The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is offering free admission to all 75 Minnesota state parks and recreation areas this year.  Free Park Day offers three more days this year  in which the DNR waives entrance fees to state parks. The entrance fee waiver does not cover activities like camping, rentals or tours.

The goal of Free Park Days is to get all Minnesotans outdoors. Research shows that spending time outdoors in nature provides multiple health and wellness benefits.

“Minnesota state parks and recreation areas are open year-round to provide places for people to get away from life’s everyday demands and be surrounded by the beauty of nature,” said Ann Pierce, director of the DNR Parks and Trails Division. “We hope that visitors who go to a state park or recreation area for the first time on Free Park Day will have fun and want to come back.”

The Free Park Days in 2022 are set for April 23, June 11 and Nov. 25.

State parks and recreation areas can be busy on Free Park Days and staffing and available amenities vary by season, so visitors should plan ahead by checking the Minnesota state parks and recreation areas page of the DNR website (www.mndnr.gov/stateparks).