Big Stone Lake State Park in Minnesota, USA - map, photos and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-29. Check linked official notices before travel.

Big Stone Lake State Park is a Minnesota state park near Ortonville, on the lake that feeds the Minnesota River. Three separate areas offer different stops: Meadowbrook for prairie walks, Bonanza for wooded slopes, and Overlook for a lake view. Choose an area before setting your navigation destination.

Prairie, woodland and lake highlights

A first visit can pair a Meadowbrook prairie walk with a lakeside picnic. Bonanza offers a different setting, with oak and basswood forest along the route between its boat launch and educational center. The Overlook is a small viewpoint stop rather than the main park office.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Trail surfaces and fishing rules

Meadowbrook’s mowed-grass loops differ from the rolling dirt and grass route at Bonanza. Choose footwear and distance for that terrain. If you fish from shore, check the special border-water regulations for Big Stone Lake before casting.

Protect prairie and shore habitat

Keep pets leashed, attended and out of buildings and beaches. Pick up their waste. Do not gather firewood in the park; only wood supplied by the park or an approved vendor is allowed.

Permits and advance arrangements

Buy your vehicle permit before leaving home when possible. If the office is closed, use the posted QR instructions for online payment; self-payment envelopes are no longer accepted. Display the confirmation number for a one-day permit on the dashboard. Arrange an appointment separately if you want to enter the Bonanza Educational Center.

Find the right park area

The Meadowbrook address is 35889 Meadowbrook State Park Road, Ortonville, MN 56278. Use the official map and guide to distinguish the three areas. A map search for the park name alone may not identify the starting point you want.

Nearby protected areas

Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge has a road-accessible headquarters at 44843 County Road 19 near Odessa, east of Ortonville; its lands generally open dawn to dusk for approved uses. Across the lake in South Dakota, Hartford Beach State Park is reached off SD Highway 15 north of Milbank. Check the selected site’s access before adding it to your day.

Choose a prairie or woodland walk

• Bluebird Trail: a mostly flat, one-mile grass loop at Meadowbrook.
• Prairie Trail: a mostly flat, two-mile grass loop through Meadowbrook’s prairie.
• Bonanza Hiking Club Trail: one mile each way across rolling ground; include the return distance in your plan.

Office, picnic areas and interpretive access

Meadowbrook has the park office and a boat landing; Bonanza has another landing. Picnic areas provide a place for a break beside the lake. The DNR snapshot tour helps show how these separate areas are arranged.

About Big Stone Lake State Park

The Minnesota DNR manages this landscape where open prairie meets woodland and lake shore. Restoring former farm fields to tallgrass prairie is part of the park’s conservation work.

History

The park was established in 1961. Its valley has a much older origin: water from glacial Lake Agassiz drained through Glacial River Warren and cut the surrounding land.

Wildlife and habitats

Look for wild turkeys, white-tailed deer and pileated woodpeckers in the Bonanza area. The combination of restored prairie and oak-basswood woods gives birdwatchers different habitats to explore without needing a long hike.

Contact

Call the park at 320-839-3663 for local service hours and access questions. Review the DNR payment instructions before arriving outside staffed hours.