Glendalough State Park

Facts checked against official sources on November 11, 2026

Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

Location: 1.5 mi north of Battle Lake on Hwy 78, then 1.8 mi east on County 16
Camping: 22 cart-in sites, 3 canoe-in sites, no summer RV camping
Lodging: 4 camper cabins and 2 yurts, open year-round
Bike trail: Paved 6-mile loop, with a 3-mile spur to Battle Lake
Vehicle permit: $7 a day or $35 a year
Park hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

In this guide

The park in brief
Camping, cabins and yurts
Trails, biking and the lakes
Glendalough in winter
Fees and permits
Getting there
Before you go

Short answer: Glendalough State Park is in Otter Tail County, just outside the town of Battle Lake. It has no drive-in campground in summer: you camp at one of 22 cart-in sites or 3 canoe-in sites, or book one of 4 camper cabins or 2 yurts, all of which stay open year-round. The main draws are quiet, non-motorized Annie Battle Lake, a DNR "Heritage Fishery" for large panfish, and a paved 6-mile bike loop with a spur into Battle Lake. A vehicle permit costs $7 a day or $35 a year.

This guide is for campers who want a car-free campground, for cabin and yurt bookers, and for day visitors planning a ride or a paddle. It covers the site types, trails, winter use, fees and directions. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park page, the DNR summer and winter park maps, and the DNR fee and reservation pages, listed at the end.

The park in brief

According to the DNR park page, Glendalough sits in the transition zone between prairie and hardwood forest and holds 9.2 miles of undeveloped lakeshore, "one of the last large tracts" in western Minnesota. The park covers 2,761 acres.

The DNR summer map says the Minneapolis Tribune owned the property for more than sixty years as "a private retreat and game farm," which preserved shoreline on five lakes. The restored Glendalough Lodge on Annie Battle Lake has displays on that history. The park takes its name from Glendalough in Ireland: the DNR park page translates it as "Valley of Two Lakes," and the park map as "the glen between two lakes." The dates differ too. The park page says the property was donated to The Nature Conservancy on Earth Day 1990 and the deed passed to the DNR on June 10, 1992; the park map says it became a state park in 1991.

Address	24869 Whitetail Lane, Battle Lake, MN 56515
Park hours	8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Phone	218-261-6900
Office hours	Mon to Fri 2 to 4 p.m.; Sat and Sun noon to 4 p.m.
Pets	On leash; not allowed in buildings, camper cabins or yurts

Camping, cabins and yurts

Every campsite here is reached on foot, by cart, by bike or by canoe. The DNR says "no vehicles are allowed in the campground area."

Site type	Count and details (DNR)
Cart-in sites	22, wooded, 200 to 1,200 feet from parking; free wheeled carts provided
Accessible site	1, in the cart-in campground
Canoe-in sites	3, on the northeast shore of Annie Battle Lake; also reachable on foot or by bike
Camper cabins	4, year-round, with electricity and a propane "fireplace"; Cabin Three is accessible and sleeps five, the others sleep six
Yurts	2, year-round: Osprey sleeps three, Eagle sleeps seven
Group camp	1, tents only, up to 40 people, rustic toilets and a hand pump

Yurts: both are cart-in, canoe-in, backpack or bike access only, up to two miles from parking. There is no electricity. In winter, sleds replace carts on a packed trail, and the park supplies firewood for the woodstoves at no charge. No pets, open flames or cooking are allowed inside.

RVs: the DNR seasonal update says "there is no RV camping in park in summer." As of November 2026, one RV electric site can be booked by calling the park until May 9, 2027. There is no dump station; the DNR says the City of Battle Lake has one 4 miles away.

Reservations: the DNR says reservations are required for all sites and recommended year-round for lodging and on summer weekends for camping. Same-day reservations for open sites carry no fee. You can book 120 days ahead, and on the first day a date opens, online booking starts at 8 a.m. Central, per the DNR reservation FAQ. The state park reservations guide explains the system.

Glendalough Trail sign reading Hiking Trail Ahead among yellow fall leaves in Glendalough State Park — Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trails, biking and the lakes

The DNR seasonal update lists 11 miles of hiking trail, 6 miles of surfaced bike trail and 2.2 miles of mountain bike trail. The DNR trail list on the same park page gives different totals: nine miles of hiking and two miles of unpaved bike trail. The DNR does not say which figures are current.

Trail	Distance	Type (DNR park page and map)
Glendalough Trail	6-mile loop (map: 5.8 miles), plus a 3-mile one-way spur to Battle Lake	Paved, separate from park roads
Beaver Pond Trail	1.4-mile loop	Level, mowed grass; self-guided
Lake Emma Trail	2-mile loop	Hilly, mowed grass, shared with mountain bikes
Sunset Lake Trail	1-mile loop	Hilly, mowed grass
Prairie Hill Trail	0.6-mile loop	Hilly, mowed grass; self-guided

The park map calls the Beaver Pond Trail the park's "most popular trail," following a stream through forest and meadow and back along Blanche Lake. It suggests the Lake Emma Trail in spring, fall and winter to avoid summer bugs.

On the water: Annie Battle Lake is a 335-acre, non-motorized Heritage Fishery where special regulations sustain large sunfish and crappie. The DNR summer park map says Minnesota residents do not need a fishing license on Annie Battle or Molly Stark lakes. That matches the DNR's free fishing in state parks rule, which applies to Minnesota residents only; nonresidents need a license, and Annie Battle's special regulations still apply. There is an accessible fishing pier on Molly Stark Lake and a swimming beach. The ranger station lends fishing kits, GPS units, birding kits and binoculars free. Two wildlife observation areas look over Battle Creek and Lake Emma.

Rentals: canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, rowboats, bikes and pedal cars come from a seasonal concession by the Annie Battle Lake carry-in access. The DNR's seasonal update lists them as available until Sunday, October 18, 2026.

Current alert: as of November 2026, the DNR notes (updated September 4, 2026) that the Annie Battle Lake public water access has been under construction since September 8. A temporary carry-in access is east of it across the bridge.

Glendalough in winter

The cart-in campground, camper cabins and yurts stay open year-round, and the DNR says the cabin cart path is plowed. In winter the park grooms 8 miles of easy to intermediate classic cross-country ski trail and keeps 2 miles of snowshoe trail; you may snowshoe anywhere except on groomed ski tracks. A Great Minnesota Ski Pass is required for skiers 16 and older. Skis and snowshoes rent from the ranger station. The DNR also lists a sliding hill on the Prairie Hill Trail and ice fishing, and the dining hall and lodge serve as warming houses.

As of November 2026, campground water is off and showers are closed until May 14, 2027. Water is available year-round at the park office, and the dining hall restrooms stay open.

Fees and permits

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

Item	Price
One-day vehicle permit	$7 (the DNR also sells an overnight permit at the same price, valid through 4 p.m. the next day)
Year-round vehicle permit	$35
Cart-in or walk-in campsite (under a half mile from parking)	$20 to $25 a night
Camper cabin	$80 to $90 a night
Yurt	$80 a night
Reservation fee	$8 online, $10 by phone; none for same-day bookings

Two nights in a yurt: 2 × $80 + $8 reservation fee = $168, plus a vehicle permit ($7 overnight or $35 year-round). For multi-night stays, ask the park which permit covers your whole stay; the year-round permit covers every visit for a year. ReserveMN shows the exact price for each site and cabin.

Getting there

From Battle Lake, go 1.5 miles north on State Highway 78, then 1.8 miles east on Otter Tail County Highway 16 to the entrance. The ranger station is one mile down the entrance road. See more lakes country guides, including Lake Carlos State Park near Alexandria, or browse the park finder.

Before you go

Reserve ahead for cabins and yurts year-round, and for summer weekend campsites.
Plan to haul gear by cart, up to 1,200 feet for campsites and up to two miles for yurts.
Check Annie Battle Lake's special fishing regulations before you fish; nonresidents need a Minnesota fishing license.
Bring a Great Minnesota Ski Pass if you plan to ski groomed trails.
Buy firewood at the ranger station; gathering it is against park rules.
Call ahead if you need the office; it keeps short afternoon hours.