Itasca State Park

Welcome to Minnesota's first State Park, Istasca State Park which was established in 1891. The longest river in North America, the Mississippi River, has her headwaters in this park and she begins her 2,552 mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the earliest human inhabitants of this land date back as far as 8000 years when Native Americans hunted bison, deer, and moose here. To this day Native American burial grounds can still be found on the parks grounds. In 1832, a man named Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, while being guided by Ozawindib, a local Anishinabe, gave the park it's name, which is a combination of the latin words for "truth" and "head." In the latter part of the 19th century a man named Jacob Brower saw the landscape being scarred by the local timber companies and began to advocate for the creation of a state park. On April 20, 1891, by a margin of just one vote, Brower finally got his wish.

Today the park not only provides for numerous recreational opportunities for humans but also protects wildlife habitat for bears, wolves, porcupines, beavers, owls, blue herons, woodpeckers, chickadees, and many others. Please treat their home with respect.

For the lover of the outdoors Itasca State Park boasts over 60 miles of multipurpose trails, a swimming beach, volleyball nets, hundreds of campsites (including 160 with electrical hookups), a playground for the kids and much more. Come on out and explore!

To contact the office please call 218-699-7251.