Garden Island State Recreation Area
Also known as Garden Island SRA
- Status
- Status not postedDaily 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- dnr.state.mn.us(218) 635-0410
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
In Lake of the Woods County, about 29 miles northeast of Warroad, Garden Island State Recreation Area covers about 526 acres.
Popular activities here are snowmobiling, winter sports, swimming, boating, and fishing. Water access includes a swimming beach. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. | — |
Official wording
Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
This location does not have office hours. For information, contact Zippel Bay State Park.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Chicago).
Pets
Pets allowed on a leash six feet or shorter (or in a portable enclosure) and personally attended; only service animals in buildings, lodging, camper cabins, yurts, tipis, tours and beach areas.
Statewide rule from Minnesota's park system (source). This park’s page doesn’t state its own pet rules, so check for local restrictions.
Fees and passes
Per vehicle: a state park vehicle permit (one-day $7 or year-round $35) is required for every vehicle; same price for residents and nonresidents. Four free park days per year. Iron Range OHV SRA states 'There is no entrance fee'.
Statewide fee rule from Minnesota's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
Minnesota park passes
- Year-round vehicle permit — $35. Unlimited visits to every Minnesota state park and recreation area for 12 months from the month of purchase Details
- One-day vehicle permit — $7. One day, one vehicle Details
- Additional year-round vehicle permit — $26. Additional vehicles owned by a year-round permit holder Details
- Year-round motorcycle permit — $30. Motorcycle, 12 months Details
- One-day group permit — $5. Group vehicles, one day Details
From the Minnesota state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- Reserve MN (US eDirect)
- Phone
- 866-857-2757
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other Day-use area and shore lunch stop for boaters. No running water. — This is a day-use only park. It does not have overnight facilities and there is no camping allowed. | — | — |
Camping details from the park
Other — Day-use area and shore lunch stop for boaters. No running water.: This is a day-use only park. It does not have overnight facilities and there is no camping allowed.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
PicnickingFishingWinter sportsSnowmobilingSwimmingBoatingCamping
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiking (summer) | — | — | No hiking trailsHiking |
| Snowmobile (winter) | — | — | Garden Island lies along the Ballard snowmobile trail, about 35 miles from Baudette. This snowmobile trail continues up to Oak Island and the Angle Inlet. A ride across the open expanse of snow-covered ice will leave a lasting impression, with a feeling of crossing the Arctic tundra. Escape the winter wind in the shelter on the island. A snowmobile trail from Warroad to the Angle Inlet also runs past the island's western tip.Snowmobile |
Trail descriptions from the park
Summer — Hiking — No hiking trails Winter — Snowmobile: Garden Island lies along the Ballard snowmobile trail, about 35 miles from Baudette. This snowmobile trail continues up to Oak Island and the Angle Inlet. A ride across the open expanse of snow-covered ice will leave a lasting impression, with a feeling of crossing the Arctic tundra. Escape the winter wind in the shelter on the island. A snowmobile trail from Warroad to the Angle Inlet also runs past the island's western tip.
Swimming
Swimming Beach: Sandy beach great for swimming or boat docking.
Boating and paddling
Boat Docks: Available during the summer/fall seasons only.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Vault or pit toilets
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
Water
- Swimming beach
- Marina or boat slips
Camping
- Tent camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Getting there
- Address
- Write c/o Zippel Bay State Park
MN 56686 - Nearest town
- Warroad — about 29 mi northeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 49.1757, -94.8349
- Phone
- (218) 635-0410
- zippelbay.statepark@state.mn.us
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
The island is 23 nautical miles from Zippel Bay State Park.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Minnesota State Parks and Trails — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- MN DNR A-Z list of state parks and recreation areas (park IDs in server-rendered <noscript> links) + state waysides page; details from the compass feature_detail JSON API used by park.html
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology