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Lake Shetek State Park is a Minnesota state park near Currie, covering 1,152 acres. Hours: Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. It offers camping or lodging. Entry needs a state park vehicle permit, $7 for a day, as the DNR fees page said on October 19, 2026.
- 1,152acres
- Curriemailing town
- Yesovernight stays
- $7day vehicle permit
- Camping
- Pelicans
- Bicycle trail loops into town
- Terrific fishing and water recreation
- Historic Shetek Monument and Koch Cabin
- Largest lake in southwestern Minnesota
Plan It in Three Lines
- Hours: Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
- Cost: a $7 one-day vehicle permit or a $35 year-round permit, per the DNR fees page of October 19, 2026; confirm before you go.
- Pets: leashed (six feet or shorter) outside buildings, lodging and beaches, per the DNR rules page; park-specific limits are listed below.
About The Park
The DNR describes it: The word "Shetek" is Ojibwe for "pelican," a bird which visits Lake Shetek during the summer and fall. The park contains the largest lake in southwestern Minnesota, which forms the headwaters of the Des Moines River. Expect great fishing for walleye, northern, crappie, and bullheads.
Wildlife. A quiet hike on one of the park trails can yield a glimpse of a white-tailed deer, the sounds of bobolinks in the prairie, or the flight of a white pelican overhead.
History. For hundreds of years native peoples were drawn to the Lake Shetek area in pursuit of bison. In 1856 the first Whites came to live on the eastern shores of Lake Shetek.
Geology. Lake Shetek lies in the Coteau des Prairie ("highlands of the prairie") region of Minnesota, a geological area which separates the Minnesota River from the Missouri River watershed. Glaciers moved across this Coteau region many years ago.
Visit Facts
- Address163 State Park Road Currie, MN 56123
- Phone507-763-3256
- Park hoursDaily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
- Park office hoursMon-Tues: 8 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday: 8 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thurs-Sat: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday 8 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. until Labor Day
- Emaillakeshetek.statepark@state.mn.us
- Park GPS point44.09479, -95.68080 (DNR printed coordinates)
- Official pageDNR page for Lake Shetek State Park
Trails
| Season | Trail type | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Accessible | 4.5 miles | There is a crushed quartzite rock trail that is wheelchair accessible that starts at the picnic area, continues along the lake shore to the boat landing, across the causeway and around Loon Island. This trail is 1.5 miles in length. |
| Summer | Self-Guided | 1 mile | A one-mile loop trail around Loon Island highlights some of the natural and cultural history of the island. This trail is also the park's Hiking Club Trail. |
| Summer | Hiking | 14 miles | There are 14 miles of hiking trails, including 6 miles of the bike trail, that take you through a variety of landscapes that make up Lake Shetek State Park. |
| Summer | Paved Bike | 6 miles | The Casey Jones/Currie Loop State Trail is a 6-mile loop that connects Lake Shetek State Park and the nearby town of Currie. The bike trail can be accessed at a trail head in Currie or in the state park. |
| Winter | Snowmobile | 5 Miles | Approximately 5 miles of groomed snowmobile trails within the park connects to the wider Murray County Trail System. The trail enters the park in a couple different locations and winds through the park's woodlands and prairies. |
| Winter | Snowshoe | Anywhere in park except for groomed snowmobile trails | Snowshoe rentals are available at the ranger station. |
Camping and Lodging
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Drive-in Sites | 66 sites | — |
| Pull-Through Sites | 3 pull-through sites with electricity, 1 pull-through site with full hook-up | — |
| Electric Sites | 64 sites | There are 32 electric sites in Oak Woods Campground and 32 sites with sewer/water/electricity in Sunrise Campground. All sites with electricity are 20/30/50 amp service. |
| RV Length Limit | 70 Feet | Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed. |
| Accessible Sites | 8 sites | Three accessible drive-in sites with full hookup are available in the Sunrise Campground. Three accessible drive-in electric sites are available in the Oak Woods Campground. Two accessible drive-in campsites are available in the Prairie Campground. |
| Cart-in Sites | 7 sites | — |
| Group Camp | 1 Site – accommodates up to 30 people | The Wilderness Group Camp is adjacent to Park Lake. Hand pump and vault toilets available. No showers are available. Drive-in, tent only site. Reserve Now . –> |
| Group Center | — | More details about the Zuya Group Center. The group center overlooks Lake Shetek, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is accessible and available for rent from mid-May to the end of September. The maximum occupancy is 84 people. |
| Other | Park Lake Campsite – accommodates 6 | This is a small lakeside camp for tent camping only. The site will accommodate up to six people. Campers will have about a 60-yard hike to the site from the parking area. A cart is available at the parking lot to assist in transporting camping equipment and supplies to the site. This campsite has access to a nearby hand pump for water and has vault toilet facilities. |
| Accessible Lodging | — | The park has two accessible camper cabins. The Zuya Group Center has one accessible cabin, two accessible bathroom/shower rooms, and the dining hall has an accessible entrance. |
| Camper Cabins | 4 year-round cabins, available Thursday – Sunday during the winter season, available daily Apr – Oct | Cabins C2 and C3 are wheelchair accessible, and sleep 5. Cabin C1 sleeps 5, and C4 sleeps 6. Pets not allowed in cabins. Available year-round, Thursday – Sunday during the winter season, available daily Apr – Oct. More information on camper cabins. |
Reservations go through the DNR system; start from the park page.
On The Water
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing Pier | Near picnic area | It is wheelchair accessible and located adjacent to the picnic area. |
| Swimming Beach | Near picnic area | — |
| Boat Access | Lake Shetek | The drive-in boat landing provides direct access to Lake Shetek and has a large parking lot for vehicles and trailers. Canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, paddleboat and rowboats are also located here and are available to rent at the park office. |
| Boat Docks | — | — |
| Canoe Access | Smith Lake | The canoe access and dock on Smith Lake within the park is part of the canoe trail on Lake Shetek. Signs marking the portages to Lake Shetek are visible. There are also canoes located here that can be rented at the park office. |
Other Recreation
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Picnic Area | Close to the lake and swimming beach | Located close to the lake and swimming beach, it is handicap accessible with fire rings and picnic tables scattered throughout. |
| Picnic Shelter | Open shelter and enclosed shelter | There are two picnic shelters, an open shelter and an enclosed stone shelter with a woodstove. Both shelters have electricity and the open shelter is available to rent. Contact the park office for more information. |
| Playground | — | The playground equipment is located adjacent to the swimming beach and picnic area. |
| Volleyball | — | Available for free checkout at the park office. |
| Horseshoes | — | Available for free checkout at the park office |
| Warming House | Enclosed shelter | The warming house is the enclosed stone shelter. There is electricity, several picnic tables and a woodstove for heat. |
Amenities
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ranger Station | Open daily, April through October. Limited hours, November through March. | Stop here for vehicle permits, camping registration, park information and to rent or check out equipment. |
| Visitor Center | Open daily from April through November | The visitor center features displays about the natural and early settler history of the park and the surrounding area. It includes a kid's corner with books, puzzles and other activities for children to learn about nature. |
| Naturalist Programs | Occasionally throughout the summer | — |
| Historic Site | — | Visit the Koch Cabin, home to one of the Lake Shetek area’s earliest pioneer settlers. The Shetek monument, a memorial to the 14 settlers buried there, stands in the park. Other early Shetek settler cabin sites located within the park are marked with interpretive signs. |
| Gift Shop | Open daily, April through October. Limited hours, November through March. | Located in the park office, you will find a variety of gift items, t-shirts, sweatshirts, camping supplies, postcards and books for people of all ages. |
| Rentals | — | Rowboat, canoe, single and tandem kayaks, stand-up paddleboard, and paddleboat rentals are available from the ranger station. Snowshoe rentals are available during winter months. Fishing kits (rod, reel, stocked tackle box), birding kits, GPS units, and kids' discovery kits (activities and stories designed for age 5-12) are available to check out for free at the ranger station. |
| Firewood | — | Available at the park office |
| Ice Sales | — | Ice is available for sale at the park office May through September. |
| Public Phones | — | Available at the park office |
| Other | — | Loaner kits: Stop by the park office to borrow fishing kits, a bean bag toss game, volleyballs, horseshoes, Kids Discovery kits or a birding kit. |
Pets and Permits
Statewide, the DNR rules page says pets are welcome in state parks on a leash six feet or shorter, attended at all times; only service animals are allowed in buildings, lodging, tours and beach areas. A vehicle permit costs $7 a day or $35 a year (DNR fees page, read October 19, 2026). See the parks passport page for the full price list.
Park-specific: Pets not allowed in cabins.
Directions
North of Currie on County Road 38.
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Directions.
Nearby Places
- Camden State ParkState Park, about 22 miles away in a straight line
- Blue Mounds State ParkState Park, about 36 miles away in a straight line
- Split Rock Creek State ParkState Park, about 37 miles away in a straight line
- Kilen Woods State ParkState Park, about 39 miles away in a straight line
- Fort Ridgely State ParkState Park, about 53 miles away in a straight line
What We Could Not Verify
- Current alerts, closures, trail and campground conditions: they change daily. Read the DNR park page before you go.
- County: the DNR page does not state it, so we do not print one.
- Fees for lodging and group sites, and day-by-day availability: set by the DNR reservation system.
- Permit prices were read on October 19, 2026 and the DNR page shows no effective date.
- The map point is the park’s printed coordinate, not a verified entrance.
More in Minnesota River Valley & Prairielands
- Pipestone National Monument
- Big Stone Lake State Park
- Blue Mounds State Park
- Camden State Park
- Flandrau State Park
- Fort Ridgely State Park
- Kilen Woods State Park
- Lac Qui Parle State Park
- Minneopa State Park
- Monson Lake State Park
- Events in Minnesota River Valley & Prairielands
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lake Shetek State Park?
It is near Currie, Minnesota. The DNR address is 163 State Park Road Currie, MN 56123.
How much does it cost to visit Lake Shetek State Park?
A one-day vehicle permit is $7 and a year-round permit is $35 on the DNR fees page we read on October 19, 2026. Check the fees page before you go.
Are dogs allowed at Lake Shetek State Park?
Pets are welcome on a leash six feet or shorter outside buildings, lodging, tours and beach areas, per the DNR rules page. This park’s page adds limits listed in Pets And Permits above.
Sources
- Lake Shetek State Park (DNR Recreation Compass data) (read November 1, 2026).
- Minnesota state park fees (DNR) (read November 1, 2026).
- Minnesota state park rules (DNR) (read November 1, 2026).
- Minnesota State Parks Passport, all places, park fees and rules.
Cite this page: It’s Minnesota. “Lake Shetek State Park.” itsminnesota.com/places/lake-shetek/. Facts read from the sources above on November 1, 2026.