Split Rock Creek State Park

This guide is for campers, families, anglers and anyone pairing a visit with Pipestone National Monument, which the DNR says is seven miles north of the park. It covers the campground, the lake and trails, what is open as of November 2026, costs and how to get there. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park page, its live data feed and the 2026 DNR park map unless noted; sources are at the end.

The park in brief

According to the 2026 DNR map, area residents petitioned lawmakers in 1937 to create a park protecting "a unique hillside teaming with native prairie flowers." Works Progress Administration crews then built a dam, which the DNR park page says was completed in 1938 from Sioux quartzite, a hard red rock quarried locally. The DNR says the park was developed "to provide water-based recreation for an area of the state that has few lakes." The record lists 1,926 acres.

The DNR describes the lake two slightly different ways: the park page calls it "the largest body of water in Pipestone County," while the map calls it "the only lake in Pipestone County" and "the only sizable body of water" there.

The historic bridge: the DNR map says WPA workers built a stone bridge from local quartzite in the 1930s that "still spans Split Rock Creek today," and that it "is listed on the National Register of Historic Places." The National Park Service's National Register records confirm the listing: the Split Rock Bridge, carrying County Road 54 over Split Rock Creek, was listed in 1989 under the Minnesota Masonry-Arch Highway Bridges group. (The DNR park page words it differently, saying the county road over the dam is on "the National Register of Historic Bridges.")

The park sits in the Coteau des Prairies ("highlands of the prairie") region. Rock outcrops and thin soil kept much of the land from being plowed, though the DNR notes grazing has reduced native grasses and flowers.

Camping at Split Rock Creek

The campground sits beside Split Rock Lake along a hard-surfaced road, with shaded sites.

Accessible site count: one DNR line says "the park has 21 electric sites. One is accessible," while another says "there are two accessible drive-in sites with electric hookup." Ask the park or check ReserveMN.

Winter: the DNR says "the campground is open year-round but may not be plowed when heavy snow persists." Call 507-348-7908 for conditions.

Reservations: the park says reservations are recommended for holidays and weekends in the regular season and "usually" are not needed midweek, but every camper must still register through the reservation system, even for same-day stays (online or 866-857-2757). The DNR reservation FAQ allows booking up to 120 days ahead, starting at 8 a.m. Central for a newly opened date, with no reservation fee for same-day bookings. The state park reservations guide explains how ReserveMN works.

Showers, flush toilets and the dump station are seasonal; vault toilets are open year-round in the campground, near the beach lot and at the picnic area.

The lake, trails and prairie

Split Rock Lake

• Swimming: a sandy swimming beach on the lake.
• Fishing: an accessible fishing pier. The DNR map suggests fishing for crappies, perch, catfish and bullheads.
• Boating: the boat access "only accommodates smaller boats," per the DNR, and there are boat docks.
• Rentals: canoes, kayaks and paddleboards from the ranger station, Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, first come, first served. Birding kits, fishing kits and GPS units are free to borrow.
• Picnics: a shaded lakeside picnic area with tables, fire rings and grills, a campground playground and sandbox, and volleyball gear at the ranger station.

The DNR also points visitors to the Beach Side Trail Center for "an excellent vista" and more about the area.

Trails

The DNR gives two different figures for the prairie and horse trails, as shown. It also warns that the eastern sections of horse trails "may be inaccessible at times during spring and fall due to prairie management activities." Riders need a horse pass (the park map says riders age 16 and older; the DNR fee page says everyone over the age of 16).

Prairie Hill

The DNR map calls Prairie Hill "the flowered hillside that inspired the park's creation." Watch for pasque flower, blazing star and prairie smoke; the DNR says late summer brings "a panorama of prairie colors." Park in the lot on the west side of the road to the campground. The DNR lists meadowlarks, beavers and waterfowl along the lakeshore, and woodpeckers and fox squirrels in the wooded south end.

When to go and what's open as of November 2026

From the DNR's seasonal update:

• Water: as of November 2026, the DNR's dated notice reads: "Water will be turned off for the season on Thursday, October 22. Anticipated water turn on date is May 14, 2027." (A separate drinking-water line in the same update still reads "Water is turned ON for the season"; it carries no date, so the dated notice is the one to plan around.)
• Showers, flush toilets and dump station: closed for the season since October 22.
• Vault toilets: open year-round.
• Winter activities: snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park, and there are 2.1 miles of winter hiking trail. The sliding hill is next to the boat landing, with a warming house at the top.

For summer, the rental season (Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day) and the late-summer prairie bloom are the DNR's two timing cues.

Fees and permits

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

Example (derived from the ranges above): two nights at an electric site is 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; the year-round permit covers every visit for a year.

Firewood is sold year-round at the ranger station or through the Yodel app; gathering wood is against park rules.

Getting there

The DNR's directions are short: the park is "located 7 miles southwest of Pipestone off State Highway 23." The address is 336 50th Avenue, Jasper, MN 56144, and the DNR names Jasper as the nearest town.

Nearby in the same region, see the Blue Mounds State Park guide, the Camden State Park guide and the Lake Shetek State Park guide. Browse all prairie and Minnesota River guides or the park finder.

Before you go

1. Register every stay through the reservation system, even on a quiet weekday.
2. Call ahead; the ranger station keeps irregular weekday hours.
3. Bring drinking water until the expected May 14, 2027 turn-on.
4. In winter, check that the campground has been plowed.
5. Plan paddling between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, when rentals run.
6. Buy firewood at the park; do not gather it.

Related guides: Blue Mounds State Park · Camden State Park · Lake Shetek State Park · Minnesota state park reservations explained

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Sources

• Minnesota DNR, Split Rock Creek State Park (camping, trails, seasonal update, history): https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/park.html?id=spk00267
• Minnesota DNR, Split Rock Creek State Park map and guide (PDF, 2026): https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_parks/spk00267.pdf
• 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, Reservation FAQ: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/reserve-faq/index.html
• National Park Service, NPGallery, Split Rock Bridge (National Register ID 89001823): https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/89001823