Minneopa State Park

Facts checked against official sources on November 11, 2026

Photo: ToxicFlame427, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

Location: 5 miles west of Mankato, Highway 68 and U.S. 169
Waterfalls: Upper falls 7 to 10 feet, lower about 40 feet (2021 DNR map)
Bison Drive: Thu to Tue, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., per the DNR; hours change seasonally
Campsites: 58 or 61 drive-in (DNR figures differ), 6 electric
Vehicle permit: $7 a day or $35 a year
Park hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

In this guide

Two sections: falls on one side, bison on the other
Minneopa Falls
The Bison Drive and Seppmann Mill
Trails and things to do
Camping and the camper cabin
When to go
Fees and permits
Getting there
Before you go

Short answer: Minneopa State Park is 5 miles west of Mankato on State Highway 68 and U.S. Highway 169. People go for three things: Minneopa Falls, a double waterfall (the DNR's 2021 park map puts the upper drop at 7 to 10 feet and the lower at about 40); a bison herd on a 325-acre prairie range you can drive through; and the stone Seppmann Mill windmill from 1864. A vehicle permit costs $7 a day or $35 a year, and the campground has 58 or 61 drive-in sites (the DNR gives both numbers), 6 with electricity.

This guide is for day visitors coming from Mankato or the Twin Cities and for campers deciding between a campsite and the park's one camper cabin. It covers the two halves of the park, the Bison Drive schedule, trails, camping, costs and what is closed as of November 2026. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park page, the DNR bison page and the park map unless a line says otherwise; sources are listed at the end.

Two sections: falls on one side, bison on the other

The single most useful thing to know before you drive in: the DNR park map says "Minneopa has two sections." The office and the waterfall are off County Highway 69. Camping, the stone windmill and the bison are off Highway 68. Plan to drive between them.

	Falls area	Bison and campground area
Access road	County Highway 69	Highway 68 (Mill Road)
Main sights	Minneopa Falls, WPA-built stone features, ranger station	Bison Drive, Seppmann Mill, campground
Walk	0.18 miles one way to the falls, with steep stairs	Trails around the outside of the bison range

The DNR park page lists the address as 54497 Gadwall Road, Mankato, MN 56001, phone 507-386-3910. Park hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. As of November 2026, the ranger station is open Thursday through Sunday, 12 to 3 p.m., and closed Monday through Wednesday.

Minneopa Falls

Minneopa comes from the Dakota language and means "water falling twice," according to the DNR. Minneopa Creek falls twice: the 2021 park map says the upper falls drop 7 to 10 feet and the lower falls "another 40." The map adds that the falls are best known for thundering during high water.

The DNR describes a short, accessible paved sidewalk leading to an arched concrete footbridge over the creek between the upper and lower falls. The park map lists the Waterfalls Area walk as 0.18 miles one way, on cement and dirt with steep stairs, past features built by Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers during the Great Depression.

Current alert: as of November 2026, the DNR says "The trail to Minneopa Creek is closed. The waterfalls are still visible from the concrete sidewalk" (updated November 1, 2026). The map also notes the creek is not recommended for swimming.

Minneopa was established in 1905 and was the third state park in Minnesota, per the DNR. For more falls in this part of the state, see Minnesota hikes and waterfalls.

The round stone tower of Seppmann Mill, a windmill without its arms, at Minneopa State Park — Photo: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Bison Drive and Seppmann Mill

The herd belongs to the Minnesota Bison Conservation Herd, which the DNR bison page says is managed to protect wild bison and preserve their genetic diversity. The DNR's 2021 park map says bison were reintroduced here in 2015; the current DNR park and bison pages do not give a year.

Hours: the park page lists Bison Drive hours as Thursday to Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with the road closed Wednesdays for maintenance. The DNR says the hours change seasonally, so check before you go, and exit before the posted closing time.
Stay in your car: the DNR says to remain inside your vehicle at all times in the range and give bison at least 75 feet.
No hiking inside the range, but trails run around the outside of it.
Herd size: the DNR says the roughly 325-acre range can sustain 30 to 40 animals, with one adult bull.
Radio: the bison page says the drive has pre-recorded interpretive information over your vehicle radio; the 2021 map gives the station as 1610 AM.

The bison are free to roam the whole range, so the DNR suggests binoculars and the Seppmann Mill Overlook to spot them. The mill itself sits at the end of Mill Road on the campground side. The DNR says it was completed in 1864, designed by Louis Seppmann after windmills in his native Germany, and could grind 150 bushels of wheat a day in a good wind. After a tornado in 1890, the arms were not replaced.

Trails and things to do

The DNR feed gives two different hiking totals: 4.5 miles in the trail listing and 5 miles in the seasonal update. It also lists 0.2 miles of paved bike trail. The DNR's 2021 park map describes these routes:

Trail	Distance (one way)	Surface (DNR map)	What you see
Waterfalls Area	0.18 miles	Cement, dirt, steep stairs	The double waterfall and WPA stonework
Minnesota River Bluff Trail (Hiking Club portion)	1.6 miles	Grass, dirt, rocks; fairly level with some hills	Forested river valley and tallgrass prairie
Minneopa Creek Confluence Trail	0.4 miles	Dirt, gravel, rocky, steep hillside	The creek gorge where it meets the Minnesota River
South Route Trail	6.7 miles	Asphalt, cement, steep sections	Link to about 50 miles of paved Mankato-area bike trails

Given the November 2026 alert closing the trail to the creek, confirm which of these are open with the park before you go.

Birders can borrow a birding kit, GPS unit or kids' discovery kit free at the ranger station, and the DNR lists songbirds, red-tailed hawks and bald eagles among the species seen here. The DNR also lists fishing among the park's highlights. A picnic shelter can be rented from mid-May through mid-October by calling the park.

Camping and the camper cabin

The DNR park page gives two campsite counts. The facilities list says 61 drive-in sites; the seasonal update says 58. Use ReserveMN for the live number.

Site type	DNR count	Notes
Drive-in sites	61 (facilities list) or 58 (seasonal update)	RV limit 60 feet, tow vehicle included
Electric sites	6	30 amp
Group camps	4	Up to 15 people each; walk-in, 300 to 600 feet from parking; tents only
Camper cabin	1	Accessible, has electricity, sleeps five, no pets, open year-round

Winter camping: the DNR says camping is available year-round. In winter, sites in the campground's B loop stay open, both electric and non-electric, and the camper cabin is open daily. Cabin guests get the door code by email on the morning of their stay.

Reservations: every Minnesota state park campsite needs a reservation, made through ReserveMN up to 120 days ahead, with new dates opening at 8 a.m. Central, per the DNR reservation FAQ. See the state park reservation guide for how the window works.

When to go

What the DNR states for the off season, as of November 2026:

Water, showers, restrooms and dump station: off or closed, scheduled to reopen April 30, 2027, weather permitting.
Toilets in winter: a vault toilet near site B18, plus year-round vault toilets elsewhere in the park.
Winter activities: snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park, and snowshoes can be rented at the ranger station.
Bison Drive: hours change seasonally, so check the park page on the day you go.

Shower and water dates are the DNR's targets, not guarantees.

Fees and permits

From the DNR vehicle permit page and fee schedule, tax not included:

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
Camper cabin	$80 to $90 a night
Group campsite	$50 to $300 a night
Reservation fee	$8 online, $10 by phone; none for same-day bookings

Example (derived from the fee ranges above): two nights at an electric site cost 2 × ($20 + $10) + $8 = $68 at the low end, or 2 × ($35 + $10) + $8 = $98 at the high end, plus a vehicle permit ($7 overnight or $35 year-round). For multi-night stays, ask the park which permit covers your whole stay. ReserveMN shows the exact site price.

Getting there

The DNR directions: 5 miles west of Mankato on State Highway 68 and U.S. Highway 169. Mankato is the nearest town, and the DNR lists groceries and restaurants within 10 miles. Remember the two entrances: County Highway 69 for the falls and office, Highway 68 for bison, the mill and the campground. See all Prairie and Minnesota River parks or use the park finder.

Before you go

Buy a vehicle permit online first; the ranger station is open only four afternoons a week as of November 2026.
Check the alert: the trail down to Minneopa Creek is closed, but the falls are visible from the sidewalk.
Avoid Wednesdays if the bison are your reason for going; the drive is closed for maintenance.
Bring binoculars and stay in your vehicle inside the bison range.
Campers in the off season: bring water, since water and showers are off until late April 2027.
The DNR lists firewood for sale year-round at the park office; if the ranger station is closed, the DNR firewood page says you can buy it through the Yodel app while in the park.