Monson Lake 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
- Yes
- Official site
- dnr.state.mn.us(320) 347-7810
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Partial closure Water, Bathroom, and Dump StationWater spigots in campgrounds are CLOSED. The bathroom building are CLOSED. Sibley State Park dump station is OPEN until Oct. 19, 2026.
Posted by the park 2026-10-01. Official alert
Overview
Covering about 176 acres, Monson Lake State Park lies in Swift County, about 17 miles northwest of Willmar.
The park supports horseback riding, historic sites, boating, fishing, and picnicking. The official site lists about 1.2 miles of trails. Facilities for water recreation include a fishing pier. Camping is available: campsites, including 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 | Drinking water: Drinking water will be CLOSED until May 28, 2027. Spigot is located near the picnic shelter. Electric sites: Six electric sites, each with 20, 30 and 50 amp circuits, are available during the camping season. Other: Stop by nearby Sibley State Park for firewood, ice (from May 15 to Oct. 27 2026), and Monson Lake State Park patches/stickers and other merchandise. Dump station: The park does not have a dump station, but nearby communities have dump stations available May to September. The dump station at Sibley State Park is OPEN until Oct. 18, 2026. Showers: Shower building is closed until May 28, 2027; Showers are available from May 28 to Sept. 7, 2027. RVs: Electric hookups are available on six campsites; the sites have an "E" behind their campsite number. Programs: Visit nearby Sibley State Park to attend scheduled Naturalist Programs. See what's scheduled. Water: Building Water will be CLOSED until May 28, 2027. Trails: Monson Lake 1 mile walking trails are closed/use at your discretion in winter months due to snowfall and unplowed roads. Bathrooms: Toilets in the shower building will be CLOSED until May 28, 2027. Toilet/Shower building will be CLOSED until May 28, 2027. Two vault toilets are available year-round. | ||
Official wording
Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
This location does not have office hours. Visit nearby Sibley State Park (during their office hours) to purchase Monson Lake State Park items. For information, contact Sibley State Park.
Drinking water: Drinking water will be CLOSED until May 28, 2027. Spigot is located near the picnic shelter. Electric sites: Six electric sites, each with 20, 30 and 50 amp circuits, are available during the camping season. Other: Stop by nearby Sibley State Park for firewood, ice (from May 15 to Oct. 27 2026), and Monson Lake State Park patches/stickers and other merchandise. Dump station: The park does not have a dump station, but nearby communities have dump stations available May to September. The dump station at Sibley State Park is OPEN until Oct. 18, 2026. Showers: Shower building is closed until May 28, 2027; Showers are available from May 28 to Sept. 7, 2027. RVs: Electric hookups are available on six campsites; the sites have an "E" behind their campsite number. Programs: Visit nearby Sibley State Park to attend scheduled Naturalist Programs. See what's scheduled. Water: Building Water will be CLOSED until May 28, 2027. Trails: Monson Lake 1 mile walking trails are closed/use at your discretion in winter months due to snowfall and unplowed roads. Bathrooms: Toilets in the shower building will be CLOSED until May 28, 2027. Toilet/Shower building will be CLOSED until May 28, 2027. Two vault 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive-in Sites 6 electric, 14 non-electric | — | ShowersRVs up to 70 Feet | — |
Camping details from the park
Drive-in Sites: 6 electric, 14 non-electric RV Length Limit — 70 Feet: Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
CampingFishingHistoric sites and toursPicnickingHorseback ridingBoating
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiking (summer) | — | — | There are 1.2 miles of trail, providing views of Monson Lake, and West Sunburg Lake. The majority of the trail passes through woodland, which provide opportunity for bird and wildlife observation.Hiking |
Trail descriptions from the park
Summer — Hiking: There are 1.2 miles of trail, providing views of Monson Lake, and West Sunburg Lake. The majority of the trail passes through woodland, which provide opportunity for bird and wildlife observation. Trail conditions: Monson Lake 1 mile walking trails are closed/use at your discretion in winter months due to snowfall and unplowed roads.
Boating and paddling
Boat Access Boat Docks
Fishing
Fishing Pier
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Flush toilets
- Vault or pit toilets
- Showers
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
Water
- Marina or boat slips
- Fishing pier
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
Picnic Shelter — Open Shelter: An open-aired, stone picnic shelter is available on a first come, first served basis, for small groups. The shelter has electricity and a large fireplace. Wheelchair accessible.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 1690 15th Street Northeast
Sunburg, MN 56289 - Nearest town
- Willmar — about 17 mi northwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 45.3183, -95.2760
- Phone
- (320) 347-7810
- sibley.statepark@state.mn.us
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
Access is off State Highway 9, just west of Sunburg, via County Road 95.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Minnesota State Parks and Trails — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026; page says updated Oct 1, 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