Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area
- 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
- Yes
- Official site
- dnr.state.mn.us(651) 259-5841
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Partial closure State Trail Update• The hiking trail is open. • The state trail is open between Highway 25 in Belle Plaine and Highway 9 near Jordan, however be aware of spots .75-2… (more)
• The hiking trail is open. • The state trail is open between Highway 25 in Belle Plaine and Highway 9 near Jordan, however be aware of spots .75-2 miles south of highway 9 that have narrowed trails due to erosion. • The state trail is closed between Highway 9 in Jordan and 145th St due to a section of the trail falling into the river • The state trail is open between 145th St through Highway 41 and Shakopee to Valley Fair (Crest Ave). • The Gifford Lake parking lot is open for the season.
Posted by the park 2026-05-11. Official alert
Overview
Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area is a recreation area in Scott County, about 3 miles northeast of Belle Plaine.
Visitors come for snowmobiling, horseback riding, mountain biking, winter sports, and boating. The official site lists about 47 miles of trails. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites and equestrian camping. The park says there are no 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. | — |
Official wording
Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
There is no ranger station at this location. For more information, call the Jordan office at 651-259-5841.
The Equestrian Campground is open April-November.
Drinking water: Seasonally available at the Trail Center, but water is unavailable in the winter months. Campgrounds: The Equestrian Campground is open April-November. RVs: There are no water or electric hook-ups. Showers: No showers available. Trails: Hiking trails are very muddy and slippery. Spring/summer/fall: 41 miles of hiking trail, 6 miles of surfaced bike trail, 29 miles of mountain bike trail, and 29 miles of horse trail. Call ahead for trail status. Winter: 5 miles of ungroomed cross-country ski trails and 35 miles of groomed snowmobile trail. Snowshoeing and dogsledding are permitted in the park. Bathrooms: Primitive toilets are available year-round.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horse Camp Six equestrian sites are available seasonally, from April to November. They are located near the trail center, and have hitching rails and fire rings. | — | — |
Camping details from the park
Horse Camp: Six equestrian sites are available seasonally, from April to November. They are located near the trail center, and have hitching rails and fire rings.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingHorseback ridingCampingWinter sportsSnowmobilingWildlife viewing and birdingBikingMountain bikingPicnickingBoating
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowmobile (winter) | — | — | 30 miles of groomed snowmobile trail.Snowmobile |
| Snowshoe (winter) | — | — | You may snowshoe anywhere in the park that is not groomed for another activity.Snowshoe |
| Other (winter) | — | — | Skiing, skijoring, dogsledding and fat tire biking are all allowed on all 47 miles of the park's hiking trails. There are no groomed ski or bike trails.Other |
| Hiking (summer) | — | — | 47 miles of hiking trails.Hiking |
| Paved Bike (summer) | — | — | Nine and one-half miles of paved trail.Paved Bike |
| Unpaved Bike (summer) | — | — | 35 miles of unpaved trail, suitable for bikes.Unpaved Bike |
| Horse (summer) | — | — | 30 miles of horse trail.Horse |
Trail descriptions from the park
Winter — Snowmobile: 30 miles of groomed snowmobile trail.
Winter — Snowshoe: You may snowshoe anywhere in the park that is not groomed for another activity.
Winter — Other: Skiing, skijoring, dogsledding and fat tire biking are all allowed on all 47 miles of the park's hiking trails. There are no groomed ski or bike trails.
Summer — Hiking: 47 miles of hiking trails.
Summer — Paved Bike: Nine and one-half miles of paved trail.
Summer — Unpaved Bike: 35 miles of unpaved trail, suitable for bikes.
Summer — Horse: 30 miles of horse trail.
Trail conditions: Hiking trails are very muddy and slippery.
Spring/summer/fall: 41 miles of hiking trail, 6 miles of surfaced bike trail, 29 miles of mountain bike trail, and 29 miles of horse trail. Call ahead for trail status.
Winter: 5 miles of ungroomed cross-country ski trails and 35 miles of groomed snowmobile trail. Snowshoeing and dogsledding are permitted in the park.
Boating and paddling
Boat Access — Thompson Ferry
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Vault or pit toilets
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
- Showers: not available (stated by the park)
- Drinking water: not available (stated by the park)
Camping
- Tent camping
- Equestrian camping
Recreation
- Horse trails
✓ 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
- 19825 Park Boulevard
Jordan, MN 55352 - Nearest town
- Belle Plaine — about 3 mi northeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 44.6503, -93.7159
- Phone
- (651) 259-5841
- minnesotavalley.sra@state.mn.us
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
Lawrence Unit: Equestrian campground, State Trail Access, Picnic Shelter/Warming House, Strait House, hiking and Cross Country Ski Trails. Take HWY 169 to Jordan, at the traffic light turn North onto County Road 9, turn left onto Township Road 57. Thompson Ferry Access and State Trail Access: Take HWY 169 to Jordan, turn North onto County Road 9. Thompson Ferry Access and parking area is on the East side of the road just before the bridge. Parking for horse trailers and other vehicles is on the west side of the road just before the bridge. Louisville Swamp USFWS parking area and State Trail Access: The main Louisville Swamp trail head is located about 4.5 miles south of Shakopee. Exit Highway 169 onto 145th Street West. Follow the road past the main entrance to the Renaissance Festival and over the next set of railroad tracks. The Louisville parking lot is located on the left. Gifford Lake and State Trail Access: Take HWY 169 to HWY 41, turn North toward Chaska. Gifford Lake access is on the West side of HWY 41. Paved Bike Trail Access and Parking Areas: Trail Site #2: Take HWY 169 to HWY 41, turn North toward Chaska. Trail Site #2 access is on the East side of HWY 41. Memorial Park: Located in Shakopee at 1801 East CR 101. Huber Park: Located in Shakopee at 1st Avenue and Fillmore.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Minnesota State Parks and Trails — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026; page says updated May 11, 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
“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