Free state park passes? Yay!
Thanks to the Minnesota State Parks Library Program, you can check out Minnesota State Park Passes at participating libraries state-wide.
The Department of Natural Resources has collaborated with regional library systems across Minnesota to provide free 7-day state park passes for checkout and as of July 1, 2025, the number of libraries increased from about 100 to 200 libraries across all 87 Minnesota counties.
The goal is to provide a way for Minnesotans living in low-income communities to visit state parks without the barrier of an entry fee.
“State parks and recreation areas in Minnesota are for everyone, and this program is an important way we’re expanding access,” explained Ann Pierce, director of the DNR’s Parks and Trails Division. “There are so many benefits to spending time outdoors, from health and wellness benefits to education and making memories with loved ones. This program helps us bring meaningful experiences in state parks and recreation areas to more Minnesotans.”
I first heard about this a few years ago when Ramsey County Library announced that passes were available at the North St. Paul library – then I learned the passes are available statewide!
There has been a growing number of participating libraries in Minnesota. Here is a partial list:
| Aitkin | McGregor Public Library | 111 E Center Ave, PO Box 56, McGregor, MN 55760 |
| Aitkin | Aitkin Public Library | 110 First Ave NE. Aitkin, MN 56431 |
| Anoka | Columbia Heights Public Library | 3939 NE Central Ave, Columbia Heights, MN 55421 |
| Anoka | Mississippi Library | 410 Mississippi St NE, Fridley, MN 55432 |
| Becker | Detroit Lakes Public Library | 1000 Washington Ave, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 |
| Beltrami | Blackduck Community Library | 72 1st St SE, Blackduck, MN 56630 |
| Beltrami | Bemidji Public Library | 509 America Ave NW, Bemidji, MN 56601 |
| Benton | Foley Public Library | 251 North 4th Ave. Foley, MN 56329 |
| Big Stone | Graceville Public Library | 415 Studdart Ave, Graceville, MN 56240 |
| Big Stone | Ortonville Public Library | 412 2nd St NW. Ortonville, MN 56278 |
| Carlton | Cloquet Public Library | 320 14th St. Cloquet, MN 55720 |
| Cass | Pine River Public Library | 212 Park Ave, Pine River, MN 56474 |
| Cass | Walker Public Library | 100 Highland Ave NW, Walker, MN 56484 |
| Chippewa | Montevideo Public Library | 224 S 1st Street, Montevideo, MN 56265 |
| Clay | Moorhead Public Library | 118 5th St S, Moorhead, MN 56560 |
| Clearwater | Bagley Public Library | 79 Spencer Ave SW. Bagley, MN 56621 |
| Cook | Grand Marais Public Library | 104 2nd Avenue West, Grand Marais, MN 55604 |
| Cottonwood | Windom Library | 904 4th Ave, Windom, MN 56101 |
| Crow Wing | Brainerd Public Library | 416 S 5th St, Brainerd, MN 56401 |
| Crow Wing | Jessie F. Hallett Memorial Library (Crosby) | 101 1st St SE, Crosby, MN 56441 |
| Dodge | Blooming Prairie Public Library | 138 Highway Ave. South PO Box 187 Blooming Prairie, MN 55917 |
| Douglas | Douglas County Library | 720 Fillmore St. Alexandria, MN 56308 |
| Faribault | Muir Public Library | 36 Main Street, North, PO Box 218, Winnebago, MN 56098 |
| Fillmore | Spring Valley Public Library | 121 West Jefferson Street, Spring Valley, MN 55975 |
| Freeborn | Albert Lea Public Library | 211 E Clark Street Albert Lea, MN 56007 |
| Hennepin | Franklin Library | 1314 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404 |
| Hennepin | Hosmer Library | 347 E 36th St, Minneapolis, MN 55408 |
| Hennepin | North Regional Library | 1315 Lowry Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55411 |
| Hennepin | Webber Park | 4440 N Humboldt Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55412 |
| Hennepin | East Lake Library | 2727 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406 |
| Hennepin | Augsburg Park Library | 7100 Nicollet Ave., Richfield, MN 55423 |
| Hennepin | Brookdale Library | 6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 |
| Hennepin | Brooklyn Park Library | 8500 W. Broadway Ave., Brooklyn Park, MN, 55445 |
| Hubbard | Park Rapids Public Library | 210 1st St W, Park Rapids, MN 56470 |
| Jackson | Jackson County Library System (3 locations) | 311 3rd St, Jackson, MN 56143 |
| Kanabec | Mora Public Library | 200 Maple Ave. W. Mora, MN 55051 |
| Kandiyohi | Willmar Public Library | 410 5th St SW. Willmar, MN 56201 |
| Kittson | Karlstad Library | 104 1st St S , Karlstad, MN 56732 |
| Kittson | Hallock Public Library | 163 3rd St S. Hallock, MN 56728 |
| Koochiching | International Falls Public Library | 750 4th St. International Falls, MN 56649 |
| Lake | Silver Bay Public Library | 9 Davis Dr. Silver Bay, MN 55614 |
| Lake of the Woods | Baudette Public Library | 110 1st St SW, Baudette, MN 56623 |
| Lincoln | Tyler Public Library | 230 Tyler St. N., PO Box L, Tyler, MN 56178 |
| Lyon | Marshall Lyon County Library | 201 C St, Marshall, MN 56258 |
| Mahnomen | Mahnomen Public Library | 203 Main Street South, Mahnomen, MN 56557 |
| Marshall | Barb Geer Memorial Library | 335 4th Street, Middle River, MN 56737 |
| Marshall | Godel Memorial Public Library | 314 E Johnson Ave. Warren, MN 56762 |
| Marshall | Grygla Library | 127 Main Ave, Grygla, MN 56727 |
| Martin | Martin County Library – Fairmont | 110 N Park St, Fairmont, MN 56031 |
| Meeker | Grove City Library | 210 Atlantic Ave W, Grove City, MN 56243 |
| Mille Lacs | Milaca Community Library | 235 1st St. East, Milaca, MN 56353 |
| Mille Lacs | Mille Lacs Lake Community Library | 285 Second Ave. S. Isle, MN 56342 |
| Mille Lacs | Princeton Public Library | 100 4th Ave. S. Princeton, MN 55371 |
| Morrison | Little Falls Public Library | 108 NE 3rd Street Little Falls, MN 56345 |
| Morrison | Upsala Public Library | 117 Main St. Upsala, MN 56384 |
| Mower | Austin Public Library | 323 4th Ave. NE Austin, MN 55912 |
| Nicollet | North Mankato Taylor Library | 1001 Belgrade Ave, North Mankato, MN 56003 |
| Nobles | Nobles County Library | 407 12th St. Worthington, MN 56187 |
| Norman | Ada Public Library | 107 4th Ave E. Ada, MN 56510 |
| Olmsted | Rochester Public Library | 101 2nd Street SE, Rochester, MN 55904 |
| Otter Tail | Pelican Rapids Public Library | 25 West Mill St. Pelican Rapids, MN 56572 |
| Otter Tail | Fergus Falls Public Library | 205 E. Hampden Ave. Fergus Falls, MN 56537 |
| Pennington | Thief River Falls Public Library | 102 First St E. Thief River Falls, MN 56701 |
| Pine | Hinckley Public Library | 106 1st Street SE, Hinckley, MN 55037 |
| Pine | Sandstone Public Library | 119 North Fourth St. PO Box 599 Sandstone, MN 55072 |
| Pine | Pine City Public Library | 300 Fifth St. Pine City, MN 55063 |
| Polk | Crookston Public Library | 110 Ash N. Crookston, MN 56716 |
| Polk | East Grand Forks Campbell Library | 422 4th St. NW, East Grand Forks, MN 56721 |
| Ramsey | Riverview Library | 1 E. George St. Saint Paul, MN 55107 |
| Ramsey | Arlington Hills Library | 1200 Payne Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55130 |
| Ramsey | Rice Street Library | 1011 Rice Street Saint Paul, MN 55117 |
| Ramsey | Sun Ray Library | 2105 Wilson Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55119 |
| Ramsey | North St. Paul | 2300 N St Paul Dr, North St Paul, MN 55109 |
| Ramsey | Rondo Community Library | 461 N. Dale Saint Paul, MN 55103 |
| Red Lake | Red Lake Falls Library | 105 Champagne Ave SW, Red Lake Falls, MN 56750 |
| Redwood | Lamberton Library | 101 2nd Ave E, Lamberton, MN 56152 |
| Redwood | Morgan Public Library | 210 Vernon Ave, Morgan, MN 56266 |
| Renville | Fairfax Public Library | 101 1st Street SE. Fairfax, MN 55332 |
| Rice | Buckham Memorial Library (Faribault) | 11 E. Division St., Faribault, MN 55021 |
| Rock | Rock County Community Library | 201 W. Main St., Luverne, MN 56156 |
| Roseau | Greenbush Library | 234 Main Street North, Greenbush, MN 56726 |
| Roseau | Warroad Library | 202 Main Ave NE, Warroad, MN 56763 |
| Roseau | Roseau Public Library | 121 Center St E. Roseau, MN 56751 |
| St. Louis | Cook Public Library | 103 South River Street PO Box 126 Cook, MN 55723 |
| St. Louis | Ely Public Library | 224 E Chapman Street, Ely, MN 55731 |
| St. Louis | Virginia Public Library | 215 5th Street S. Virginia, MN 55792 |
| St. Louis | Duluth Public Library | 520 W. Superior St. Duluth, MN 55802 |
| Stearns | St. Cloud Public Library | 1300 W St Germain St, St Cloud, MN 56301 |
| Steele | Owatonna Public Library | 105 N. Elm Ave. Owatonna, MN 55060 |
| Swift | Benson Public Library | 200 N 13th Street Benson, MN 56215 |
| Todd | Long Prairie Public Library | 42 Third Street North Ste. 1 Long Prairie, MN 56347 |
| Todd | Staples Public Library | 122 6th St. NE Staples, MN 56479 |
| Traverse | Browns Valley Public Library | 15 Third St. S. Browns Valley, MN 56219 |
| Wadena | Wadena Public Library | 304 1st St SW, Wadena, MN 56482 |
| Waseca | Waseca Public Library | 408 North State Street Waseca, MN 56093 |
| Watonwan | Butterfield Library | 111 2nd St, Butterfield, MN 56120 |
| Watonwan | Watonwan County Library | 125 5th St. S. Saint James, MN 56081 |
| Winona | Winona Public Library | 151 W. 5th Street, Winona, MN 55987 |
| Yellow Medicine | Canby Public Library | 110 Oscar Ave N. Canby, MN 56220 |
| Yellow Medicine | Granite Falls Public Library | 155 7th Ave. Granite Falls, MN 56241 |
There are many more!
You can read all about it here.
I LOVE this! I especially love that it’s open to ALL, so low-income families don’t feel the stigma of using this program.
Just like the free school meals which I wrote about here:
Did you know 4th graders can get free National Park passes?
Originally published on: Jun 25, 2024 and updated August 2025.