Great River Bluffs State Park
Also known as Kipp State Park, O. L. Kipp State Park, O.L. Kipp State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- 31 campsites
- Official site
- dnr.state.mn.us(507) 312-2650
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Weather Park alertIf you are camping with an RV or trailer please pull up to the welcome center then walk down to the office to check-in. The park hunt will take… (more)
If you are camping with an RV or trailer please pull up to the welcome center then walk down to the office to check-in. The park hunt will take place November 21 and 22. Applicants can check online for lottery results now.
Posted by the park 2026-10-04. Official alert
Overview
Covering about 2,127 acres, Great River Bluffs State Park lies in Winona County, about 9 miles west of Holmen.
Popular activities here are wildlife watching, hiking, and picnicking. Overnight options include 31 campsites across 3 camping areas, with RV sites, tent sites, and showers.
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. | — |
| Park | Buildings: Hike out to one of the five overlooks. Views of the Mississippi River are excellent. Sunrise from the overlooks are spectacular. Campgrounds: The campground is open for the season. RVs: There are NO electric sites at this park. Sites big enough to accommodate RV's are limited. The nearest state park with electricity is Beaver Creek Valley. Bathrooms: Vault toilets are available throughout the park year round. Dump station: This park does not have a dump station. | ||
Official wording
Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Email the park at: greatriverbluffs.statepark@state.mn.us
The campground is open for the season.
Buildings: Hike out to one of the five overlooks. Views of the Mississippi River are excellent. Sunrise from the overlooks are spectacular. Campgrounds: The campground is open for the season. RVs: There are NO electric sites at this park. Sites big enough to accommodate RV's are limited. The nearest state park with electricity is Beaver Creek Valley. Bathrooms: Vault toilets are available throughout the park year round. Dump station: This park does not have a dump station.
Rentals: None: Electric sites: There are NO electric sites in this park. The closest park with electricity is Beaver Creek Valley State Park. Showers: Shower building is open for the season. Water: Water is on for the season. The park does not have a fill station. Drinking water: Water is on for the season. There is a drinking fountain in the campground and picnic area. Programs: Check out the self-guided interpretive panels on the Kings Bluff overlook trail!
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive-in Sites 31 sites in a single loop campground — Back-in sites. Sites are private, with good vegetation between them. | 31 | ShowersRVs up to 60 feet | — |
| Cart-in Sites Four rustic sites - tents only! — Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. Drinking water and rustic toilets nearby. | — | Showers | — |
| Bike-in Sites Five sites — Bicycle campground is located on Highway 61 at mile marker 12, and is not accessible from the main park areas. | — | Showers | — |
Camping details from the park
Drive-in Sites — 31 sites in a single loop campground: Back-in sites. Sites are private, with good vegetation between them.
RV Length Limit — 60 feet: Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed.
Accessible Sites — 2 sites: There are two accessible drive-in campsites in the Great River Campground. They are located near restrooms.
Cart-in Sites — Four rustic sites - tents only!: Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. Drinking water and rustic toilets nearby.
Bike-in Sites — Five sites: Bicycle campground is located on Highway 61 at mile marker 12, and is not accessible from the main park areas.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingCampingPicnickingWildlife viewing and birding
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groomed Cross-Country Skiing Classic (winter) | 3 mi | — | Three miles — Easy to moderate. Some trails are groomed.Groomed Cross-Country Skiing Classic |
| Snowshoe (winter) | — | — | Anywhere in park — Snowshoe to one of the many scenic overlooks. Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park, except on groomed trails.Snowshoe |
| Self-Guided (summer) | 2.5 mi | — | Two and one-half miles — Interpretive signs along trail.Self-Guided |
| Hiking (summer) | 6.5 mi | — | Six and one-half miles — Easy trails with scenic overlooks of Mississippi River Valley. Excellent area to see fall colors.Hiking |
Trail descriptions from the park
Winter — Groomed Cross-Country Skiing Classic — Three miles: Easy to moderate. Some trails are groomed.
Winter — Snowshoe — Anywhere in park: Snowshoe to one of the many scenic overlooks. Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park, except on groomed trails.
Summer — Self-Guided — Two and one-half miles: Interpretive signs along trail.
Summer — Hiking — Six and one-half miles: Easy trails with scenic overlooks of Mississippi River Valley. Excellent area to see fall colors.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Flush toilets
- Vault or pit toilets
- Showers
- Picnic areas
- Park or camp store
Camping
- Tent camping
- RV 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.
Accessibility
Accessible Sites — 2 sites: There are two accessible drive-in campsites in the Great River Campground. They are located near restrooms.
Bike-in Sites — Five sites: Bicycle campground is located on Highway 61 at mile marker 12, and is not accessible from the main park areas.
Showers — Accessible, available seasonally in the campground
Flush Toilets — Accessible, available seasonally in the campground
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 43605 Kipp Drive
Winona, MN 55987 - Nearest town
- Holmen — about 9 mi west (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 43.9373, -91.4294
- Phone
- (507) 312-2650
- greatriverbluffs.statepark@state.mn.us
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
Approximately 20 miles southeast of Winona at the junction of U.S. Highway 61 and Interstate 90. Park entrance is accessed off of County Road 3. Coming from the west or southeast via I90, take exit 267 and follow park signs. Coming from Winona, south on Hwy 61 (just past mile marker 15), take a right on County Road 3 for 4 miles to the park entrance.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Minnesota State Parks and Trails — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026; page says updated Oct 4, 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)
- Photo: Great River Bluffs Park in Minnesota.jpg — Public domain (US federal government work), USFWSmidwest
“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