Whitewater State Park

This guide is for campers choosing between site types and seasons, hikers sizing up the bluff trails, and anglers. It covers camping and lodging, trails, current closures, costs and directions. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park record and park map unless noted; sources are listed at the end.

The park in brief

The park map says Whitewater was established in 1919 to protect one of the most scenic sections of the Whitewater Valley, in the unglaciated Driftless Area, and that much of it was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration. The map also says the park "welcomes over 250,000 visitors each year."

According to the DNR park page, the Dakota named the river Whitewater because it turned milky white each spring as high water eroded light-colored clay along its banks. Floods tied to farming practices drove much of the valley's history: the DNR says the nearby town of Beaver flooded 28 times in 1938. Erosion-prone land bought afterward now forms the Whitewater Wildlife Management Area next to the park (28,000 acres on the DNR park page, 27,000 on the park map). The DNR adds that Whitewater is one of only two state parks that housed German prisoners of war during World War II.

Camping and lodging

The DNR describes the 110 drive-in sites as ranging "from open and grassy to wooded and secluded," split between the Cedar Hill and Minneiska campgrounds. It also lists a "noticeable lack of mosquitoes" among the park's highlights.

The DNR's seasonal update lists 30 sites that can take hammocks, including 3e, 4e, 6e, 8e, 47, 48 and 50; the full list is on the park page. Showers and flush toilets in the three campground buildings run from mid-April through mid-October.

Reservations and winter camping

Every campsite needs a reservation. Book up to 120 days ahead online at mndnr.gov/reservations or by calling 866-857-2757. The DNR reservation FAQ says a newly opened date can be booked starting at 8 a.m. Central, and same-day bookings carry no reservation fee. The group center and the main picnic shelter are booked by calling the park at 507-312-2302, up to one year ahead. For how the booking window works, see the state park reservation guide.

Camping is open all year. The DNR says winter sites are in the Minneiska Campground and are electric. As of November 2026, the campground buildings and water spigots are off for the season, the dump station is off for 2026, and vault toilets stay open. Drinking water is available all year at the spigot by the flagpole near the visitor center parking lot, though the DNR warns it "does sometimes freeze in the winter."

Group center closure: as of November 2026, the DNR alert says the Modern Group Center will be closed June 1 through November 30, 2027 for rehabilitation work.

Trails and things to do

The park has 10 miles of easy, moderate and challenging trails, running "from bottom land along the river, to the bluffs and valley overlooks." The DNR notes "a majority of the trails have stairs," and the map advises hiking shoes, not flip flops.

The map's tips for the bluffs: steps and crossings can be slippery, there are cliffs, so keep small children close, and watch for ticks, poison ivy and wild parsnip. The timber rattlesnake, a threatened species, is "sometimes seen in the park in late summer"; report sightings to the park office.

Fishing, swimming and history

The DNR says brown, brook and rainbow trout swim in the spring-fed Whitewater River and Trout Run Creek, and the map says you can trout fish year-round within the park. Both fishing piers are accessible and in the south picnic area.

The park has a sandy swimming beach, but as of November 2026 the DNR alert says water levels have dropped unexpectedly and "swimming is not advised at this time."

The visitor center has a discovery room with exhibits for all ages, and the DNR runs naturalist programs year-round on topics such as rattlesnakes, caves and fossils. The historic Elba Fire Tower is just east of Elba, about 2 miles from the park.

Winter

Snowshoe or cross-country ski anywhere in the park, but the DNR says it does not groom ski trails. Snowshoes rent at the visitor center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. when there are 6 or more inches of snow. The visitor center doubles as a warming house with a wood stove.

Current closures and road work

As of November 2026, the DNR alert (updated November 5, 2026) lists:

• Deer hunt closure: on Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22, 2026, the park is closed to everyone except lottery hunters, including fishing access and trails. The visitor center stays open.
• Highway 74 culvert work: the DNR alert gives construction "from August 3rd through November of 2026" a few hundred feet north of the visitor center road, with detours. The DNR asks visitors to use the MnDOT project website, not navigation apps, which have routed people onto gravel and dead-end roads. The MnDOT project page gives the north culvert replacement as "Aug. 3 to fall 2026" and lists a second phase, the south culvert, for spring to June 2027, with the road closed at whichever culvert is being worked on.

Fees and permits

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

Two nights at an electric site: 2 × ($20 + $10) + $8 reservation fee = $68 in camping fees 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 $35 year-round permit covers every visit for a year. ReserveMN shows the exact site price. Buy firewood at the visitor center or through Yodel; gathering it is not allowed.

Getting there

The DNR places the park 3 miles south of Elba on State Highway 74; the DNR lists St. Charles as the nearest town. During the 2026 construction, the DNR suggests this route from the Twin Cities and Rochester: take Highway 52 south to exit 68 at Oronoco, drive 20 miles to Plainview, turn right on County Road 4 for 11 miles, left on County Road 9 for 3.5 miles, then left on Highway 74. The visitor center is less than 4 miles ahead on the left.

For nearby parks, see all Bluff Country guides or the state park finder.

Before you go

1. Avoid November 21 and 22, 2026, when the park closes for the deer hunt.
2. Check the MnDOT Highway 74 project page and follow the DNR route instead of a navigation app; MnDOT plans a second closure for the south culvert in spring 2027.
3. Wear real hiking shoes; Chimney Rock, Inspiration Point and Dakota trails all climb 100 or more stairs.
4. Bring water or plan around the visitor center spigot in winter, since campground water is off.
5. Plan to empty RV tanks before you arrive in the off-season: the dump station is off for 2026 and no site has sewer hookups.
6. Reserve every campsite in advance, including winter sites in Minneiska.

Related guides: Great River Bluffs State Park · Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park · John A. Latsch State Park · Carley State Park

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Sources

• Minnesota DNR, Whitewater State Park (camping, trails, seasonal update, alerts): https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/park.html?id=spk00280
• Minnesota DNR, Whitewater State Park map and guide (PDF, 2024): https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_parks/spk00280.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
• MnDOT, Hwy 74 Whitewater State Park Culvert Replacement: https://www.dot.state.mn.us/d6/projects/hwy74-whitewater-state-park/index.html