Are You Up for the Challenge: Parks are Free in Minnesota Saturday

The challenge is out there. Literally, out there. Outside. As the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers free admission to all 75 state parks and recreations area on Saturday, February 19, a handful of parks in southern Minnesota are throwing out an extra challenge to visitors.

Those who go to Rice Lake State Park, Myre-Big Island, Nerstrand Big Woods and Sakatah Lake can participate in a challenge that can land them prizes. Each park will host a scavenger hunt for an item or a code word. Visitors can find instructions on-site. Anyone who goes to all four of those parks is eligible for extra prizes.

"Minnesota state parks and recreation areas are open year-round to provide places for people to get away from life’s everyday demands and be surrounded by the beauty of nature. We hope that visitors who go to a state park or recreation area for the first time on Free Park Day will have fun and want to come back," says Ann Pierce, director of the DNR Parks and Trails Division in a news release from the DNR..

The other dates for free park and trail admission for 2022 are April 23, June 11 and November 25. Some amenities are not covered under the free admission such as camping and rentals.

The DNR strongly believes that getting outside is crucial, "Research shows that spending time outdoors is nature provides multiple health and wellness benefits."

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