Maplewood 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: 7 miles east of Pelican Rapids on Highway 108
Campsites: 71 drive-in (32 electric), 23 horse sites, 5 camper cabins
Hallaway Hill: About a half mile one way from the picnic area
Trails: 25 miles hiking, 20 miles horse, 21 miles snowmobile
Vehicle permit: $7 a day or $35 a year

In this guide

The park in brief
Camping, cabins and the horse camp
Trails, the scenic drive and the lakes
When to go
What it costs
Getting there
Before you go

Short answer: Maplewood State Park is a hilly, lake-filled park 7 miles east of Pelican Rapids on Highway 108, in Otter Tail County. It is known for fall color in its sugar maple, basswood and oak forest, the short climb up Hallaway Hill for views over South Lida Lake, eight major lakes, and a long trail system: 25 miles of hiking and 20 miles of horse trail, according to the DNR. Campers can choose from 71 drive-in sites (32 electric), a 23-site horse camp, backpack sites and 5 camper cabins. A vehicle permit is $7 a day or $35 a year.

This guide is for campers, horseback riders, anglers and fall-color visitors. It covers camping and cabins, trails and the scenic drive, what is open in each season, costs and directions. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park page and the 2025 DNR park map; sources are listed at the end.

The park in brief

Maplewood sits in the Leaf Hills, part of the Alexandria Glacial Moraine, near the eastern edge of the Red River Valley. The DNR says relief is abrupt, "with changes of about 300 feet in less than a mile," and the highest hills approach 1,600 feet. The park lies between the western prairie and the eastern forest, so it has plants and animals from both.

The idea of a park here was first proposed to the legislature in 1923, and Maplewood State Park was established in 1963. The DNR says human habitation in the area goes back at least 6,000 years, with most artifacts pointing to occupation 900 to 1,200 years ago.

The park's size differs between DNR sources: the park page lists 10,279 acres, while the 2025 park map calls it "the 9,200-acre park."

Address	39721 Park Entrance Road, Pelican Rapids, MN 56572
Park hours	8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Office hours	After October 18, open "intermittently when staff are available"
Phone	218-560-5530
Wildlife	150 bird species and 50 species of mammals, per the DNR

Camping, cabins and the horse camp

Site type	Count (DNR)	Notes
Drive-in sites	71	The DNR names two drive-in campgrounds: Grass Lake Main and Lida
Electric sites	32	Sites 1 to 32 in Grass Lake Main Campground only; 30 and 50 amp. Sites 13 to 19 are reservable year-round
Lida campground	Non-electric	Accommodates RVs without electric service
Backpack sites	3
Horse camp	23 sites	Some fit two or three trailers; most have a highline, three have corrals
Group camp	Up to 30 people	Between Bass and Beers lakes; tents, small trailers or campers; primitive toilets
Camper cabins	5	No pets in any cabin

Camper cabins: three cabins have electric heat and are available Thursday through Sunday in winter and daily the rest of the year; one of these is wheelchair accessible. Two more are available daily from April through October, one with electricity and one without. The accessible cabin and the seasonal cabin without electricity sleep 5; the other three sleep 6.

The RV length limit is 50 feet, measured from the front of the tow vehicle to the rear of the trailer. Showers and flush toilets are seasonal, and the dump station opens "from fishing opener weekend through the second weekend in October."

All state park campsites and cabins require a reservation through ReserveMN (online or 866-857-2757), up to 120 days ahead, starting at 8 a.m. Central on the first day a date opens, per the DNR reservation FAQ. Our Minnesota state park reservations guide explains the window.

A mowed trail through golden prairie grass and autumn trees at Maplewood State Park, Minnesota — Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trails, the scenic drive and the lakes

If you only have an hour

The DNR's short-visit suggestions:

Hallaway Hill: climb from the picnic area to an overlook of South Lida Lake and the Maple-Leaf Hills. The park page and the map's tips call it a "1/2 mile, one-way hike"; the map's trail listing gives 0.6 miles one way, on hilly mowed grass.
Scenic drive: a 5-mile drive through shady hollows, wooded knolls and prairie restoration. Prairie Restoration Auto Tour brochures are at the park office.
Lake Lida: picnic at the Josh Hanson (Veterans) Memorial Picnic Shelter and walk the beach at South Lida Lake.

Trail miles

Use	Miles (DNR park page)
Hiking	25 (the park map says "nearly 30")
North Country National Scenic Trail segment	5.5, marked with blue blazes
Self-guided trail	2.2
Heart of the Lakes Trail (paved)	3.8 through the park
Mountain bike, on gravel township roads and trail	9
Horse	20

Horseback riders 16 and over need a horse pass from the park office, according to the map. The map also advises hikers to bring "a park map and compass." The North Country Trail, the DNR notes, runs 4,800 miles from North Dakota to Vermont.

Current closure: as of the DNR's October 28, 2026 update, the Grass Lake Trail is closed between signposts Blue AA and Blue Z for safety and maintenance.

On the water

The DNR describes eight major lakes and many ponds. Lake Lida has a sandy beach and large picnic areas, Beers Lake has an accessible fishing pier, there are two boat accesses in the park and a canoe access on Twenty-one Lake. The ranger station rents boats, canoes and kayaks; the DNR says rentals are scheduled to begin again May 8, 2027. The October update also noted that the Bass Lake access area would be closed for construction "until at least late October" and that "trout season closes October 31, 2026."

When to go

Fall: the DNR describes the maple forest turning "brilliant shades of orange, gold, and red," and the map notes special park events and festivals each autumn. Before visiting late in the season, check the office hours, which become intermittent after October 18.
Spring and summer: wildflowers listed by the DNR include trillium, hepatica, bloodroot, yellow lady's slipper and prairie rose. The park drive at dawn and dusk is, according to the DNR, a good time to see deer.
Winter: 5 miles of groomed classic ski trail plus 5 miles of ungroomed backcountry ski trail, 21 miles of groomed snowmobile trail, snowshoeing anywhere except groomed trails, and a trail center warming house. A Great Minnesota Ski Pass is required for skiers 16 and up. The DNR alert (updated October 28, 2026) also states "Winter season begins Jan 16, 2027," without saying which facilities that covers; check with the park.
Now (November 2026): water, showers and the dump station are closed for the season. Drinking water is available year-round on the side of the ranger station, and vault toilets stay open at the trail center, picnic area, main campground and other sites. A managed deer hunt ran November 7 to 10 (per the DNR alert updated October 28, 2026), and the DNR advises blaze orange or blaze pink during hunts.

What it costs

From the DNR vehicle permit page and fee schedule, before tax. Campsite and camper cabin fees are the DNR's statewide ranges.

Item	Price
Vehicle permit	$7 one-day (the DNR also sells an overnight permit at the same price, valid through 4 p.m. the next day) or $35 year-round
Drive-in campsite	$20 to $35 a night
Electric hookup	add $10 a night
Equestrian campsite	$22 to $25 a night
Camper cabin	$80 to $90 a night
Reservation fee	$8 online, $10 by phone

Two nights at an electric site: 2 × ($20 + $10) + $8 = $68 to 2 × ($35 + $10) + $8 = $98 (our arithmetic), plus a vehicle permit ($7 overnight or $35 year-round). Two nights at a horse site: $52 to $58 including the online reservation fee, plus a vehicle permit and the horse pass. For multi-night stays, ask the park which permit covers your whole stay; the year-round permit covers every visit for a year.

Buy firewood at the park office when it is open or from vendors in Pelican Rapids; gathering firewood is not allowed.

Getting there

The DNR puts the park entrance 7 miles east of Pelican Rapids on State Highway 108. Pelican Rapids is the nearest town.

Maplewood is part of northwest Minnesota on this site. For more parks in the region, see Buffalo River State Park and Itasca State Park, or use the park finder.

Before you go

Reserve a campsite, horse site or cabin; winter cabin stays are Thursday through Sunday only.
Check the DNR alert for trail closures, hunts and access construction.
Bring a printed map and compass for the longer trails, or download the GeoPDF map before you lose signal.
Riders 16 and over: buy a horse pass.
In fall and winter, call ahead; the office keeps irregular hours.
Bring or buy approved firewood.