How many national parks are in Minnesota?

1: Voyageurs National Park. Minnesota also has 5 other National Park Service sites, such as Grand Portage National Monument and Mississippi National River & Recreation Area.

Do national parks in Minnesota charge an entrance fee?

No: it's free to enter, per the National Park Service. An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees.

What is the closest national park to Minneapolis?

Voyageurs National Park, about 244 miles from Minneapolis in a straight line, roughly 5 h 50 min by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Minneapolis is Minnesota's largest city.

Minnesota · 1 national park · 5 other NPS sites

National parks in Minnesota

Last verified October 1, 2026Sources ↓

Minnesota has one national park, Voyageurs National Park. 5 more National Park Service sites round out the map, from Grand Portage National Monument to Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Numbered by 2025 visits. ★ Minneapolis, Minnesota's largest city.

At a glance

Minnesota, by the numbers

National parks in Minnesota at a glance
National parks	1: Voyageurs
Other NPS sites	5 see nps.gov
Most visited park, 2025	Voyageurs 206,326 visits (#53 of 63)
Entrance fees	Free
Established	April 8, 1975
Nearest to Minneapolis	Voyageurs 244 mi straight-line, ≈ 5 h 50 min drive (est.)

1 national park

Minnesota's national park

Busiest first, by 2025 recreation visits.

Photo: NPS Photo / Daniel Dendler
Est. 1975
Voyageurs National Park
2025 visits
206,326
Entrance
Free entry
Busiest month
August
Quiet month
September
“Voyageurs National Park spans 218,000 acres of lakes…” (NPS)

From Minneapolis

The closest national parks to Minneapolis

Measured from Minneapolis, Minnesota's largest city (430,324 people, Census 2025 estimate). Straight-line miles; drive times are our rough estimate.

Nearest national parks to Minneapolis
Park	Straight line	Drive (estimate)
Voyageurs National ParkMN	244 mi	≈ 5 h 50 min
Isle Royale National ParkMI	298 mi	Isle Royale is not reachable by road
Indiana Dunes National ParkIN	386 mi	≈ 9 h 10 min
Badlands National ParkSD	464 mi	≈ 11 h

National parks near Minneapolis →

5 other NPS sites

Beyond the national parks

Monuments, historic sites, trails and more: every other place the National Park Service lists for Minnesota, grouped by type. Links go to nps.gov.

2 National Monument · 1 National River & Recreation Area · 1 National Scenic Riverway · …Show all 5

National Monument · 2

National River & Recreation Area · 1

Mississippi National River & Recreation Area

National Scenic Riverway · 1

Saint Croix National Scenic RiverwayWI · MN

National Scenic Trail · 1

North Country National Scenic TrailMI · MN · ND · NY · OH · PA · VT · WI

From the NPS Data API; the same list as Minnesota's page on nps.gov. Trails and other multi-state sites appear under each state they cross.

FAQ

Minnesota, answered

How many national parks are in Minnesota?: 1: Voyageurs National Park. Minnesota also has 5 other National Park Service sites, such as Grand Portage National Monument and Mississippi National River & Recreation Area.
Do national parks in Minnesota charge an entrance fee?: No: it's free to enter, per the National Park Service. An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees.
What is the closest national park to Minneapolis?: Voyageurs National Park, about 244 miles from Minneapolis in a straight line, roughly 5 h 50 min by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Minneapolis is Minnesota's largest city.

Sources · 5

1.Minnesota: parks and places (nps.gov) · National Park Service
2.NPS Data API — /parks (all park units) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
3.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (IRMA stats REST service) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) — Visitor Use Statistics Program
4.City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
5.2025 Gazetteer Files: Places · U.S. Census Bureau

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