Savanna Portage

© 2021, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources MAP AND GUIDE: SAVANNA PORTAGE STATE PARK PARK OVERVIEW SO EVERYONE CAN ENJOY THE PARK... A FULL SET OF STATE PARK RULES AND REGULATIONS IS AVAILABLE AT THE PARK OFFICE OR MNDNR.GOV. 55626 LAKE PLACE MCGREGOR, MN 55760 AITKIN COUNTY 218-419-1500 PARK OPEN 8 a.m.–10 p.m. daily. VEHICLE PERMITS Permits required; purchase at park office or entrance kiosk. VISITOR TIPS PETS WELCOME • Drive carefully on narrow, winding roads and watch for deer. Keep on 6-foot leash; pick up after; attend at all times; not allowed in buildings or at beaches. • Wood and deer ticks live in the park. Be sure to check yourself after you hike. − • The campground is open April through November. Backpack camping, a guesthouse and camper cabin are available year-round. ABOUT THE PARK • Non-emergency sheriff’s number: 218-927-2138. The park, at over 16,000 acres, is home to diverse plants and wildlife. The solitude of 22 miles of hiking trails and four fishable lakes (electric motors only) makes a great getaway during any season. ONLY HAVE AN HOUR? • Visit Loon Lake to fish, picnic, paddle or enjoy a shoreline hike. • Hike or mountain bike around Lake Shumway and keep your eyes open for wildlife. • Take a drive through the park and a short hike to the Continental Divide Overlook and Wolf Lake. This is especially beautiful in fall. • Keep your eyes to the sky! Savanna Portage is busy with birds. LOOKING FOR MORE TO DISCOVER DURING YOUR STAY? VISIT MNDNR.GOV/SAVANNA 10 p.m.– 8 a.m.; only registered campers may be in campground during quiet hours. FIREWOOD The park was created in 1961 to preserve the historic Savanna Portage Trail. The trail linked the St. Louis and Mississippi rivers along the canoe route from Lake Superior to the upper Mississippi. It required a six mile portage across marsh, swamp and forest which took about five days. The portage route was long used by the Dakota and Ojibwe people, explorers and voyageurs. • In an emergency call 911. CAMPGROUND QUIET HOURS TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS Lake Shumway Trail Gently rolling hills • Mowed grass Hike through hardwood forest that borders the lake. Look for swans and otters along the way. 1.8-mile loop Loon Lake Trail Some steep terrain • Packed dirt Take this narrow trail along Loon Lake and through hardwood forest and big white pines. 0.8-mile loop Must be purchased at this park or from vendors who sell wood approved for this park; no gathering firewood in the park. MORE TO EXPLORE • Checkout a free GPS, fishing or birding Kit, or a Kid’s Discovery Kit from the park office. • Rent canoes, kayaks, boats or snowshoes from the park office. • Stay in a drive-in campsite, backpack campsite, group camp, camper cabin or the guesthouse. Visit mndnr.gov/reservations or call 866-857-2757 to make a reservation. MORE INFORMATION Continental Divide Trail 5.3-mile loop Hilly • Mowed grass • Gravel Find the spot where water runs east to the St. Louis River and St. Lawrence Seaway on one side and west to the Mississippi and Gulf of Mexico on the other. This wooded path is great for wildlife watching. Historical Savanna Portage Trail 6.3 miles one-way Gently rolling hills • Packed dirt This trail has been used for thousands of years to connect the St. Louis and Mississippi Rivers. Follow in the footsteps of American Indians and voyageurs that walked here long before you. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Information Center 500 Lafayette Rd. , St. Paul, MN 55155-4040 888-646-6367 or mndnr.gov/parks The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This information may be available in alternative format upon request.