Inspiration Peak State Wayside
- Status
- Status not posted
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- dnr.state.mn.us
Official page last checked Oct 30, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Inspiration Peak State Wayside is a 82-acre scenic site in Otter Tail County, about 20 miles northwest of Alexandria.
The park supports picnicking.
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.
Things to do
Picnicking
Trails
A winding trail to the summit passes through a beautiful hardwood forest that opens to an expanse of rolling prairie hills.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Picnic areas
✓ 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.
Rules and permits
These waysides have a parking limit of six hours. Overnight parking is not allowed.
Getting there
- Nearest town
- Alexandria — about 20 mi northwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 46.1365, -95.5787
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Minnesota State Parks and Trails — park page — last checked Oct 30, 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
- 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