Scenic 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 Bigfork on County Road 7
Camping: 88 drive-in sites in two campgrounds; 40 electric
Lodging: CCC cabin, $90 a night, May 1 to Oct. 31
Signature hike: Chase Point, a 2-mile down-and-back on an esker
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: Scenic State Park is a 3,360-acre lake park seven miles east of Bigfork on County Road 7, in Itasca County. It protects the virgin pine shoreline of Coon and Sandwick lakes, with 88 drive-in campsites in two campgrounds, a 1930s CCC cabin ($90 a night), boat-in and backpack sites, and walleye, northern pike, bass and panfish fishing. The best-known walk is the Chase Point Trail, along an esker between the two lake basins. A vehicle permit costs $7 a day or $35 a year.

This guide is for campers choosing between the Chase Point and Lodge campgrounds, anglers and paddlers headed for Coon-Sandwick Lake, and anyone planning a quiet north woods trip. It covers camping and lodging, trails, the season calendar, current notices and costs. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park page and the DNR's 2026 park map unless noted.

The park in brief

Legislation to create the park was introduced in 1921. The DNR says it was first proposed as "Sandwich Lake State Park" and the name changed to Scenic during the legislative process. The park map adds that Bigfork-area residents "played a key role" in its establishment, and that the lakes are depressions left over from Glacial Lake Agassiz.

Besides Coon and Sandwick lakes, the park takes in parts of Lake of the Isles, Tell Lake, Cedar Lake and Pine Lake. The forest mixes aspen, birch, white, red and jack pine, and hardwoods. The DNR counts more than 40 animal species, including bald eagles, ospreys, loons and the occasional moose, and says birders consider the park "one of the best places in the state" to see spruce grouse.

Address	56956 Scenic Highway 7, Bigfork, MN 56628
Park hours	8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Office	Intermittent, limited hours from October 20, 2026 until May 2027
Phone	218-571-2600
Vehicle permit	Required; $7 one day or $35 year-round
Pets	6-foot leash; not allowed in buildings or on beaches

Camping and lodging

The park has two drive-in campgrounds, Chase Point and Lodge. The DNR's counts:

Site type	Count (DNR)	Notes
Drive-in	88, across both campgrounds	RV length limit varies from 39 to 90 feet
Electric, Chase Point	38	15, 30 and 50 amp; a mix of pull-through and back-in (pull-through count varies, see below)
Electric, Lodge	2	Back-in
Accessible	5 at Chase Point (4 electric, 1 not), 1 electric at Lodge	Drive-in
Canoe-in	5, on Coon-Sandwick Lake	Picnic tables, fire rings, open wilderness toilets
Backpack	2, 1.5 miles from parking	On a small lake; bring your own drinking water
Group camp	1, on Lake of the Isles	Up to 60 people; hand pump, two vault toilets, two 50-amp parking spurs
CCC cabin	1	Up to 4 people; May 1 to October 31

The DNR is inconsistent on pull-through sites: the facilities list says Chase Point has 20 electric pull-through sites, while the seasonal update lists sites 50 to 68 as pull-through, a range of 19 sites. If you need a pull-through, confirm the site when you book. Showers and flush toilets at Chase Point run from fishing opener until early October; at the Lodge campground, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. The dump station is across from the ranger station.

The CCC cabin

The DNR's cabin page says the Civilian Conservation Corps built it in the 1930s. It sits near the historic lodge and the beach on Coon-Sandwick Lake, has one bedroom with a double-over-double bunk, a kitchenette with a hot plate and mini-refrigerator, and a fireplace with an electric insert. There is no bathroom; toilets and showers are in the campground. No pets and no smoking, and you bring your own bedding.

Reservations

All campsites require reservations, the DNR says. Book through ReserveMN up to 120 days ahead; on the first day a date opens, online booking starts at 8 a.m. Central, per the DNR reservation FAQ. Our Minnesota state park reservation guide covers the details.

The park also manages several state forest campgrounds in George Washington State Forest, including Bear Lake, Larson Lake, Lost Lake, Owen Lake, Button Box Lake, Thistledew and the Togo Horse Camp. Contact the park for those.

Red and orange fall trees among dark conifers reflected in a lily-pad lake, seen from the Chase Point Trail in Scenic State Park — Photo: Lorie Shaull, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trails and things to do

The DNR gives two hiking totals: 14 miles of easy to moderate trail in the trail list, and 10 miles in the seasonal update. Two miles of the Tell Lake and Chase Point trails have interpretive signs. The park map highlights:

Trail	Distance	Terrain (DNR map)	What you see
Hiking Club Trail	3.5 miles round trip	Rolling hills, mowed grass, packed dirt	Two segments, below
Tell Lake Loop (segment)	1.8-mile loop	Rolling	Tell Lake views and wetland boardwalks; the map calls it a favorite for fall colors
Chase Point Trail (segment)	2 miles down and back	Rolling	Coon-Sandwick Lake views, an overlook, and an esker left by a river that ran through a glacier
Fire Tower Trail	3-mile loop	Gently rolling, packed dirt	Old-growth pine and black spruce, remote Pine Lake and the fire tower

Hiking Club trails start from the parking lot along the entrance road. For the Fire Tower Trail, park at the northern boat access past the Lodge Campground.

On the water

Swimming beach near the Lodge Campground.
Fishing piers on Coon-Sandwick Lake (wheelchair accessible) and Lake of the Isles, plus fish cleaning buildings.
Boat launch: trailered boats use the public access near the Lodge Campground. As of the DNR alert updated May 22, 2026, the redesigned Chase Point access has an accessible kayak launch, and backing trailers in is no longer allowed there.
Rentals: rowboats, canoes, kayaks and paddleboards from the ranger station in season. Fishing, birding and kids' discovery kits are free to borrow.

The lodge and other sights

The CCC-built lodge holds interpretive displays on the Civilian Conservation Corps and the park's natural history. It works as an enclosed picnic shelter with electricity and a fireplace for up to 225 people; call the park to reserve it. The map notes that if it is not reserved, it is open for public use. Wildflower fans can look for showy lady's slippers blooming in late June.

Winter

Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere except groomed snowmobile trails. The DNR lists 2 miles of groomed snowmobile trail in one place and 2.5 miles in the seasonal update.

When to go

Most facilities are seasonal. As of November 2026, the DNR reports:

Campgrounds and lodging are closed for the winter and will reopen in spring 2027.
Water is off at the Chase Point campground and the RV dump station. A hand well by site 25 in the Chase Point Campground runs year-round.
Restrooms in the picnic area and Chase Point are closed; some vault toilets stay open all year.
Watercraft rentals are closed for the winter.

Naturalist programs run weekly in peak season and intermittently from fall through spring, according to the DNR.

RV note: the alert says the potable water hose at the RV service station has no threaded connection. If you need one, the nearest fill station that can do it is the municipal station in Bigfork.

Fees and permits

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

Item	Price
One-day vehicle permit	$7 (overnight permit same price, valid to 4 p.m. next day)
Year-round vehicle permit	$35
Drive-in campsite	$20 to $35 a night
Electric hookup	add $10 a night
Backcountry site (backpack or watercraft over a half mile from parking)	$20 to $23 a night
CCC cabin	$90 a night
Reservation fee	$8 online, $10 by phone; none for same-day

Firewood is sold through Yodel from May 1 through October 31, or at the ranger station from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Gathering firewood is not allowed. 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

The DNR directions: the park is seven miles east of Bigfork on County Road 7, and 32 miles north of Highway 169. Bigfork is the nearest town. See the Boundary Waters and Iron Range region for nearby parks, including McCarthy Beach State Park near Side Lake and Franz Jevne State Park.

Before you go

Reserve a campsite or the cabin; every site needs a reservation.
Bring your own bedding for the cabin, and drinking water for backpack sites.
If you tow a boat, launch at the Lodge access; Chase Point no longer takes trailers.
Fill RV tanks in Bigfork if you need a threaded connection.
Call ahead in the off-season; the office keeps limited hours until May 2027.
Buy firewood at the park or from an approved vendor.

Sources

Minnesota DNR, Scenic State Park (camping, trails, seasonal update, alerts): https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/park.html?id=spk00262
Minnesota DNR, Scenic State Park map and guide (PDF, 2026): https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_parks/spk00262.pdf
Minnesota DNR, CCC Cabin, Scenic State Park: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/scenic/cabin.html
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

Keep planning

Bear Head Lake under a summer sky with a leaning pine and a dark line of conifers on the far shore, seen from the campground