Flandrau State Park

This guide is for families planning a summer weekend around the swim pond, campers looking for a winter site, and groups considering the Cottonwood Group Center or the stone CCC cabin. It covers campsites and lodging, trails, the swim pond schedule, fees and directions. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park record and the 2025 summer park map unless noted; sources are at the end.

The park in brief

According to the DNR park page, the park was first called Cottonwood River State Park. It held a Works Progress Administration (WPA) camp in the late 1930s and early 1940s, and in the 1940s that camp was used as a World War II German prisoner-of-war camp. The same camp is now the park's group center. The state legislature renamed the park on March 15, 1945, for Charles E. Flandrau, who helped draft Minnesota's first constitution and sat on the first Minnesota Supreme Court.

The Civilian Conservation Corps built a dam here that held back a reservoir of about 200 acres. High water damaged it in 1947, 1965 and 1969, and the DNR says the last of it, including the spillway, was removed in 1995. The river now runs free, and the Cottonwood River State Water Trail passes through the park.

The DNR says meltwater from the glaciers cut through 150 feet of glacial deposits to form the valley. Fossilized plant material and orange iron-oxide bands show in the exposed sandstone near the park's eastern boundary. The main landscape is floodplain forest with oxbow marshes, oak-shaded bluffs and goat prairies.

Camping and lodging

The DNR describes the campsites as "non-secluded sites on mowed grass in semi-wooded areas," in a semi-modern campground and a rustic campground.

The DNR's campground counts (34 + 15 + 23) add up to its total of 72. Its pages do not say whether the three walk-in sites are among the 72. The RV length limit is 66 feet, measured from the front of the tow vehicle to the back of the trailer. The DNR says the electric and non-electric loops suit travel trailers, fifth wheels and RVs better than the rustic campground, and that some rustic sites were recently renumbered, so check the map when you pick a site. Pets are not allowed in the camper cabins or other state buildings.

The group center runs from the Friday after Memorial Day until the weekend after Labor Day, and you reserve it by calling the park up to 12 months ahead. (The park maps give the season as June to mid-September. The 2025 winter map gives capacity as 105 people; the park page and summer map say 96.)

Reservations

The DNR says reservations "are needed year round." Under the DNR reservation FAQ, you can book up to 120 days ahead, a newly opened date becomes available at 8 a.m. Central, and same-day reservations have no reservation fee. To book by phone, the reservation FAQ lists the DNR reservation line, 866-857-2757. See the Minnesota state park reservation guide for how the 120-day window works.

Swim pond, trails and things to do

The swim pond

The swim pond is chlorinated, sand-bottomed and accessible, with a sidewalk into the water and lifeguards on duty when it is open. As of November 2026, the DNR's seasonal note still says pond hours "are currently 11-7 Thursday through Sunday" (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.), limited by lifeguard availability, and says swimming is not allowed when the pond is closed. The pond closes each year on the third Sunday of August. The park map says the Cottonwood River itself is not recommended for swimming.

Next to the pond are the stone beach house (great room, kitchen, patio with grill, reservable up to a year ahead), a picnic area by the river, a nature play space, volleyball nets and cornhole boards. The ranger station rents volleyballs, cornhole bags and life jackets in summer, plus free birding kits and kids discovery kits for ages 5 to 12. An enclosed, accessible shelter holds 65 people year-round and has a woodstove and small kitchen.

Trails

The DNR lists 8 miles of hiking trail. Bicycles are not allowed on any of them, and the park has no bike trails. The DNR describes flat trails on the valley floor and harder routes up the oak-shaded bluffs.

The park also has a Hiking Club Trail loop. For cycling, the DNR points to the bike circle route through the City of New Ulm. ATVs, UTVs and golf carts are not allowed on park roads or trails.

When to go

• Summer: swim pond season, which ends the third Sunday in August.
• Late May through October: the rustic campground is open from Memorial Day through the end of October; the semi-modern campground is open all year.
• Winter: the semi-modern campground stays open with limited sites, the two camper cabins have heat, and the park grooms trails for skiing.

In winter the DNR grooms 6 miles of classic cross-country ski trail when there is enough snow. Skate skiing and skijoring are not allowed, and only skiing is allowed on groomed trails. About 2 miles are packed for snowshoeing and winter hiking. Skis and snowshoes rent from the ranger station, first come, first served. The 2025 winter map says the beach house opens as a public warming house on winter weekends.

As of November 2026, the DNR alert (updated October 14, 2026) says water "will be turned off as of Sunday October 18th at 4pm." Vault toilets are open year-round.

Fees and permits

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

The DNR also sells an overnight permit at the one-day price, valid through 4 p.m. the next day. For multi-night stays, ask the park which permit covers your whole stay; the year-round permit covers every visit for a year. As an example using the DNR's statewide fee ranges (the fee page does not list Flandrau's exact site rate), two nights at an electric site would come to $68 to $98 before tax in camping and online reservation fees (2 × $30 to $45, plus $8), plus a vehicle permit ($7 overnight or $35 year-round).

The ranger station keeps short hours and closes Tuesday and Wednesday, so buy your permit online if you arrive midweek. Firewood is sold at the ranger station year-round when it is open, or through the Yodel app.

Getting there

The DNR's directions: in New Ulm, follow Broadway (State Highway 15) to 10th Street South. Go west on 10th Street South up the hill to Summit Avenue, turn left (south) and go three blocks. The entrance is on the right, next to the New Ulm Country Club. The ranger station is at the stop sign at the bottom of the hill.

For more parks nearby, see all Prairie and Minnesota River guides, the state park finder, Minneopa State Park and Fort Ridgely State Park.

Before you go

1. Reserve every stay in advance; the DNR says reservations are needed year-round.
2. Check the seasonal update for swim pond days and hours (the last posted schedule was Thursday through Sunday); the pond closes the third Sunday in August.
3. Pick the semi-modern loops if you tow a trailer; the rustic spurs are short.
4. Leave bikes on the car rack; no park trail allows them.
5. For skiing, carry a Great Minnesota Ski Pass if you are 16 or older.
6. Check the alert for water status before a late-fall or winter trip.

Related guides: Camden State Park · Sibley State Park · Glacial Lakes State Park · Minnesota state park guides

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Sources

• Minnesota DNR, Flandrau State Park (camping, trails, seasonal update, alerts): https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/park.html?id=spk00145
• Minnesota DNR, Flandrau State Park summer map and guide (PDF, 2025): https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_parks/spk00145_summer.pdf
• Minnesota DNR, Flandrau State Park winter map and guide (PDF, 2025): https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_parks/spk00145_winter.pdf
• 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