Scenic State Park is a Minnesota state park near Bigfork, covering 3,360 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.
- 3,360acres
- Bigforkmailing town
- Yesovernight stays
- $7day vehicle permit
- Camping
- Hiking
- Virgin Pines
- Peaceful Setting
- Fishing/Canoeing
- Historic CCC Buildings
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: With its pristine lakes, virgin pines, swimming beach, and wilderness-like setting, Scenic State Park is well deserving of its name. Here, visitors can hike the Chase Point Trail for hypnotic views of Coon and Sandwick Lakes and listen to the wind whistle through the giant pines. The park's overnight facilities include campsites (boat-in, drive-in, backpack) and a cabin.
Wildlife. More than 40 species of animals inhabit Scenic State Park including bald eagles, ospreys, loons, jays, pileated woodpeckers and a variety of songbirds.
History. Legislation was introduced to establish Scenic State Park in 1921. Originally the park was purposed to be named Sandwich Lake State Park, the name was changed to Scenic through the legislative process.
Geology. During the last glacial period, imagine a sheet of ice hundreds of feet high slowly creeping and gouging the earth. As the climate changed and glaciers began to melt, the retreating glaciers left behind depressions, ridges and deposits of.
Visit Facts
- Address56956 Scenic Highway 7 Bigfork, MN 56628
- Phone218-571-2600
- Park hoursDaily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
- Park office hoursIntermittent/limited office hours beginning October 20, 2026 until May 2027.
- Emailscenic.statepark@state.mn.us
- Park GPS point47.70294, -93.56680 (DNR printed coordinates)
- Official pageDNR page for Scenic State Park
Trails
| Season | Trail type | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Self-Guided | — | The park has two miles of interpretive signs along the Tell Lake and Chase Point trails. |
| Summer | Hiking | — | The park has 14 miles of easy to moderate trails taking you through virgin pine forests and along an esker between the basins of Coon-Sandwick Lake. |
| Winter | Snowmobile | — | The park has two miles of groomed snowmobile trails. |
| Winter | Snowshoe | — | Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park, except on groomed snowmobile trails. |
Camping And Lodging
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Drive-in Sites | — | The park has 88 drive-in sites across two campgrounds. |
| Pull-Through Sites | — | The park has 20 electric pull-through sites in the Chase Point campground. |
| Electric Sites | — | The Chase Point campground has 38 electric sites, 20 that are pull-through. The Lodge campground has two electric back-in sites. |
| RV Length Limit | — | The max RV length varies from 39 to 90 feet. Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed. |
| Accessible Sites | — | There are four accessible drive-in electric sites and one accessible non-electric site in the Chase Point campground. There is one accessible drive-in electric site in the Lodge Campground. |
| Backpack Sites | — | The park has two backpack sites 1.5 miles from the parking area. These sites are secluded on a small lake with unenclosed wilderness toilets. Bring your own drinking water. |
| Canoe-in Sites | — | The park has five sites that can be accessed from Coon-Sandwick Lake. These are secluded, rustic sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and unenclosed wilderness toilets. |
| Horse Camp | — | The Togo Horse Camp in George Washington State Forest is managed by but not connected to the park. |
| Group Camp | — | Reserve Now –> The park has one group camp on Lake of the Isles. The group camp accommodates up to 60 people, has scattered fire rings, picnic tables, a hand pump for water, and two vault toilets. The group camp also has two parking spurs with 50-amp hookups. Tents, campers, and small trailers are permitted in the group camp. |
| Cabins | — | See cabin details reserve now. –> |
Reservations go through the DNR system; start from the park page.
On The Water
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing Pier | Coon-Sandwick Lake | The fishing pier is wheelchair accessible. |
| Swimming Beach | — | Visit the swimming beach near the Lodge Campground. |
| Boat Access | — | Trailer boats at the public water access near the Lodge Campground. |
| Boat Docks | — | — |
| Canoe Access | — | The public water access near the Chase Point Campground has an accessible kayak launch. |
Other Recreation
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Picnic Area | — | The picnic area includes tables, fire rings, and vault toilets near the Lodge. |
| Picnic Shelter | — | The Lodge serves as an enclosed picnic shelter with electricity, a fire place, and interpretive displays. Maximum capacity is 225 people. Call the park to reserve. |
Amenities
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ranger Station | — | Visit the ranger station for campground registration. |
| Interpretive Exhibit | — | The Lodge includes interpretive exhibits focusing on the CCC and natural history of the park. |
| Historic Site | — | The Lodge and other CCC buildings are located throughout the park. |
| Gift Shop | — | Shop for t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, books, gifts and children's items at the Nature Store in the ranger station. |
| Rentals | — | Boat, canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals are available at the ranger station. Fishing kits (rod, reel, stocked tackle box), birding kits, and kids' discovery kits (activities and stories designed for age 5-12) are free to check out at the ranger station. |
| Firewood | — | Buy firewood through Yodel May 1 through October 31, or at the ranger station Memorial Day through Labor Day. Gathering firewood can spread tree-killing insects and is against state park rules. Protect our trees by burning only approved firewood! |
| Ice Sales | — | Buy ice at the ranger station Memorial Day through Labor Day. |
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 Bigfork on County Road 7. Also 32 miles north of Hwy 169.
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Directions.
Nearby Places
- McCarthy Beach State ParkState Park, about 25 miles away in a straight line
- Schoolcraft State ParkState Park, about 35 miles away in a straight line
- Big Bog State Recreation AreaState Recreation Area, about 54 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 Iron Range & Voyageurs
- Lake Vermilion
- Voyageurs National Park
- Bear Head Lake State Park
- Franz Jevne State Park
- Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park
- McCarthy Beach State Park
- Schoolcraft State Park
- Events in Iron Range & Voyageurs
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Scenic State Park?
It is near Bigfork, Minnesota. The DNR address is 56956 Scenic Highway 7 Bigfork, MN 56628.
How much does it cost to visit Scenic 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 Scenic 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
- Scenic 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.