State parks & natural areas

  • Ski, snowshoe or hike by candlelight

    In the winter, follow twinkling lights through snowy forests in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois.

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  • Drama on the Prairie Coteau

    The shifting beauty of the prairie has a showcase at this dramatic park.

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  • High drama at Devil's Lake

    Rocks tell the earthshaking story of how the Baraboo Hills were created.

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  • The divine Devil's Lake

    In the Baraboo Hills, a splendid park makes people come running.

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  • The quiet side of the Dells

    Sidestep the Strip, and you'll see a lovely area that's little changed since a photographer made the world come running.

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  • Michigan's great lake cabins

    In the only state that borders three Great Lakes, the best places to stay are in state parks.

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  • Camping without roughing it

    Here are 15 state parks not far from the comforts of civilization: restaurants, shops, golf courses, even nightlife.

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  • Watch out for wild parsnip

    This flowering weed may look pretty, but it bites.

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  • Free time in state parks

    On the first two weekends of June, try a new park, trail or fishing hole for free.

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  • Minnesota's cave country

    In the southeast corner of the state, scratch the surface for a glimpse of splendor.

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  • Heirs to a hideaway

    High above the North Shore, a spot at the historic Tettegouche Camp is as prized as ever.

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  • Ensconced in Ely

    A guesthouse overlooking Bear Head Lake is just one of the hideaways in Minnesota state parks.

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  • Wisconsin's Icelandic outpost

    On Lake Michigan, a pioneering Icelandic inventor transformed an island.

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  • Brigadoon in bluff country

    At Historic Forestville, visitors are transported back to 1899.

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  • A cabin in Iowa

    Spectacular scenery lies at guests' feet in a resort-like state park.

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  • A roof in the woods

    In state and county parks and forests around the Upper Midwest, visitors love their camper cabins.

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  • Road trip: Wisconsin's Muir Tour

    In the Baraboo Hills, visit John Muir's boyhood farm, Aldo Leopold's shack and every species of crane.

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  • Marvels of Starved Rock

    In northern Illinois, a lovely state park draws crowds to its riverside cliffs and forest canyons.

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  • Camping in state parks

    For summer, reserve far ahead to get choice camping sites at peak times in popular state parks.

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  • Staying in a state park

    Don't like to camp? Cabins and guesthouses are cushy, but still in the middle of nature.

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  • The people's park

    For generations, Itasca has been a sacred spot to Minnesotans.

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  • At SNAs, step off the beaten path

    A state natural area, or SNA, is a fantastic place to see spring at full throttle.

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  • A yurt on an Iowa lake

    A weekend stay on an Iowa lake is so simple, it's hardly camping.

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  • Afoot in the Porkies

    On the Upper Peninsula, a splendid wilderness remains unchanged in the Porkies.

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  • Free days in Minnesota and Michigan state parks

    On the second weekend of June, everyone is invited for a day of fishing, hiking and trail riding.

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  • On the rocks in the Ozarks

    In spring, southeast Missouri is heaven for hikers, paddlers and rockhounds.

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