Free Park Day Saturday Means No Vehicle Permit Fees at Quarry Park and State Parks

(KNSI) – Central Minnesota residents can skip the vehicle permit fee at Quarry Park and Nature Preserve this Saturday as part of a statewide Free Park Day.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is waiving vehicle permit fees at all 73 state parks and recreation areas on Saturday, April 25th. While Quarry Park is a Stearns County park rather than a state park, it is also offering free admission that day.

Free Park Day is one of four days each year when the DNR drops the vehicle permit requirement. The fee-free days are spread across the seasons to give Minnesotans a chance to visit a state park any time of year. Each spring, the event falls on the Saturday after Earth Day.

Ann Pierce, director of the DNR’s Parks and Trails Division, said spring is an ideal time to get outdoors after a long winter. She said visitors can look for wildflowers, listen for returning birds, and watch trees start to leaf out.

Several state parks have naturalist-led programming scheduled for Saturday. Blue Mounds State Park is hosting a birding walk from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., where a naturalist will share tips for identifying common species in the park. Itasca State Park is running a bingo scavenger hunt from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with cards available at the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center and prizes for winners.

Frontenac State Park is organizing a volunteer cleanup of the Sand Point Trail from 9:00 a.m. to noon, with the Frontenac State Park Association clearing debris along the floodplain forest near Lake Pepin. Jay Cooke State Park is pairing Free Park Day with National Library Week through an event called Pages and Pines, running from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and featuring outdoor story time, naturalist programs, story strolls, and local authors.

The DNR is asking visitors to recreate responsibly. That means observing wildlife from a distance, staying on marked trails to prevent erosion, and leaving wildflowers and other natural objects in place.

Vehicle permits are waived on Free Park Days, but fees still apply for camping reservations and equipment rentals.

A full events calendar is available by clicking here, and the ParkFinder tool at mndnr.gov/parkfinder can help visitors choose a park based on activities and amenities.

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