Minnesota state parks are free on Saturday for National Get Outdoors Day
Split Rock Lighthouse, as seen from Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, located on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota. (FOX 9)
(FOX 9) - All 75 Minnesota state parks and recreation areas are free to visit on Saturday, June 11.
Free Park Day is one of four days a year the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) waives the vehicle permit fees required to enter state parks and recreation areas. The DNR's goal of Free Park Days is to get all Minnesotans outdoors.
"Minnesota state parks and recreation areas are open year-round to provide places for people to recharge from life’s everyday demands and be surrounded by the beauty of nature," Ann Pierce, director of the DNR Parks and Trails Division, said in a statement. "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."
40+ free park programs on Saturday
To celebrate Free Park Day, which coincides with National Get Outdoors Day on Saturday, the Minnesota DNR is offering more than 40 free special programs for visitors to state parks and recreation areas throughout the state. Here is the list of programs — while they're all free, some do require pre-registration.
National Get Outdoors Day is an annual event on the second Saturday in June aimed at encouraging healthy, active outdoor fun.
The next Free Park Day in Minnesota is Friday, Nov. 25. The fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for activities like camping, rentals or special tours.