Very High DemandReservation7 min read

Updated August 10, 2026

How to Get a Gooseberry Glen Permit

Six cart-in sites in the Whitewater valley — the hardest cart-in booking Minnesota publishes.

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About Gooseberry Glen

Six cart-in sites at Gooseberry Glen, 300 to 650 yards from parking. DNR counts eight cart-in sites park-wide; six of them are here. The busiest permit-shaped facility in the Minnesota system by occupancy.

Whitewater is a limestone valley in the driftless southeast with a reputation for having no mosquitoes, and Gooseberry Glen is the part of it you cannot drive to. Six sites against that demand is why cancellations here move within minutes.

The Experience

Limestone bluff walls on both sides, spring-fed trout water in the bottom, over a hundred stairs on the nearest trail up, and a park DNR advertises for its "noticeable lack of mosquitoes." Six cart-in sites against that.

What to Expect

Minnesota DNR's definition of the category: "Cart-in and walk-in campsites in Minnesota state parks are not accessible by motor vehicle, but are a half mile or less from parking."

"All sites typically have access to primitive toilets and water, and will have a fire ring, picnic table, and tent pad." DNR's own hedge — "typically" — is worth taking seriously; ring the park if water matters to your plan.

"Cart-in campsites will have a large cart available at the parking area to help you carry gear."

The Minnesota reservation system lists this facility as "Gooseberry Glen Cart-In Campground" with six units, Cart-In #CI 1 through #CI 6.

Minnesota DNR's published cart-in and walk-in rate at Whitewater is $25 per site, per night, plus tax — the top of its published range.

"Seasonal availability varies by park." DNR publishes no season for this facility specifically, so the booking calendar is the authority on which nights exist.

DNR gives the distance as a range: "The park's eight sites are located 300 to 650 yards from the parking area." A range is not a distance, so no single route figure appears here.

The counts disagree, so here are both. DNR says the park has eight cart-in sites. The Gooseberry Glen facility you book through this page holds six, Cart-In #CI 1 through #CI 6. DNR separately says Cedar Hill Campground "has 6 accessible sites... and one is cart-in access only", which accounts for a seventh. The eighth is not accounted for by anything either source publishes. Read it as eight cart-in sites park-wide, six of them in Gooseberry Glen.

Season: "Camping is available year-round" park-wide, and the cart-in campground is not on DNR's winter list — "Winter camping sites are in the Minneiska Campground and are electric."

Water, and what it depends on. DNR: "Drinking water bubblers are ON for the 2026 season." It describes the spigot outside the Visitor Center near the flag pole as running the whole year, and then supplies its own caveat — "the spigot does sometimes freeze in the winter, so plan accordingly." The fountain inside the Visitor Center depends on opening hours.

Toilets: "Vault toilets throughout the park are available year-round." "There are three restroom buildings in the campgrounds." Showers and flush toilets run mid-April through mid-October.

Hammocks: Whitewater publishes the exact site list that takes one, and no Gooseberry Glen "CI" site is on it. The published list is "3e, 4e, 6e, 8e, 11e, 14e, 19e, 20e, 21e, 22e, 25e, 26e, 32e, 37e, 38e, 39e, 41e, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 56, 59, 61, 63, 69, 231e, and 241."

A live beach note: "Water levels at the beach have dropped unexpectedly. Swimming is not advised at this time. Conditions may continue to change."

Sourcing note: the park-page sentences on this page were read on 2026-08-10 from Minnesota DNR's own live park-content endpoint. maps.dnr.state.mn.us refuses our requests outright, so that fetch went through a Wayback Save-Page-Now capture of the live DNR endpoint, with the Internet Archive acting only as transport. www.dnr.state.mn.us and files.dnr.state.mn.us were read directly.

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Permit Requirements

All campsites require a reservation. Minnesota DNR: "All campsites require a reservation. Please make a reservation online or call 866-857-2757."

Reservations open 120 days before arrival, and same-day bookings are allowed. On the day a date first becomes available, online reservations cannot be made before 8 a.m.

The reservation fee is $8.00 online and $10.00 by phone, non-refundable. There is no fee for a same-day booking.

Camping check-in is after 4 p.m. and checkout is by 4 p.m. If you have not checked in by 11 a.m. on the second day of the reservation, DNR may cancel it.

"A campsite's occupancy is limited to one camping group of six people or less, one camping shelter, and one vehicle." More than that needs the park manager's prior approval.

Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., and generators may not run in those hours.

Park hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 365 days a year, and "only campers with a reserved campsite are allowed in the park after 10 p.m."

Every vehicle entering a Minnesota state park must display a valid year-round or one-day state park vehicle permit.

Firewood transport is regulated. DNR allows wood bought at this park for use in this park, Minnesota Department of Agriculture certified firewood anywhere on DNR land, and an uncertified bundle only if it is not ash and was harvested in the county where you will burn it — "be sure to keep your receipt and the bundle label to show proof of purchase."

Firewood from home, pallet wood, and painted, stained or metal-bearing lumber are all prohibited, and "collection of firewood in state parks is not allowed."

Pets are welcome on a leash six feet or shorter, or in a portable enclosure, and must be personally attended at all times.

It is illegal to consume or display intoxicating liquors in Minnesota state parks.

Fireworks and metal detectors are not permitted.

Hammocks need trees at least 12 inches in diameter and straps at least an inch wide, one hammock per tree, hung over mowed and cleared ground.

You may pick edible fruits and mushrooms for personal consumption; picking wildflowers or other plants is not allowed.

Campfires here run on a live burning restriction that moves with fire danger, so a fire ring at the site is not permission to use it. The authority is this park's own Camping & Lodging page, https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/whitewater/camping.html — read it in the week you travel, not the week you book.

Read 2026-08-10, that page carried: "Attention visitors - fire danger is very high!" The same notice said "Attended campfires are allowed in established fire rings in state park campgrounds, including drive-in, cart-in and walk-in campsites. If you choose to have a campfire, please keep it small, always supervise the fire, and make sure it is completely out before you walk away." That was DNR's position on that date under fire danger it called very high, and the same notice already banned fires at the backcountry hike-in, backpack and boat-in sites. It can tighten to a full ban before you arrive.

Gear & Preparation

Required Gear

•Nothing specialised; DNR provides the cart at the parking area
•A Minnesota state park vehicle permit for the car you leave at the trailhead
•Water, or a way to treat it — DNR says these sites "typically" have water, which is not the same as always
•A camp stove, and a meal plan that works on it — Minnesota DNR closes fire rings at short notice, and its Tettegouche notice of 2026-08-10 read "Camp stoves are permitted for cooking."

Recommended Gear

•A second and third date in mind — by occupancy this is the hardest cart-in booking in the Minnesota system
•Water containers, given DNR's "typically"

Hazards & Safety

The fullest hazard list DNR publishes for any park in this set: "Wear hiking shoes (not flip flops)." "Trail crossings and steps may be slippery, use caution." "There are cliffs, keep small children close." "Check for wood and black-legged ticks." "Watch for poison ivy and wild parsnip."

DNR alert: "Water levels at the beach have dropped unexpectedly. Swimming is not advised at this time. Conditions may continue to change."

No Gooseberry Glen site appears on DNR's published list of hammock-capable sites.

Non-emergency sheriff number, published by DNR: 507-457-6368. There is Wi-Fi at the visitor center.

Best Time to Visit

DNR's pitch for this park is a genuine oddity: "The noticeable lack of mosquitoes makes this a great park for camping," which it repeats in its highlights list. Add "spectacular spring wildflowers," the rare Louisiana waterthrush to listen for in spring, and "a refreshing dip in the cold, spring-fed water" — though DNR currently advises against swimming with the beach water low. Camping is year-round park-wide, but winter camping is in the Minneiska Campground, not here. On a facility this heavily booked the mechanic matters most: 120 days ahead, and no online booking before 8 a.m. on the day a date first opens.

Written by

PermitSnag Team

100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience

This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a Gooseberry Glen permit?

Gooseberry Glen permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.

When is the best time to visit Gooseberry Glen?

What gear do I need for Gooseberry Glen?

Essential gear includes: Nothing specialised; DNR provides the cart at the parking area, A Minnesota state park vehicle permit for the car you leave at the trailhead, Water, or a way to treat it — DNR says these sites "typically" have water, which is not the same as always, A camp stove, and a meal plan that works on it — Minnesota DNR closes fire rings at short notice, and its Tettegouche notice of 2026-08-10 read "Camp stoves are permitted for cooking.".