The Geology of Minnesota State Parks
Historical articles about the geology in several Minnesota State Parks
The links also include more recent publications on the geology of Whitewater and Tettiguche State Parks, historical geologic summaries of the BWCA, Quetico, and Iron Range areas, and perspective articles on the geologic value of parks and their use as a window to the past.
A separate link is provided to the map PDF (park_locations.pdf) shown below, giving the locations of the parks along with some general geographic information.
Most of the articles were originally published in the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Volunteer magazine and are used with permission. Due to the historical nature of most of the articles, some of the geological nomenclature and interpretation may have changed during the intervening years. However the geological observations remain useful as does the communication of facts and science from an earlier generation.
U S H Lake of the Woods w y 75 Lake Bronson State Park
Old Mill State Park
U S
H Quetico w Upper Red Lake 1 y 7 y 5 w 3 H Lower Red Lake S U BWCA Grand Portage State Park Hwy 2 SW 1 y 6 Hw Scenic State Park US
E
S
9
5 Lake Bemidji State Park
y
w
H Tettegouche State Park US Hwy 169 (includes the former Baptism River State Park) Itasca State Park
Leech Lake U S H Gooseberry Falls State Park w y Buffalo River State Park 2
U S
9
1
H 6
7
I w 1 - 9 y y y
w 4 1 w
0 H
H
S
S
U
U
Mille Lacs Lake U S H Lake Carlos State Park w St. Croix State Park
5 y
7 1 0
y
w
H
S 1
7
U
5 y
3
w -
I
H
I -9 S 4
U Sibley State Park Interstate State Park
Lac qui Parle State Park US Hwy 12 I-94 U S
5 H
7 US Hwy 212 w y U y 6 S 1
w
H H Alexander Ramsey Park w
S (formerly a state park, now a municipal park) y U 5 2 Camden State Park Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Flandrau State Park US Hwy 14 John A. Latsch State Park
5
3
- wy 14 Lake Shetek State Park Minneopa State Park I US H Whitewater State Park
U
S
H I-90 w Beaver Creek Valley State Park y
1
6 9