Sakatah Lake State Park

Facts checked against official sources on November 11, 2026

Photo: William Wesen Appraiser, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

Location: Highway 60, 14 miles west of Faribault, at Waterville
Campsites: 62 drive-in (14 electric), 5 bike-in, 1 camper cabin
Camping season: Reservations taken April 1 to October 19
State trail: 3 of its 39 paved miles run through the park
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 and lodging
Trails and things to do
When to go
Fees and permits
Getting there
Before you go

Short answer: Sakatah Lake State Park is an 820-acre park on Highway 60 at Waterville, 14 miles west of Faribault. People go for three things: the paved Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail (3 of its 39 miles run through the park), a 62-site wooded campground with 14 electric sites plus 5 bike-in sites, and Sakatah Lake itself, a widening of the Cannon River with a fishing pier and boat access. You need a state park vehicle permit, $7 a day or $35 a year.

This guide is for campers comparing site types, cyclists riding the state trail between Mankato and Faribault, and anyone planning a day of fishing or paddling. It covers the campground, trails, lake conditions by season, costs and current notices. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park record and the park map unless noted; sources are listed at the end.

The park in brief

The DNR park map says Sakatah Lake State Park was established in 1963 and sits in Rice and Le Sueur counties. The name comes from the Wahpekute band of the Dakota, who lived in the area. According to the DNR park page, Sakatah translates to "the sights and sounds of children playing on the hill," loosely rendered as "Singing Hills," which is where the state trail gets its name.

The park sits on a glacial moraine. The DNR says these deposits are up to 400 feet deep in places, and that blocks of glacial ice left depressions that filled with water to form lakes such as Sakatah. The DNR lists maple and basswood forest among the park's highlights and describes it as a transition zone between the Southern Oak Barrens and the Big Woods.

Address	50499 Sakatah Lake State Park Road, Waterville, MN 56096
Size	820 acres
Park hours	8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Phone	Sources disagree: 507-698-7851 on the DNR park page, 507-698-7850 on the DNR park map
Office	As of November 2026, the DNR says there are no regular office hours from November 1, 2026 through March 2027; call the park for permits or the Nature Store
Pets	6-foot leash; not allowed in buildings or at beaches

Camping and lodging

The DNR describes the campground as "a shaded area with heavy canopy woods," with most sites well spaced and private. There are four camping loops; the electric sites are in two of them.

Site type	Count	Details from the DNR
Drive-in sites	62	Wooded, shaded; RV limit 55 feet including tow vehicle
Electric sites	14 (of the 62)	20 and 30 amp service
Accessible sites	2	Drive-in; one has an electric hookup
Bike-in sites	5	Only for people who arrive by bike; no vehicle parking near the sites
Group camps	2	Up to 50 people each, limited parking; Upper Camp on Upper Sakatah Lake, Lower Camp on Lower Sakatah Lake
Camper cabin	1	Sleeps 5, wheelchair accessible, screened porch and electricity, no indoor plumbing, April through October, no pets

The bike-in sites share drinking water and toilets with the nearby upper group camp. The park map calls the bike-in campground "a great stopping point on longer bike trips." Showers and flush toilets run from mid-May through mid-October, weather permitting, and the dump station generally operates over the same period. Vault toilets are open all year.

RV campers should read the DNR's note closely: "spur length varies, and not all sites in our wooded campground can accommodate slide-outs." Check the site specifications in the reservation system before you book.

Reservations

The DNR says Sakatah takes campsite reservations from April 1 to October 19, up to 120 days ahead, and recommends reserving electric sites for spring, summer and fall weekends. The DNR reservation FAQ adds that every state park campsite needs a reservation, that a newly opened date can be booked starting at 8 a.m. Central, and that same-day reservations carry no reservation fee. See the Minnesota state park reservation guide for how the 120-day window works.

A snow-covered trail through bare, frosted hardwoods at Sakatah Lake State Park in winter — Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trails and things to do

The park has 5 miles of hiking trail, which the DNR rates moderate to challenging, plus a quarter mile of accessible trail and 3 miles of the paved Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail. The state trail is a former rail bed that runs 39 miles from Mankato to Faribault.

Trail	Distance	Terrain (DNR map)	What it covers
Hiking Club Trail	2.2-mile loop	Rolling hills, natural surface	Sections of the Hidden Pond, Oak Tree and Sumac trails through old oaks
Big Woods Loop	0.75-mile loop	Rolling hills, natural surface	Mature Big Woods timber; the map calls it a fall favorite
Wahpekute Trail	1 mile one way	Rolling hills, packed dirt	Single track above the lake with overlooks and rocky shoreline
Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail	3 miles in the park (39 total)	Paved, level	Biking, walking and in-line skating; snowmobiling in winter

The DNR warns that the Wahpekute Trail along the lakeshore "is a low maintenance trail and may be difficult to hike." Horseback riding is allowed on the state trail, but the DNR notes that riding areas next to the pavement are limited.

On the lake

Sakatah Lake is a natural widening of the Cannon River, and the Cannon River State Water Trail runs through it. The DNR names walleye, largemouth and white bass, northern pike and panfish as the catch. Facilities on Upper Sakatah Lake include an accessible fishing pier, a boat access and docks, and a lakeshore picnic area with tables, grills and fire rings.

In season, the ranger station rents canoes, kayaks and paddleboards, and lends fishing kits, birding kits and kids discovery kits (ages 5 to 12) for free. As of November 2026, the DNR says watercraft rentals are closed for the season and will resume in May 2027.

There is no designated swimming beach. The DNR also says the lake is at its best "in spring and early summer, and again in the fall," because it is shallow and "tends to develop significant algae growth and odor in midsummer."

When to go

Spring and fall: the best lake conditions, per the DNR, and the map points to spring wildflowers and fall color on the Hiking Club Trail.
Midsummer: the main camping season, with showers on, but expect algae on the lake.
Winter: the campground is closed. Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park, and snowmobiles may use only the 3 miles of state trail.

As of November 2026, the DNR reports that the campground closed for the season on October 19, 2026, and camping reopens April 1, 2027. Water was shut off on October 19 and will be back on in early May 2027. Drinking water is still available all year from the red hydrant north of the park office and the hand pump in the picnic area.

Current alert (as of November 2026): the DNR alert (updated October 18, 2026) says the park will host a special-permit muzzleloader hunt the weekend of December 5 and 6, 2026, and "the park will be closed to the public during this time."

Fees and permits

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

Item	Price
One-day vehicle permit	$7 (an overnight permit costs the same and runs 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
Group campsite	$50 to $300 a night
Camper cabin	$80 to $90 a night
Reservation fee	$8 online, $10 by phone, none for same-day

The $7 overnight permit is valid through 4 p.m. the next day. For multi-night stays, ask the park which permit covers your whole stay; the $35 year-round permit covers every visit for a year. The DNR fee schedule does not list a separate bike-in rate, so check the price in the reservation system. As of November 2026, with no regular office hours through March 2027, call the park at 507-698-7851 if you need an annual permit or a gift card. Firewood is sold at the ranger station when it is open or through the Yodel app; gathering wood in the park is not allowed.

Getting there

The DNR gives the entrance as State Highway 60, 14 miles west of Faribault, or one mile east of the junction of Highways 13 and 60 in Waterville. The park map says Waterville has restaurants, grocers and convenience stores. For other parks in southern Minnesota, see all Bluff Country guides or use the state park finder.

Before you go

Reserve a campsite between April 1 and October 19; electric sites go first on weekends.
If you tow a camper with slide-outs, check the site's spur length before booking.
Plan paddling and fishing for spring or fall if you want to avoid midsummer algae.
Do not plan to swim; the park has no designated beach.
Skip December 5 and 6, 2026, when the park closes for the muzzleloader hunt.
Buy your vehicle permit online or call ahead in the off-season, since the office has no set hours until spring.