It’s Minnesota
It's Minnesota

Rice Lake State Park

Rice Lake State Park is a Minnesota state park near Owatonna, covering 1,750 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.

Plan It In Three Lines

About The Park

The DNR describes it: Long ago, American Indians harvested wild rice from this lake where today, the shallow waters and marshy edges of Rice Lake attract many waterfowl during migrations. Rice Lake is a major wetland in the area. Visitors enjoy camping under the tall hardwoods, photographing spring wildflowers, picnicking, and birdwatching.

Wildlife. The park holds a variety of habitats. Marshes, lakes, meadows, and woods attract a large number of birds, especially waterfowl, during spring and fall migrations.

History. Rice Lake is the headwater source for the south branch of the middle fork of the Zumbro River. The lake was first dammed to provide energy for the water-powered mill located further to the east at Wasioja.

Geology. In previous geologic eras, a shallow sea covered most of North America, including southwestern Minnesota. On its bed, layers of sediment turned to rock, hundreds of feet thick.

Visit Facts

Trails

SeasonTrail typeLengthNotes
SummerAccessible0.5 miles—
SummerHiking—The park has five miles of hiking trails. Prairie trails are mowed grass. Trails along the lake or through the woods are natural surface or wood chips.
WinterSnowmobile—The park has approximately three miles of snowmobile trails that connect to the Steele County grant-in-aid trail system.
WinterSnowshoe—Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park, except on groomed snowmobile trails.
WinterOther—Trails are packed for winter hiking.The park has three ungroomed miles of ski trails.

Camping And Lodging

TypeDetailNotes
Drive-in Sites—The park has 40 campsites. Both the A and B loops in the main campground are one-way roads. All campsites are back-in sites. Shade coverage varies from open to wooded.
Electric Sites—The B Loop has 18 campsites marked on the map with an "E." (Note that site B14 is not electric.) All electric sites are 50 amp; the box also has 20 and 30 amp outlets.
RV Length Limit—Parking spurs vary in length from 35 to 55 feet. Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed. We do have overflow parking for tow vehicles that do not fit on the spur.
Accessible Sites—Two of the three accessible drive-in sites are electric. All three have hard-packed gravel on the entire site.
Walk-in Sites—The park has five rustic walk-in campsites 25 yards or less from the parking area, each with access to a vault toilet. Showers are not available for campers in these sites.
Cart-in Sites—The park has four rustic cart-in campsites 100 yards or less from the parking area, each with a lake view and access to a vault toilet and a shared cart for hauling gear. Showers are not available to campers in these sites.
Canoe-in Sites—The park has five rustic canoe-in campsites, each with a lake view and access to a vault toilet. Showers are not available to campers in these sites. There is no drinking water at these sites, so you need to bring water with you. If you need to rent a canoe, please call the park office to confirm canoe availability.
Group Camp—The park's rustic group camp accommodates up to 30 people and 12 vehicles. Vault toilets are available. Showers are not available to campers in the group camp.
Other—Campsite limits Other than the group camp, all campsites have a limit of one shelter (tent, RV, trailer, etc.) and six people per site, unless approved by the park manager prior to reserving. Hammocks and other items on trees Not all sites can accommodate hammocks or other items attached to trees.

Reservations go through the DNR system; start from the park page.

On The Water

TypeDetailNotes
Water Source—Rice Lake is a designated wildlife lake that is managed for waterfowl habitat. It is very shallow, averaging three to five feet. Waterfowl hunting is allowed, but you must be on the lake to hunt.
Fishing—Because Rice Lake is a designated wildlife lake, it is not managed for fishing. However, some game fish such as northern pike and perch are stocked to help control the rough fish population. You can find better fishing opportunities in the Owatonna and Faribault areas.
Fishing Pier—There is an accessible fishing pier/observation platform in the picnic area.
Boat Access—Use the boat launch area to access Rice Lake.
Boating Restrictions—Rice Lake is very shallow. Call the park office for restrictions or recommendations.
Boat Docks——

Other Recreation

TypeDetailNotes
Picnic Area—The lakeside picnic area is accessible.
Picnic Shelter—The accessible open-sided shelter in the picnic area has electricity. The picnic shelter is first-come, first-served.
Warming House—The warming house is located in the boat ramp parking area and serves as the winter trailhead. It opens for the fall waterfowl hunting season and remains open through the winter.

Amenities

TypeDetailNotes
Ranger Station—Purchase vehicle permits in person at the ranger station or online.
Interpretive Exhibit—Visit the Window on Nature exhibit in the ranger station or the observation deck in the picnic area.
Naturalist Programs—The park occasionally hosts naturalist programs.
Gift Shop—Shop books, field guides, park-specific clothing, and gifts at the ranger station.
Rentals—Canoe and kayak rentals are available from the ranger station. Birding kits are free to check out from the ranger station.
Firewood—Purchase firewood at the ranger station when it is open, or use Yodel to pay on site. Gathering firewood is against state park rules. Protect our trees – please burn only approved firewood! Out-of-state firewood is not allowed on DNR lands. This includes wood that is labeled as USDA certified.
Other—Observe waterfowl and other wildlife from the observation deck in the picnic area. Check out binoculars, field guides, and kids' discovery kits from at the ranger station.

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

Located 7 miles east of Owatonna on Rose Street. From Hwy 35, take exit 42A. Follow the signs to Rose Street. East on Rose Street to the park.

Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Directions.

Nearby Places

What We Could Not Verify

More In South Lakes & Bluff Country

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Rice Lake State Park?

It is near Owatonna, Minnesota. The DNR address is 8485 Rose Street Owatonna, MN 55060.

How much does it cost to visit Rice Lake 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 Rice Lake 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

  1. Rice Lake State Park (DNR Recreation Compass data) (read November 1, 2026).
  2. Minnesota state park fees (DNR) (read November 1, 2026).
  3. Minnesota state park rules (DNR) (read November 1, 2026).
  4. Minnesota State Parks Passport, all places, park fees and rules.
Cite this page: It’s Minnesota. “Rice Lake State Park.” itsminnesota.com/places/rice-lake/. Facts read from the sources above on November 1, 2026.