Charles A. Lindbergh State Park

This guide is for families and campers looking for an easy riverside stay, and for history travelers visiting the Lindbergh House. It covers the campground, trails, the historic site, seasons and costs. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park page, its live data feed and the 2025 park map unless noted; sources are at the end.

The park in brief

According to the 2025 DNR map, the park was created in 1931 when the family of Charles A. Lindbergh Sr. donated 110 acres in his memory. The DNR explains that the elder Lindbergh represented central Minnesota in the U.S. House from 1907 to 1917, and his son made the first solo transatlantic flight in 1927. Pike Creek meanders through the center of the park and empties into the Mississippi River.

The DNR data record lists 576 acres; the 2025 map says "today, the park contains 570 acres."

Camping at Lindbergh

The campground has 38 wooded drive-in sites, and the DNR says reservations are recommended, especially for weekends and holidays in the camping season (late April to September).

The maximum RV length is 50 feet, measured from the front of the tow vehicle to the rear of the towed vehicle. The DNR's seasonal update describes the two small sites as "walk-in/canoe-in," and the park map notes that one site is for watercraft users only, must be registered, and carries a fee. There are no camper cabins.

Hammocks: one hammock per set of trees, straps at least one inch wide, and trees at least 12 inches in diameter within a mowed area. The DNR notes not every campsite can take a hammock.

Book through ReserveMN. The DNR reservation FAQ allows reservations up to 120 days before arrival, with online booking for a newly opened date starting at 8 a.m. Central. The state park reservations guide explains the process.

Trails, Pike Creek and the picnic area

The DNR's seasonal update lists 8 miles of hiking trail, while its trail list says seven miles "wind through the park with some running along the creek and river." The DNR notes some trails have muddy stretches in wet weather.

The park map says Lindbergh bought the plane, a World War I surplus Curtiss JN-4D, and barnstormed from Georgia to Texas before landing at his parents' farm. Trees have since grown over what was once an open field.

Pike Creek and the river: canoes and kayaks rent from the office during the camping season for $15 for four hours or $25 a day, paddles and life jackets included, and the map suggests a paddle on Pike Creek. The DNR's boat access is south of the park along Highway 52. Slate boulders of the Thomson formation can be seen in the Pike Creek streambed under the southern trail bridge, according to the DNR.

Picnic area: the DNR highlights a historic Work Projects Administration (WPA) log picnic shelter and a stone water tower. The shelter seats about 60 and has a fireplace, electric lights and outlets, and it rents for $45 a day. As of the DNR's August 28, 2026 alert, the shelter is closed for the season but can still be rented for special events; the DNR's seasonal update adds that rentals were halted until construction in the picnic area is finished (expected later in October), so contact the park about availability. In winter it becomes a warming house.

The Lindbergh House

The Charles Lindbergh House is operated by the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS), not the DNR, at 1620 Lindbergh Drive South. The DNR says the visitor center is in the historic site, across from the park's ranger station, and the map says it showcases "the lives and careers of three generations of Lindberghs."

As of the DNR's most recent alert (dated August 28, 2026), the boyhood home and museum were "currently closed, except for walking tours of the grounds." The MNHS Lindbergh House page lists the site phone as 800-657-3773; the DNR map gives 320-616-5421 for current hours. Check with MNHS before planning a visit around the house. The map also points to the nearby Weyerhaeuser Museum for Morrison County history.

When to go

The park is open year-round, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. As of November 2026, the DNR lists:

• Campground: closed for the season; reopens late April 2027, weather permitting.
• Dump station: closed; reopens late April 2027, weather permitting.
• Showers: closed; reopen mid-May, weather permitting.
• Water: available behind the park office and in the picnic area.
• Toilets: accessible vault toilets year-round near the office, in the picnic area and in the campground.
• Winter: snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park, and there are three miles of winter hiking trail.

Spring wildflowers are one of the park's listed highlights, and the DNR says bald eagles can be seen year-round. The map advises checking for ticks after hiking.

Fees and getting there

From the DNR vehicle permit page and fee schedule, before tax:

Buy firewood at the ranger station or through Yodel; gathering it in the park is not allowed.

Directions: the DNR says the entrance is one mile southwest of Little Falls on Lindbergh Drive South. The park is in Minnesota's lakes country. Crow Wing State Park, near Brainerd, is the park the DNR names as the backup contact for Lindbergh. Mille Lacs Kathio State Park and Father Hennepin State Park are other parks in the same region; the park finder compares them.

Before you go

1. Reserve a campsite once the late-April 2027 opening dates are bookable.
2. Check MNHS for Lindbergh House hours; the DNR's latest alert says only the grounds are open.
3. Buy a vehicle permit online, since the off-season office is rarely staffed.
4. Measure your rig; the RV limit here is 50 feet.
5. Bring a canoe or rent one in season to paddle Pike Creek.
6. Do a tick check after hiking.

Related guides: Crow Wing State Park · Mille Lacs Kathio State Park · Father Hennepin State Park · Lakes country parks

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Sources

• Minnesota DNR, Charles A. Lindbergh State Park (camping, trails, seasonal update, alerts): https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/park.html?id=spk00136
• Minnesota DNR, Charles A. Lindbergh State Park map and guide (PDF, 2025): https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_parks/spk00136.pdf
• Minnesota Historical Society, Charles Lindbergh House: https://www.mnhs.org/lindbergh
• Minnesota DNR, Reservation FAQ: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/reserve-faq/index.html
• Minnesota DNR, State park fees: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/fees.html
• Minnesota DNR, Vehicle permits: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/permit.html