Contact Information
Jay Cooke State Park
780 East Highway 210Carlton, MN 55718
About
Hike the historic Grand Portage of the St Louis River. Peer over the swinging bridge at the dramatic rocky river gorge below or pause for a moment in the pioneer cemetery. The forests and vistas make this park a hikers' and skiers' delight. 50 mi of hiking, 8 mi biking, 6 mi horse trails; 34 mi of mostly intermediate cross-country ski and 8 mi snowmobile trails that connect with the Willard Munger State Trail.
The park offers a variety of camping options including tent campsites with tent pads, RV campsites and five camper cabins. Camper cabins have bunk beds, electricity and heat, table with benches, screened porch and outdoor picnic table and campfire ring.
The park offers a variety of naturalist activities and programming year round including guided hikes, phenology and historical presentations.
Geocaching units are available for use. Snowshoes are available for rent. Firewood and ice are sold on-site.
In addition to the Swinging Bridge, other historic sites include the pioneer's cemetery, grand portage trail and several stone structures from the CCC era.
Hours & Dates
Book an online reservation 24 hours a day.Phone reservations can be made by calling 866-857-2757 (TTY: 952-936-4008)
Rates
Park permits: $35 annual, $26 second vehicle, $12 handicapped, or $7 daily. Camping fees are separate.
More Information
Seasonality
- Open in fall
- Open in winter
- Open in summer
On-Site Facilities & Services
- Children's programs (scheduled, supervised)
- Evening entertainment (regularly scheduled)
- Located on a lake or river
On-Site Recreation
- Bike trail
- Cross-country ski trail (groomed)
- Hiking trail
- Snowmobile trail (groomed)
- Snowshoes available
Green Practices
- Energy efficiency/conservation
- Waste reduction/reuse/recycling
Attraction Attributes
- Can accommodate groups of 45 or more
Number/Type of Campsites
- Number of camping cabins: 5
- Number of camping cabins available in winter: 5
- Total number of campsites: 113
- Total number of campsites available in winter: 12
Campground Features
- Camping accessible to people with disabilities
- Electric
- Flush toilets in campground
- Group camp facilities
- Hookups available in winter
- Hot showers in campground
- Lodge/central building
- Pets allowed in campsite
- Pull-through sites
- Sanitary dump station
- Secluded campsites
Campground Type
- State Parks Campgrounds
Accessibility Accommodations
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking
- Wheelchair accessible restrooms
- Wheelchair-friendly inside walkways
Length of Stay
- Daily site rental
Reviews
Based on 232 reviews
A very nice place to stay. The campground is well maintained and the sites are good-sized. The woods provide some screening. Restrooms and showers were amazingly clean. There are also a dish sink, a...
—
Contemplative1,
September 26, 2022
Good trip. We arrived at approximately 5:45 pm and made our way towards the entrance of the park. The park was a little difficult to find, as it was not clearly marked. We parked our car, and made...
—
PartyTheNightAway,
September 11, 2022
Wish we had more time. Awesome park! To see the swinging bride enter at the River inn visitor center. Very short walk to the swinging bridge. Trails are little tricky in many areas if you want to go...
—
kholmen0519,
August 16, 2022
A couple of dollars entry fee was totally worth it for a break after a long day of driving. The trail was nice and the swinging bridge was fun. All ages can enjoy this place. You can walk, hike...
—
MusicMama4,
July 30, 2022
We enjoyed the park, very pretty. Did the swinging bridge and a hike. Easy to get in and out if you don’t have a whole day,
—
Teresa P,
July 28, 2022
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