Jay Cooke State Park

Facts checked against official sources on November 11, 2026

Photo: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

Location: 3 miles east of Carlton on Highway 210
Signature sight: Swinging Bridge over the St. Louis River, by the River Inn
Trails: 50 miles of hiking; 32 miles of classic ski trail in winter
Camping: 79 drive-in sites, 4 backpack, 4 walk-in, 2 group, 5 camper cabins
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
The Swinging Bridge and short walks
Trails and things to do
Camping and lodging
When to go
Fees and permits
Getting there
Before you go

Short answer: Jay Cooke State Park is on Highway 210, three miles east of Carlton in the Duluth and I-35 region. People come for the Swinging Bridge over the St. Louis River, 50 miles of hiking trails, and a year-round campground with 79 drive-in sites and 5 camper cabins. A state park vehicle permit costs $7 a day or $35 a year.

This guide is for day visitors deciding where to park and which short walk to take, and for campers choosing between drive-in, walk-in, backpack and cabin stays. It covers the bridge and the main trails, camping and lodging, winter use, current notices from the DNR, and costs. Park facts come from the Minnesota DNR park page and the DNR's 2025 park map unless noted.

The park in brief

The DNR says the park was established in 1915 when the St. Louis River Power Company donated 2,350 acres. The state bought more land in 1945, and other parcels followed. The acreage depends on which DNR source you read: the park's data record lists 8,938 acres, the history narrative says 8,125, and the park map says "nearly 9,000 acres."

The St. Louis River, which the DNR calls "Lake Superior's largest U. S. tributary," cuts through tilted beds of slate and greywacke here. The DNR dates those rocks to sediments laid down in a sea about 1.9 billion years ago, later folded and fractured by pressure from the south. That tilt is what you see in the riverbed upstream from Oldenburg Point.

Address	780 Highway 210, Carlton, MN 55718
Park hours	8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Office and River Inn	Typically 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the DNR says they may close when staff are unavailable
Phone	218-673-7000 (ext. 0 to check the office is staffed)
Vehicle permit	Required; $7 one day or $35 year-round
Swimming	Not allowed anywhere in the park, including cliff and bridge jumping

The Swinging Bridge and short walks

The DNR's own suggestion for a one-hour visit: "Park at the historic River Inn and set out on the iconic Swinging Bridge which sways above the St. Louis River. This route is accessible to all." The bridge is one block from the park office.

The bridge has been rebuilt more than once. The DNR's bridge timeline says the Forest Service built the first one of logs and rope in 1924, and the Civilian Conservation Corps built the version with stone pillars in 1934 and 1935. A 1950 flood destroyed it; it reopened in 1953 and has been raised 7.5 feet in total since it was first built. Another flood destroyed it on June 21, 2012. The timeline page ends with that entry; the DNR's current park page describes the bridge as spanning the river one block from the park office and suggests crossing it.

Two other short stops from the DNR's one-hour list:

Oldenburg Point, one mile past the park office on Highway 210, for Civilian Conservation Corps structures and views over the St. Louis River valley. It has a picnic area and an open shelter for up to 75 people.
Thomson Pioneer Cemetery, about one mile west of the park office on Highway 210, which the DNR dates to the late 1800s.

Rocky channels of the St. Louis River winding through yellow fall forest in Jay Cooke State Park, Minnesota — Photo: Lorie Shaull, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trails and things to do

The DNR lists these trail totals for the park:

Season	Use	Miles (DNR)
Summer	Hiking	50
Summer	Paved bike (connects Carlton with the park)	8
Summer	Unpaved bike	13
Summer	Horse	6
Summer	Accessible	0.5
Winter	Groomed classic cross-country ski	32 (up to 20 groomed, 12 more as conditions allow)
Winter	Snowshoe (packed and marked)	9
Winter	Snowmobile (connects to the Willard Munger State Trail)	Less than 1

Named routes on the park map

Trail	Distance	Terrain (DNR map)	What you see
Silver Creek Trail (Hiking Club Trail)	3.5-mile loop	Some hills, mowed grass, bare rock	Crosses the Swinging Bridge, then a grassy route with views of the river and Silver Creek
Carlton Trail	5-mile loop	Steep, rugged, bare rock, packed dirt	River views; return on the Thomson and CCC trails past the pioneer cemetery
CCC Trail	1.8-mile loop	Mostly flat, mowed grass	Starts behind the River Inn, with benches at river viewpoints
Thomson Dam Trip	2 miles one way	Some hills, paved	Forbay Trail to the Willard Munger State Trail and a trestle bridge, then the gorge and dam

The map notes that part of the Silver Creek route is shared with the Superior Hiking Trail and the North Country Trail. The map also points anglers to a designated trout stream and suggests a visit to Hemlock Ravine Scientific and Natural Area.

The River Inn visitor center lends fishing, birding, sensory and kids' discovery kits for free, and the park has an all-terrain track chair for designated trails. The DNR counts 173 bird species that nest and feed in the park.

Current trail notice: as of November 2026, the DNR alert (updated October 20, 2026) says the Ogantz Trail at Oldenburg Point, past the main overlook a third of a mile from the parking lot, is closed until winter 2026-2027.

Camping and lodging

Camping is open year-round, with a 14-night maximum stay. The DNR's counts:

Site type	Count (DNR)	Notes
Drive-in	79, mostly wooded	1 pull-through (site 46); RV limit varies by site, up to 60 feet
Electric	21 in the facilities list; the seasonal update says 20 in the regular season	Mostly 20 and 30 amp, some 50 amp
Accessible drive-in	3	2 electric, 1 non-electric, near drinking water
Walk-in	4	50 to 150 feet from parking
Backpack	4	2 to 3.3 miles from the park office lot; haul or treat water
Group camp	2	Tents only, up to 25 people each
Camper cabins	5, year-round	Heat and electricity, screened porches, no pets

The seasonal update gives the total as 81 campsites. Backpack site distances from the park office and Swinging Bridge parking: Silver Creek 2 miles, High Landing 2.4 miles, Ash Ridge 2.7 miles and Lost Lake 3.3 miles. Each has a picnic table, fire ring, latrine and bear box.

The camper cabins are named Slate, Gabbro and Shale (each sleeps six) and Agate and Basalt (accessible, each sleeps five). The DNR warns that "most sites will not accommodate very large rigs" because the campground has many trees and tight corners.

Reservations

The DNR says advance reservations are recommended for any site, any day of the week, through summer and fall, and that electric sites and cabins book up "any day of the week until late October." Every campsite needs a reservation before you occupy it. Per the DNR reservation FAQ, you can book up to 120 days ahead, and on the first day a date opens, online booking starts at 8 a.m. Central. Our Minnesota state park reservation guide walks through the process.

When to go

The park is open all year. What changes by season, according to the DNR as of November 2026:

Winter camping: the facilities list says 12 sites stay open in winter, five with electricity. The seasonal update says the park plows 15 to 20 sites and that 10 electric sites are available in winter. Ask the park which applies to your dates. Bring a shovel; the DNR does not clear fire rings, tent pads or tables.
Water and showers: the main campground bathroom and shower building is closed until May 2027, with outhouses available. Seasonal faucets are off until spring; frost-free faucets are between the Shale, Gabbro and Agate cabins and in front of the River Inn.
Dump station: closed for the season on November 9, 2026, and reopens in early May.
Winter extras: the River Inn has a warming house, and snowshoes can be rented there.

The DNR mentions spring wildflowers and fall color as reasons to visit, and notes the river can "thunder" over the rock in some seasons and slow "to a gentle trickle" in others.

Fees and permits

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

Item	Price
One-day vehicle permit	$7 (an overnight permit is the same price, valid to 4 p.m. the next day)
Year-round vehicle permit	$35
Drive-in campsite	$20 to $35 a night
Electric hookup	add $10 a night
Walk-in campsite	$20 to $25 a night
Backpack campsite	$20 to $23 a night
Camper cabin	$80 to $90 a night
Reservation fee	$8 online, $10 by phone; none for same-day
Great Minnesota Ski Pass (age 16 and up, groomed trails)	$10 a day or $25 a year

Firewood is sold at the visitor center year-round, or through Yodel when the office is closed. Gathering firewood is not allowed, except dead and downed wood near the backpack sites. For multi-night stays, ask the park which permit covers your whole stay; the year-round permit covers every visit for a year.

Getting there

From Carlton, go three miles east on State Highway 210 to the west park entrance. The park is in Carlton County; see the Duluth and I-35 region page for other parks in the region, including Moose Lake State Park and Banning State Park, which is mostly closed for construction until a planned reopening in October 2027. For the North Shore, see the Duluth to Grand Marais drive guide.

Before you go

Buy a vehicle permit online; the office is typically open only 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Book electric sites and cabins early in summer and fall.
If arriving after hours to camp, check in through the reservation website or call center.
Bring a refillable water bottle: the DNR alert updated October 20, 2026 says the park has no vending machines and the gift store sells some snacks but no beverages (an older DNR facilities listing still mentions vending machines at the visitor center).
Stay out of the river; swimming and cliff or bridge jumping are banned.
Check the DNR alert for trail closures, and for winter skiing, carry a ski pass.