• Minnesota on a Mapthe turtle goes to minnesota image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
  
  Minnesota has 58 state forests that span over four million acres. These forests offer a plethora of recreation activities including hiking, mountain biking, ATV riding, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, skiing and snowshoeing. All of these activities can be enjoyed at no cost. If you choose to visit a state forest in Minnesota, you may want to camp overnight so you can enjoy the splendor of nature and refresh yourself for vigorous outdoor activity the next day.
  
  

Paul Bunyan State Forest

• Paul Bunyan State Forest is located on 115,000 acres of forested land in central Minnesota. This campground has primitive campsites that are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each campsite is in a cleared area with a fire ring and picnic table. Outdoor toilets and drinking water are provided onsite. Paul Bunyan State Forest has 18 miles of hiking and mountain bike trails, 37 miles of ATV trails, 87 miles of motorcycle trails, and 60 miles of snowmobile trails. Cross-country skiing may also be enjoyed in this park. A day use area includes picnic tables and access to three local fishing lakes.
  
  Paul Bunyan State Forest
  c/o Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
  500 Lafayette Road
  St. Paul, Mn 55155
  (651) 296-6157
  dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00038/index.html
  
  

Lost River State Forest

• Lost River State Forest is located in the northern part of Minnesota near the Canadian border. This state park offers primitive tent camping free of charge to Minnesota residents. As such, no amenities are provided. Campers are asked to respect the state forest area and carry out all trash. This park is a popular spot for bird watchers who enjoy seeing owls, grouse, hawk and ravens among others. There are also hiking and snowmobile trails throughout the park. Service roads inside the forest are rugged and minimally maintained, so a four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended.
  
  Lost River State Park
  c/o Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
  500 Lafayette Road
  St. Paul, Mn 55155
  (651) 296-6157
  dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00057/index.html
  
  

Richard Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest

• Richard Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest is located on over a million acres in southern Minnesota. This state forest offers eight different primitive campgrounds. Three of these are horse camping areas. These sites are large enough to permit the use of portable corrals. All of the campsites have a fire ring and picnic table. There are vault toilets and wells for drinking water in each area. This forest has horse trails, ATV, hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing trails. There is a boat ramp and picnic area located in the park as well. The forest is home to 10 canoe routes throughout the facility.
  
  Richard Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
  c/o Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
  500 Lafayette Road
  St. Paul, Mn 55155
  (651) 296-6157
  dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00033/index.html
  
  

Grand Portage State Forest

• Grand Portage State Forest is located on 100,000 acres of land in eastern Minnesota. This park has three camping areas with primitive campsites. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. Some of the activities that may be enjoyed here include snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and hiking. Many of the trails in this forest are multi-purpose and are acceptable for mountain biking. McFarland Lake is located in this forest and has access to the Boundary Waters canoe area. Picnic shelters are available for visitors during daytime hours.
  
  Grand Portage State Forest
  c/o Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
  500 Lafayette Road
  St. Paul, Mn 55155
  (651) 296-6157
  dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00023/index.html