Savanna Portage State Park

This guide is for campers, hikers and paddlers drawn to what the DNR calls "a wilderness retreat." It covers the trail history, campsites and lodging, winter trails, current closures and costs. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park page, its live data feed and the 2025 summer park map unless noted; sources are at the end.

The park in brief

The 2025 DNR map says the park was created in 1961 to preserve the Savanna Portage Trail and covers "over 16,000 acres." The DNR's data record lists 16,259 acres, while the park's introduction text says 15,818 acres. "Savanna" means open grassland and refers to the stretch of marsh grass in the park.

Hunt closure: as of November 2026, the DNR says the park "will be closed to the public November 28 to December 6 for a muzzleloader hunt," and only hunters with the special license may enter on those days.

The portage trail and the Continental Divide

According to the DNR, the Dakota and Ojibwe, explorers and voyageurs used the Savanna Portage Trail to cross between the St. Louis and Mississippi rivers. The six-mile portage crossed marsh, swamp and forest and took an average of five days to reach the West Savanna River.

The Continental Divide runs through the park: the DNR explains that water to the west flows to the Mississippi River and water to the east runs to Lake Superior.

Trail conditions as of November 2026:

• Savanna Portage Trail: maintained from the West Savanna River to intersection G. East of G, the DNR calls it "rugged and natural." The park's history text says the eastern 1.6 miles are minimally maintained.
• Lake Shumway Trail: closed at the boardwalk on the north end of the lake, about 0.8 miles from the Shumway Lake boat access, because the boardwalk footings are unsafe. You can hike to the closure from both directions, but not all the way around. The Bog Boardwalk is not affected.

The DNR gives different hiking totals in different places: 26 miles in its seasonal update, 27 miles in its trail list, and 22 miles on the 2025 map. All sources agree on 10 miles of mountain bike trail.

Camping and lodging

The DNR notes the campground was built in the 1960s, so "many sites will not accommodate large/tall rigs." Electric sites have 30-amp service only, and there are no water hookups.

The 2025 map says the campground is open April through November. The DNR sources disagree on the camper cabin season: the park page lists it as "Open May to November," while the 2025 map says backpack camping, the guest house and the camper cabin "are available year-round." Check ReserveMN for the dates you want before planning a winter cabin stay. As of November 2026, the dump station has closed for the season (it closed November 1), and the hand pump between the bathroom building and site 22 runs until freezing temperatures. Vault toilets are open year-round.

Reservations are required before occupying a site. The DNR reservation FAQ says you can book up to 120 days ahead, with online booking for a newly opened date starting at 8 a.m. Central. See the state park reservations guide for how ReserveMN works. Park staff also manage the Hay Lake Campground and day-use area in Savanna State Forest.

Lakes, fishing and paddling

The map lists four fishable lakes, with electric motors only. Per the DNR record:

• Swimming: a beach at Loon Lake.
• Boat access: Loon, Shumway and Wolf lakes.
• Canoe access: Rat House, Remote and Savanna lakes (Rat House and Remote are in the Remote Lake Solitude Area, in Savanna State Forest).
• Fishing pier: an accessible pier on Lake Shumway.

The DNR says anglers commonly catch panfish, trout and bass. Boats, motors, canoes and kayaks rent from the ranger station, first come, first served, but docks and rentals were pulled from the lakes on November 1, 2026. Free fishing kits, birding kits, GPS units and kids' discovery kits can be checked out at the ranger station.

Wildlife the DNR lists along the trails includes deer, bear, wolf, moose and coyote, with warblers in the bogs and migrating loons on the lakes.

Winter at Savanna Portage

Savanna Portage stays open in winter, with a warming house and these trails:

Staff also pack trails for winter hiking, snowshoeing and biking as time permits. The ski pass is $10 a day or $25 a year for skiers 16 and older, per the DNR ski pass page. For more winter options in the region, see the Duluth and I-35 park guides.

Fees and getting there

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

Directions: the DNR says to take Highway 65 north to Aitkin County Road 14, then follow County Road 14 for 11 miles to the park. The park map warns of narrow, winding roads and deer. Because cell service is poor, the DNR recommends downloading maps and doing as much online as possible before you arrive; buy your vehicle permit online ahead of time. The DNR permit page says Yodel firewood purchases can only be made once you are in the park, and Wi-Fi is available at the ranger station.

Before you go

1. Avoid November 28 to December 6, 2026, when the park is closed for the hunt.
2. Reserve your site or cabin; reservations are required.
3. Check that your rig fits a 1960s campground with a 55-foot limit and no water hookups.
4. Download the park map and permits before losing cell signal.
5. On the Savanna Portage Trail, stick to the western 1.5 miles.
6. Pack for ticks; the park map says wood and deer ticks live in the park.

Related guides: Moose Lake State Park · Jay Cooke State Park · St. Croix State Park · Park finder

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Sources

• Minnesota DNR, Savanna Portage State Park (camping, trails, seasonal update, alerts): https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/park.html?id=spk00259
• Minnesota DNR, Savanna Portage State Park summer map and guide (PDF, 2025): https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_parks/spk00259_summer.pdf
• Minnesota DNR, Reservation FAQ: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/reserve-faq/index.html
• Minnesota DNR, State park fees: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/fees.html
• Minnesota DNR, Vehicle permits: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/permit.html
• Minnesota DNR, Great Minnesota Ski Pass: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/licenses/skipass/index.html