Fort Ridgely State Park is a Minnesota state park near Fairfax, covering 1,044 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.
- 1,044acres
- Fairfaxmailing town
- Yesovernight stays
- $7day vehicle permit
- Camping
- Historic site
- Horseback riding
- Scenic rolling hills
- Birdwatching and butterflies
- Trout fishing in Fort Ridgely Creek
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: Fort Ridgely State Park sits on the bluffs of the Minnesota River Valley. Named for the frontier military post (1853 to 1872), Fort Ridgely is the fourth oldest state park, established in 1911. This state park has a lot to offer.
Wildlife. Many different animals make their home in Fort Ridgely State Park or move through depending on the time of the year. White-tailed deer can be seen bounding through tall-grass prairie. Beavers build dams along the creek.
History. For thousands of years the Dakota people and their ancestors have lived along the Minnesota River. The story of Fort Ridgely as a military post and later state park begins much later and is a sliver of time compared to the long and ongoing.
Geology. Massive sheets of ice slowly advanced and retreated across what is now Minnesota for millions of years as part of four distinct glaciation periods.
Visit Facts
- Address72158 County Road 30 Fairfax, MN 55332
- Phone507-426-7840
- Park hoursDaily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
- Park office hoursFrom mid-May through late October the office hours are Thurs 9-12, Fri 2-8, Sat 10-4, and Sun 10-2. There are no regular office hours from late October through mid-May.
- Emailfortridgely.statepark@state.mn.us
- Park GPS point44.44790, -94.72669 (DNR printed coordinates)
- Official pageDNR page for Fort Ridgely State Park
Trails
| Season | Trail type | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Hiking | — | The park has nine miles of hiking trails ranging from easy to challenging. The trails pass through wooded areas and prairie. |
| Summer | Paved Bike | — | The park has one-half mile of paved bike trails. |
| Summer | Horse | — | The park has 13 miles of horse trails. Call ahead to check trail conditions, especially in the spring. |
| Winter | Snowmobile | 8 miles | The park has eight miles of snowmobile trails that connect to grant-in-aid trails on either side of the park. |
| Winter | Snowshoe | — | Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park, except on groomed trails. |
| Winter | Other | Ungroomed ski trails | The park has five ungroomed miles of skiing ranging from easy to intermediate. |
Camping and Lodging
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Drive-in Sites | — | The park has 33 drive-in sites. |
| Electric Sites | — | The Creekside Campground has 15 electric sites. |
| RV Length Limit | — | The max RV length is 60 feet. Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed. |
| Accessible Sites | — | The farmhouse, which accommodates up to six guests, is accessible. |
| Walk-in Sites | — | The park has three secluded walk-in sites a thousand feet from parking. Drinking water is available, but there are no garbage cans. Please carry out your trash |
| Horse Camp | — | Thirteen of the 14 sites in the horse campground have electricity and water hookup. Box stalls are available to rent. Call the park to reserve. |
| Group Camp | — | The park's partly shaded group campsite near the main campground accommodates 20 people and has water, fire rings, rustic toilets and picnic tables. No electricity. Tents only! Vehicles must use an adjacent parking lot. |
| Cabins | — | The chalet is available year-round. The farm house is available seasonally and accessible. |
Reservations go through the DNR system; start from the park page.
On The Water
The DNR lists no water recreation here.
Other Recreation
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Picnic Area | — | The picnic area has a shelter with picnic tables, pedestal grills, drinking fountains and an amphitheater. The picnic area also features an interpretive display on the CCC and VCC camps at Fort Ridgely in the 1930s. |
| Picnic Shelter | — | Located in the picnic area, the picnic shelter was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The accessible and enclosed picnic shelter accommodates up to 60 people and includes a fireplace, electricity, picnic tables, toilets and running water. Call the park to reserve. |
| Other | — | Horse box stalls Visitors staying in the horse campground or farmhouse can rent horse box stalls. The stalls are within 500' of the horse campground, and within 100' of the farmhouse. The stalls are 8' x 10' in size. Four stalls have a sand floor, and four stalls have a rubber mat floor. Visitors reserving a rubber mat floor stall must bring and use bedding. |
| Warming House | — | The chalet is available as a winter warming house. |
| Sliding Hill | — | The park has two sliding areas. Plastic sleds or inner tubes only – toboggans and sleds with runners are not allowed. |
Amenities
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ranger Station | — | Visit the ranger station to rent equipment or shop at the nature store. You can also purchase vehicle permits here in person or online. |
| Gift Shop | — | The park has a small gift shop with souvenirs and clothing at the ranger station. It is open during ranger station hours. |
| Rentals | — | Birding kits, GPS units and kids discovery kits (activities and stories for ages 5-12) are available to check out for free at the ranger station. |
| Firewood | — | Firewood is available seasonally. Purchase firewood at the ranger station or through Yodel. Gathering firewood can spread tree-killing insects and is against state park rules. Protect our trees – please burn only approved firewood! |
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.
Directions
Off State Highway 4, 6 miles south of Fairfax or 12 miles north of Sleepy Eye, then follow the signs to the park.
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Directions.
Nearby Places
- Flandrau State ParkState Park, about 17 miles away in a straight line
- Minneopa State ParkState Park, about 37 miles away in a straight line
- Minnesota Valley State Recreation AreaState Recreation Area, about 52 miles away in a straight line
- Kilen Woods State ParkState Park, about 52 miles away in a straight line
- Lake Shetek State ParkState Park, about 53 miles away in a straight line
- Camden State ParkState Park, about 59 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
- Kilen Woods State Park
- Lac Qui Parle State Park
- Lake Shetek State Park
- Minneopa State Park
- Monson Lake State Park
- Events in Minnesota River Valley & Prairielands
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Fort Ridgely State Park?
It is near Fairfax, Minnesota. The DNR address is 72158 County Road 30 Fairfax, MN 55332.
How much does it cost to visit Fort Ridgely 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 Fort Ridgely State Park?
Pets are welcome on a leash six feet or shorter outside buildings, lodging, tours and beach areas, per the DNR rules page. The park page states no extra limits we could read.
Sources
- Fort Ridgely 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.