Split Rock Creek Cart-In Campsites Permit
Split Rock Creek State Park (MN) · Minnesota
Three cart-in sites near the lake.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Split Rock Creek were gone within 5 minutes.
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Split Rock Creek Quick Facts
Key Information
Permit Details
What to Expect
Highlights
- •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 "Cart-in Campsites" with three units, Cart-In #C1 through #C3.
- •Minnesota DNR does not list Split Rock Creek in its published cart-in and walk-in fee table, so no nightly rate is stated here; the rate shown at booking is the authority.
- •"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: "The park has three seasonally available cart-in sites located a short distance away from vehicle parking. Cart-in sites are tent only with fire rings and picnic tables."
- •"A short distance" is the whole of DNR's published distance for this facility. No figure exists, so none is invented here.
- •DNR calls the sites "seasonally available" and then publishes no dates for them. Park-wide: "The campground is open year-round but may not be plowed when heavy snow persists. Contact the park for current conditions. 507-348-7908." Water, showers and the dump station are each described only as "open for the season."
- •Toilets: "Vault toilets are available in the campground, near the beach parking lot and picnic area and are open year-round. Flush toilets are open for the season."
- •Reservations here are looser than most: "Reservations are recommended for holidays and weekends during the regular camping season. Reservations are not necessary during the week, usually, but campers must register for a site using the reservation system, even on same-day registrations."
- •Split Rock Creek does not appear in DNR's published cart-in and walk-in fee table, so no nightly rate is stated for it on this page.
- •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.
Best Time to Visit
DNR publishes no seasonal recommendation for this park, only descriptions. The closest it comes: "Late summer offers visitors a panorama of prairie colors among the wildflowers and grasses," and boat rentals run "from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day." The sites are called "seasonally available" with no dates attached, and the campground "is open year-round but may not be plowed when heavy snow persists," so the booking calendar decides.
Hazards & Considerations
- !DNR names no natural hazard for this park at all — no ticks, no snakes, no poison ivy, no cold-water warning. Its published visitor tips are administrative: buy a horse pass, check the station hours for boat rentals, "in an emergency call 911." Treat that as an absence of a published list, not as a safe park.
- !DNR: "eastern sections of horse trails may be inaccessible at times during spring and fall due to prairie management activities."
- !Winter access is conditional: "The campground is open year-round but may not be plowed when heavy snow persists. Contact the park for current conditions. 507-348-7908."
- !This is open prairie with a lake in it. The nearest thing DNR publishes to a weather warning is that the sites are tent-only.
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Today
84°
57°
Thu
79°
58°
Fri
72°
49°
Sat
75°
48°
Sun
67°
48°
Mon
74°
46°
Tue
79°
54°
How to Get This Permit
Create a Minnesota State Parks (ReserveMN) account
Sign up at Minnesota State Parks (ReserveMN) if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.
Know the release schedule
Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.
Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
Monitor for cancellations
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The Experience
Why It Matters
Split Rock Creek is a small park in a part of the state with very little public land and even less water, which is why three cart-in sites go the way they do.
The Feeling
Open sky, Sioux quartzite underfoot, and a lake that stands out for a hundred miles in every direction. Cart the gear in, and the nearest vehicle is behind you.
Rules & Regulations
- •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/split_rock_creek/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 Checklist
Required
- 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
- A wind layer — this is open prairie country
- Water containers, given DNR's "typically"
Plan Your Trip
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Split Rock Creek
Shuttle Services
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Key Landmarks
Split Rock Lake
DNR: "the largest body of water in Pipestone County. The lake is the predominant feature of this park."
Hiking Club Trail
DNR: "begins at the beach and loops south 2.1 miles."
Redrock trail
DNR: "runs .25 miles from the picnic area to the dam."
Historic stone bridge and dam
DNR: "Hike along the lake for views of Prairie Hill, the dam and the historic stone bridge."
Pipestone National Monument
DNR: "Seven miles north of the park is the famous Pipestone National Monument."
Split Rock Creek FAQ
How do I get a Split Rock Creek permit?
Split Rock Creek permits use a reservation system. PermitSnag sends lottery open, deadline, and results reminders; you can also enable cancellation alerts if spots open later.
When is the best time to visit Split Rock Creek?
Check with the managing agency for current season dates. Weekdays generally have better availability than weekends.
How competitive is the Split Rock Creek permit?
This permit has a demand score of 6/10, making it moderately competitive.
What if I can't get a Split Rock Creek permit?
Cancellations happen daily. Set up alerts with PermitSnag to get notified the moment a spot opens up. Pro and $19 single-permit alerts are checked about every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.
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Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Great River Bluffs Cart-In Campsites
Similar ExperienceFour cart-in sites on the Mississippi bluffs at the other end of southern Minnesota.
Tradeoffs
A long drive east, but a published $24 rate and river views.
Nerstrand Big Woods Cart-In Campsites
Similar ExperienceSix cart-in sites under old Big Woods canopy, three hours east.
Tradeoffs
Twice the sites and a published rate, but no open water.
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Split Rock Creek trip
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