Between Sioux Falls And Minneapolis Is A Scenic Lake State Park With An Island Trail, A Beach, And Camping

Surrounded by miles of Minnesota cornfields is the scenic Lake Shetek State Park. It sits between Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. This scenic park is highly rated on Google, with one reviewer describing it as "a wild, green cathedral in Minnesota's sprawling soul."

With relatively short and easy island trails and dozens of campsites with convenient amenities, the over 1,100-acre park draws people from all over Minnesota and neighboring states. An old beach house stands over a sandy beach that's good for a swim. You can access an avian sanctuary by walking a narrow land bridge, where visitors can see waterfowl like pelicans, ducks, and herons, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The park is a  90-minute drive from Sioux Falls, while the drive from Minneapolis takes three hours. Lake Shetek State Park is open from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day and does require a vehicle permit.

Several scenic trails will take you through forests, along the shoreline of Lake Shetek, and circumnavigate the smaller Smith Lake and Loon Island. The 1.4-mile Loon Island Trail takes about 25 minutes and makes for a secluded hike with low difficulty. One hiker on AllTrails remarked that it was a "Nice, wide gravel path with great views of the lake". The Smith Lake Trail is a generally uncrowded loop trail of moderate difficulty with varied terrain and lakeside scenery, and is a little over 3 miles long.

All of the park's trails can be combined as one long, 6.3-mile trail, which will take you to both lakes, along the shorelines, and a pond to encompass the whole of Lake Shetek State Park. The trek is not very difficult to traverse, and the best time to hike it is May through October. Along with the beautiful lake views, you can also see wildflowers and tall grasses.

Get some swimming in and have a picnic at the beach, where a changing area is provided, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources states that the picnic area has tables, fire pits, and is ADA accessible. There are usually not many other people around. Nearby, you'll also find a playground and a fishing pier where Outdoorsy notes that pike, walleye, catfish, and others can be caught.

There are about 70 campsites spread out among two main campgrounds in Lake Shetek State Park. The Oak Wood Campground is the more developed of the two, with 32 lakeside sites. All but three of them are back-in sites and have electricity, according to Outdoorsy, which also confirms a parking lot and two areas to take a shower and use restroom facilities. Previous visitors found the grounds to be especially clean and well taken care of. 

Sunrise Campground has the same number of sites as Oak Wood, is away from the shore and among the trees, and has full hookups. There is one tent-only group campsite by Park Lake, featuring simple vault commodes and manual pumps, and it has a capacity for up to 30 campers. There are four cabins available throughout the year, near the Oak Wood area, and they sleep five to six people. Two are wheelchair accessible. Campers have remarked that it is well-maintained with friendly staff, and they enjoyed remarkable stargazing. 

You can reserve your campsite online up to 120 days in advance. If you need supplies, the "Gateway to Lake Shetek," known as Currie, is a scenic city that's less than five minutes away. On your way to or from the park, stop over in the laid-back gem of Worthington to the south, or eastward to the boutique shops in Mankato.