Ridgely State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Fairfax·5 trails

Fort Ridgely State Park was created in 1911 as a memorial to those who fought in the US-Dakota War of 1862. The fort within the park was built in 1853 as a United States Army outpost and training ground, housing 300 soldiers and civilians. In 1862, the Dakota made two attacks on the fort. The war had lasting impacts on the state of Minnesota and the nation. Visit the park today to find more reminders of the area’s history. You may discover stone structures built by Civilian Conservation Corps and Veterans Conservation Corps crews in the 1930s.

#20 · Scenic State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Bigfork·3 trails

Scenic State Park was created in 1921 to protect virgin pines along the shores of Coon-Sandwick Lake. Residents of the Bigfork area played a key role in its establishment. Visit today and swim, boat or fish for walleye, northern pike, bass and panfish. The lakes are water-filled depressions left over from old Glacial Lake Agassiz. Explore the land by hiking beneath abundant aspen, birch, mixed hardwoods and white, red and jack pines. The park will charm you with its quiet, wilderness-like setting.

#21 · Frontenac State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Frontenac·10 trails

Immerse yourself in rich natural communities and diverse landscapes during a trip to Frontenac State Park. Experience over 2,600 acres of bluffs, prairie, floodplain forests and hardwood forest. The area’s resources have drawn civilizations since 400 B.C. when the Hopewell culture was here. Later, the area was used for fur trading, stone quarrying and farming. Visit the park in spring or fall and you’ll be in one of the best spots in the country to view bird migrations. Hikers and skiers can also enjoy spectacular views of the river valley and Lake Pepin.

#22 · Rice Lake State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Owatonna·3 trails

Long before this landscape held a state park, it was part of a vast oak savanna known as Minnesota’s southern oak barrens. Imagine a sea of prairie grasses and wildflowers scattered with burr oak trees. Human activities have long since altered this landscape, but efforts are underway to restore it. A walk through the park now reveals remnants of old burr oaks and restored prairie plants. In the middle of this unique habitat is Rice Lake, a headwater of the Zumbro River. In the past, American Indians harvested wild rice here. Today, the shallow waters and marshy edges attract many waterfowl during migrations.

#23 · McCarthy Beach State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Side Lake·5 trails

McCarthy Beach State Park’s hilly landscape and lakes have long made it a popular destination. Its pothole lakes were made during the retreat of the last continental glacier 12,000 years ago. The glacier left behind large chunks of ice. The depressions they created filled with water, forming lakes. Many years later, "McCarthy’s beach" became a popular picnic and swimming spot for families along the Mesabi Iron Range. In 1945, the park was established as a living memorial to area servicemen that lost their lives in World War II. Named for former owner John A. McCarthy, the park protects a northern boreal forest with red and white pine, leatherleaf-black spruce lowlands, birch and aspen. More than 175 species of birds visit the area and visitors are treated to sights of loons gliding on the lakes and great blue herons stalking small fish in the shallows.

#24 · Glacial Lakes State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Starbuck·9 trails

Glacial Lakes State Park was established in 1963 to preserve the area’s rolling prairies, high-quality habitat, and rich plant life. The park also protects special glacial landforms such as kames (cone-shaped hills), kettles (water-filled depressions), and glacial erratics (large boulders left by the glaciers). Glaciers also left behind glacial till (dirt and gravel) that formed the area’s hills and steep rolling terrain. Wildflowers and prairie grasses blanket the landscape from spring through fall. Visit the park and explore all the grasslands have to offer.

#25 · Lake Bemidji State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Bemidji·8 trails

This impressive landscape, protected as a park in 1923, is the result of the last stage of glaciation in Minnesota. Many of the swamps and bogs formed when chunks of ice separated from the receding glacier and left depressions that later filled with water. This place has drawn many people. American Indian tribes have lived, fished and hunted around Lake Bemidji for generations. More recently, pioneer loggers harvested the area’s white and red pines. Visit today and enjoy the park’s unique combination of recreation and natural experiences.

#26 · Itasca State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Park Rapids·24 trails

Lake Itasca ( eye-TASS-kə) is a small glacial lake, approximately 4.7 square kilometres (470 hectares; 1,200 acres) in area. It is located in Itasca State Park, in south-eastern Clearwater County, in the Headwaters area of north-central Minnesota, and is notable for being the headwater of the Mississippi River.

#27 · Glendalough State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Battle Lake·10 trails

For over sixty years, the Glendalough property was owned by the Minneapolis Tribune as a private retreat and game farm. This resulted in the preservation of hundreds of acres of land and miles of undeveloped shoreline on five lakes. During its heyday, the Glendalough Lodge on pristine Annie Battle Lake hosted executives, politicians, and dignitaries, including two future U.S. presidents. Glendalough, meaning “the glen between two lakes,” was named by Tribune owner F.E. Murphy and his wife who were of Irish descent. Glendalough became a state park in 1991.

#28 · Myre-Big Island State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Albert Lea·9 trails

Myre-Big Island State Park is an oasis of natural diversity. The park was created in 1947 to protect unique geologic features, plant life and human history. What began with 116 acres on Big Island now encompasses over 1,700 acres of rolling hills, ponds and marshes along the shores of Albert Lea Lake. The oak savanna landscape is surrounded by agricultural land. The area has been used by humans for over 9,000 years. Visit today and discover birding, hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, snowshoeing, camping and much more.

#29 · Carley State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Plainview·4 trails

Visit the park in spring for a parade of early wildflowers, or in the fall for a display of colorful oaks and maples. Come during any season to glimpse the towering white pines that first prompted the park’s creation. State Senator James A. Carley and the Ernestina Bolt family donatedthis land in 1948 to preserve an outstanding groveof white pines found here. Look opposite thepicnic area and you will still see some of thesegiants in the river valley today. In addition to thepines, spring wildflowers and numerous birdspecies, the park also protects a portion of theBlufflands Landscape Region. This is a unique areain southeastern Minnesota that features highbluffs, deep valleys and rolling uplands.

#30 · Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Soudan·6 trails

In 2014, the state legislature combined two neighboring parks to create Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park. This new park offers both the beauty of the Lake Vermilion shoreline and the one-of-a-kind experience of touring the Soudan Underground Mine. At 40,557 acres, Lake Vermilion is the fifth largest lake located entirely within the borders of Minnesota. The nearby mine is a National Historic Landmark that highlights a mining history reaching back over 4,000 years. The park offers 31 electric sites, 24 sites designed for OHV users, 3 group camp sites, a rental house, 8 camper cabins and a day-use area.

#31 · Whitewater State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Altura·6 trails

Established in 1919, the park protects one of the most scenic sections of the historic Whitewater Valley. Rare geology in this unglaciated Driftless Area supports diverse ecosystems, dramatic landscapes and unique recreational opportunities. Much of the park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration as a result of the Great Depression. Today, the park welcomes over 250,000 visitors each year and serves as a gateway and information center for the nearby 27,000-acre Whitewater Wildlife Management Area. An active Friends Group helps support many park projects and activities.

#32 · Maplewood State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Pelican Rapids·10 trails

Maplewood State Park was created in 1963 to protect the area’s unique natural and cultural resources. The 9,200-acre park sits between the state’s eastern forests and western prairies. Each autumn, its diverse landscapes share a stunning display of brilliant reds, oranges and gold. A look beneath the rich forests and prairie restoration sites reveals hills left behind during the last ice age. The highest hills in the park approach 1,600 feet. Changes in elevation, numerous lakes and ponds, and a mix of forest and prairie offer you a spectacular setting for canoeing, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, camping and more during your stay.

#33 · Bear Head Lake State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Ely·6 trails

Experience an “Up North, Boundary Waters feel” as you hike, camp, fish and recreate in the park’s more than 4,000 acres. The lakes, hills and rocky landscape you’ll explore were shaped by glaciers. Walk beneath large pines that avoided heavy logging as early as 1895, a time when they were too small to be cut. Glimpse a variety of wildlife including black bears, grey wolves, white-tailed deer, pine marten, otters and moose. Visit in winter to ski, snowshoe, snowmobile or cozy up in one of the reservable cabins or guesthouse. The park was created in 1961 as a place for visitors to enjoy year-round. In 2010, it won the America’s Favorite Park contest.

#34 · John A. Latsch State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Minnesota City·1 trail

Full of Mississippi River vistas, this park bears the name of the philanthropic Winona grocer who donated the land to the state in 1925. The park’s convenient location and small footprint have made it a favorite stopping point for people traveling between La Crosse, Wisconsin and Red Wing, Minnesota. The park was once classified as a state scenic wayside and is unique in not requiring a state park permit today. The park’s hiking trail was created by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933. Enjoy the beautiful views you will find there.

#35 · Lac qui Parle State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Watson·3 trails

The park was created in 1941 to offer recreation along Lac qui Parle Lake. It started as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project for flood control along the Minnesota River. The WPA workers also built three, unique stone and timber buildings that you can still find on the west side of the lake. The lake's name is a French translation of the name the Dakota people gave it, "lake that speaks." If you visit in the spring, thousands of migratory waterfowl stop at the lake, adding a chorus of honking and quacking. Visit the park to experience the migration, paddle the lake, cast a line for fish, trek the trails or visit a historic site.

#36 · Big Bog State Recreation Area Northern Unit

0.0(0)·Park·Waskish·6 trails

Big Bog State Recreation Area was established in 2000. It was the result of a grassroots effort to create a sustainable tourist attraction in Waskish, whose economy was devastated when the Red Lake walleye population crashed in the 1990s. The recreation area includes a northern unit and a southern unit totaling 9,121 acres. A 500-square-mile peat bog, the largest in the lower 48 states, is located in the northern unit. The southern unit includes a visitor center, fire tower, campground, winterized camper cabins, a sandy beach and great fishing.

#37 · Gooseberry Falls State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Two Harbors·9 trails

Park trails wind through 1,700 acres of mixed evergreen, aspen and birch forests bordering Lake Superior. You can step along ancient lava flows eroded by water at the Upper, Middle and Lower Falls. The land has a history of drawing people. Early explorers met native residents, fishermen made their living from the lake, logging transformed the landscape in the early 1900s, and tourism expanded in the 1920s. In 1933, the state authorized the preservation of this area and soon the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) arrived to create Gooseberry Falls State Park. View the lasting legacy of these young men in the log and stone features they built here.

#38 · Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Two Harbors·10 trails

Split Rock Lighthouse became a necessity in 1905 when a storm wrecked six ships within a dozen miles of the Split Rock River. The historic lighthouse sits on a 130-foot anorthosite cliff pushed up by magma within the Midcontinent Rift over a billion years ago. The combination creates a stunning setting that visitors come from around the world to see. The Minnesota Historical Society manages the Lighthouse Historic Site and the state park manages 2,200 acres around it. Visit and explore Shipwreck Creek Campground, the cart-in campground, rugged trails, Lake Superior shoreline and Split Rock River.

#39 · Lake Louise State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Le Roy·3 trails

The park’s lake was created when early settlers built a dam on the Upper Iowa River to power a gristmill, an important business for the growing frontier community of Le Roy. Later in time, the Hambrecht Family donated several acres along the lake as a recreation area called Wildwood Park. The lake was named “Louise” after a family member. The city of Le Roy donated Wildwood Park to the state in 1962, and Lake Louise State Park was established. Today, at 849 acres, the park offers woodlands and restored prairies with abundant wildflowers and wildlife. The park also includes the confluence of the Upper Iowa and Little Iowa rivers and features numerous sinkholes

#40 · Kilen Woods State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Lakefield·3 trails

Kilen Woods State Park was created in 1945 to preserve vanishing natural features in the Des Moines River Watershed. The beautiful Prairie Bush Clover Scientific and Natural Area is located within the park and protects the federally threatened prairie bush clover along with hundreds of prairie dependent plants, pollinators and wildlife. You’ll also experience oak savanna and cool woodlands during your stay. Visit and immerse yourself in the park’s unique habitats as you hike, camp, paddle or bird watch.

#41 · Lake Shetek State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Currie·6 trails

Created in 1937, the park gives you access to the largest lake in Southwest Minnesota. Lake Shetek has long drawn humans. The first to farm and settle here were of the Great Oasis culture around 900-1100 A.D. The Dakota people, who had their homes around the lakes and prairies, came into contact with European explorers in the 1840s. Immigrants later created a settlement along the lake that came to an end during the tragic U.S./Dakota War of 1862. During your visit you may see reminders of this time. Today, the park offers you opportunities to make new memories in this historic place. Camp, fish, swim, hike, paddle and more.

#42 · Tettegouche State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Silver Bay·19 trails

Step into the park and view the rushing waters of the Baptism River as they cleave a 1.1-billion-year-old, rugged rhyolite ridge that rises over the Lake Superior shoreline. Hike to waterfalls surrounded by high cliffs that are the result of the water’s work upon the rock. See where the Baptism River spills into Lake Superior and adds its water to the world’s largest freshwater lake. The park’s semi-mountainous terrain offers you numerous overlooks of Lake Superior and the surrounding landscape. This unique area was protected as a state park in 1979. In the heart of the park, on the shores of Mic Mac Lake, Tettegouche Camp was built over a hundred years ago. You can rent any of the four original, rustic log cabins for an overnight stay or use the lodge, built in 1911, for a unique picnicking site (hike-in only). Experience the quiet Northwoods wonder that has captivated humans through the centuries.

#43 · Camden State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Lynd·11 trails

Though Camden State Park was not established until 1935, it has long been a popular place for people to gather. The wooded valley provided shelter from the frequent winds and periodic fires that moved through the surrounding tallgrass prairie. The cold water springs within the river valley’s steep walls keep it cooler and more humid than the surrounding prairie. Moist soils and cooler temperatures allow the growth of one of the most westerly examples of a native sugar maple/basswood forest. The park’s diverse habitats also includes tallgrass prairie and wetland complexes. Amid the landscape, visitors will see original Veteran’s Conservation Corps buildings from the 1930s. Discover all the park has to offer as you hike miles of trails, bike, swim, fish and picnic.

#44 · George Crosby Manitou State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Silver Bay·6 trails

George H. Crosby Manitou State Park is a unique wilderness state park. The rugged landscape and remote hike-in campsites allow backpackers to get away from the crowds and into the wilds of northern Minnesota. Trails are carved through a forest of fir, cedar, spruce and northern hardwoods that are home to moose, deer, bear and wolves. The park’s non-motorized Benson Lake offers paddlers a Boundary Waters-like environment. Anglers can cast a line for trout (brown, rainbow and brook) and splake (a hybrid of brook and lake trout). The landscape became a state park when it was donated by George H. Crosby, a mining magnate, in 1955.

#45 · Beaver Creek Valley State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Caledonia·6 trails

Big Spring, the source of Beaver Creek, became part of Beaver Creek Valley State Park in 1937. Today, the park protects rare and diverse plants and animals. The scenic beauty of this valley, in the driftless area of Minnesota, offers a unique setting for a day hike or camping trip. Fish for trout in the streams, experience spring wildflowers and bird migrations, hike quiet trails, or marvel at steep valley walls carved by glacial meltwater thousands of years ago. There is no biking allowed in the park, but the Root River State Trail is only a 20 minute drive away.

#46 · Buffalo River State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Glyndon·10 trails

#47 · Temperance River State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Schroeder·8 trails

This 1.1 billion year-old landscape became a state park in 1957, but visitors have been attracted by its scenery for far longer. The rugged terrain is cleft by the Temperance River Gorge, a crack in the earth that the river rushes through on its way to Lake Superior. See and feel the power of the world’s largest freshwater lake at the beach and picnic area at the mouth of the river. Over 1,000 feet above the lake, Carlton Peak offers panoramic views of the surrounding wilderness. Visit the park for miles of trails, designated trout streams, or camping.

#48 · Hayes Lake State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Roseau·6 trails

Hayes Lake State Park was created in 1967 to offer recreational opportunities in a wilderness setting. Since the region has few lakes, one of the first developments was to create Hayes Lake by impounding the north fork of the Roseau River. The lake is now home to abundant wildlife. The land around the lake was once a collection of private homesteads that has been returned to forest. Visit the park and experience fishing, paddling, swimming, birdwatching, stepping onto a bog walk, camping and much more.

#49 · Blue Mounds State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Luverne·11 trails

Blue Mounds State Park protects sheer quartzite cliffs and over 1,500 acres of highly diverse prairie. Here you have the opportunity to see more rare prairie species than in any other park in southwestern Minnesota. Management programs restore native grasses and wildflowers, resulting in a panorama of prairie colors in late summer. Amid this rich landscape, you may also spot bison. The herd you see today began with the introduction of three bison from Nebraska in 1961. New calves are born each spring.

#50 · Cascade River State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Grand Marais·15 trails

The Cascade River plunges 120 feet through a deep, twisting gorge on its 17-mile journey to meet Lake Superior. The result is a spectacular series of cascades for which the river was named. Stand at one of the viewing spots above the river to feel the vibration of the rushing water as it cuts through ancient basalt lava flows. Smaller water features like Spruce, Indian Camp, and Cutface creeks also move through the park. Trails wind from Lake Superior up to the Sawtooth Mountains with their panoramic view of the North Shore. Pass through the boreal hardwood-conifer forest of aspen, birch, fir, spruce and cedar. You may glimpse moose, wolves, pine martens, bears or numerous birds. Many of the trails and facilities that you see in the park were built by men stationed here at a Civilian Conservation Corps camp in the 1930s. Cascade River State Park was established in 1957 so that future generations could experience these unique natural and historic features.

#51 · Old Mill State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Argyle·5 trails

Old Mill State Park is a small Minnesota state park on the Middle River between Argyle and Newfolden on an ancient beach of glacial Lake Agassiz in Marshall County in the northwestern part of the state. It is a 406-acre (164 ha) park.

#52 · Lake Bronson State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Lake Bronson·8 trails

Lake Bronson State Park came to exist as the result of a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression. Workers built a dam and several buildings before the land was given to the state in 1937. Long before that, the area was used by American Indians living on the shores of glacial Lake Agassiz. Pioneers later homesteaded the region. These uses have created a park rich in cultural resources that you might experience during your stay: Arvilla artifacts, pioneer cemeteries and homesteads, and WPA buildings, campsites and the dam.

#53 · Grand Portage State Park

0.0(0)·Park·Grand Portage·4 trails

Here you can experience a unique sense of place through a partnership between the State of Minnesota and the Anishinabe people of Grand Portage. Established in 1989, Grand Portage is not only a state park but a Class 1 Highway Rest Area and Explore Minnesota Travel Information Center. Hike six miles of trails with two beautiful waterfalls and ridgetop overlooks of Lake Superior and the Pigeon River Valley. The river forms the northern boundary of the park and is the international boundary line between the United States and Canada. The main attraction is High Falls, the tallest waterfall in Minnesota with a drop of 120 feet. The spectacular scenery sets the stage for recreational opportunities such as hiking, snowshoeing, photography and picnicking