Minnesota DNR changes campsite reservation window from 1 year to 4 months
Starting July 10, Minnesota campsites can only be reserved 4 months ahead of time, down from the 1-year reservation window of old. (FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota DNR is only allowing guests to reserve campsites and lodging four months ahead of time in an effort to make the process fairer.
Currently, Minnesota campsites could be reserved up to a year ahead of time. Starting July 1, however, reservations will only open 120 days ahead of time for advance reservations.
“State Parks and Recreation Areas belong to all Minnesotans, so everyone should have equitable access to facilities and campgrounds,” said DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen. “Shortening the reservation window will better accommodate visitors’ busy schedules and allow more people to enjoy the most desirable campsites and lodging.”
The DNR said it used survey and user data to determine that most visitors plan their overnight park visits a few months before they go and many could not plan an entire year in advance.
Also, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to some shifts in the way the DNR operates campgrounds, including 24-hour gaps between lodging reservations and more than 25,000 reservation cancellations. The new, shorter reservation window will allow for more agility in future operational changes that could be needed, the DNR says.
All reservations made prior to July 1 will still be honored, even if they are for a date beyond the new four-month window. Any reservation changes, however, will only be possible within the new 120-day window.