No Fees, All Fun: Minnesota’s Last Free Park Friday Arrives

Minnesota is giving outdoor lovers one last reason to lace up their boots before the year wraps up. The final Free Park Day of 2025 happens this week, when the state opens the gates to every state park and recreation area at no cost to you.

One of the great things-- and there are many-- about living here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes is the incredible state park system and nature areas that the Department of Natural Resources manages. From one of the many scenic parks along the North Shore to Carley State Park near Plainview, the Bold North really IS a beautiful state.

And if you want to get out and enjoy one of those state parks, you'll be able to do it for FREE again this weekend. Specifically, Friday, November 28th, 2025, which is the last f the DNR's 'Free Park Days' of 2025. And according to the DNR, that means you can put away your wallet-- your money's no good at any of the 75 Minnesota state parks and state recreation areas that day, as they're all offering free admission to everyone.

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And with 75 of those areas not charging admission, you're sure to find a park or trail you haven't explored before. The DNR explains:

There's a state park within 30 miles of most Minnesotans. With a free day in each season, it's a great opportunity to get out there and explore someplace new - or visit an old favorite at a new time of year! Whether you stay for the whole weekend or just spend a few hours outside, you'll make memories that will last a lifetime.

In late June a few years ago, we had the chance to head up to the North Shore and explore two state parks I'd never been to before, hiking the trails at Jay Cooke State Park, just south of Duluth in Carlton, Minnesota, as well as at Cascade River State Park a little farther up Highway 61 in Lutsen. The views in both parks were AMAZING!

I mentioned, this Friday is the final Free Park Day of the year-- and is also conveniently placed right after Thanksgiving, giving all of us the perfect way to burn off all those extra calories we'll consume on Thanksgiving!

However, if you can't make it out this Friday, you're in luck, as the DNR has also announced the dates for its Free Park Days in 2026:

• Monday, January 19
• Saturday, April 25
• Saturday, June 13
• Friday, November 27

One of the best parts of Minnesota's many state parks and recreation areas is the lakes that are featured in many of them. But do you know just *which* of those lakes have the most common names in the state? (Hint: There are a *lot* of Mud Lakes in Minnesota!) Keep scrolling to check out the rest!

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