Starting July 1st, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will be narrowing its window for reserving campsites and lodging.
Originally allowing campers to reserve sites up to a year in advance, people will now reserve sites only 120 days in advance or four months.
“State Parks and Recreation Areas belong to all Minnesotans, so everyone should have equitable access to facilities and campgrounds,” said DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen. “As our lives have become busier, it’s more difficult for people to plan vacations a whole year in advance. Shortening the reservation window will better accommodate visitors’ busy schedules and allow more people to enjoy the most desirable campsites and lodging.”
The DNR says that its surveys indicated most visitors plan their overnight visits to parks and recreation areas a few months before they go. The change was originally scheduled to take place this fall, but due to COVID-19, the department moved everything up to this coming Wednesday.
Reservations made before July 1 will be honored, even if they are for a date beyond the new 120-day reservation window. However, if a customer needs to change a reservation, a rebooking will only be possible within the new 120-day window.
