Jay Cooke State Park

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Trailblazers: this park is a must! Park trails link up to the Willard Munger State Trail at the north edge of the park; perfect for backpackers, bikers (both mountain and tour), hikers, horseback riders, and skiers.

Check out the wildflowers in the spring, and the vivid colors in the fall. Walk on the swinging suspension bridge high above the raging St. Louis River. Visit the historic cemetery and the gorge at Thomson Dam.

Tell me more about this park's wildlife, history, geology and landscape.

Visitor Alert!

Construction Detours

Construction on I-35 as well as repairs on the State Highway 210 bridge over the St. Louis River in Carlton will cause traffic detours from May through the end of August. These projects will cause minor traffic delays this summer. Watch for the signs.
Detour Map

Construction Delays

There will be some delays this summer due to construction on the Willard Munger State Trail between Carlton and West Duluth. The bridge over the St. Louis River in Carlton and Jay Cooke State Park will be re-decked and approximately one mile of trail will be paved between the Buffalo House and Beck's Road. Currently this section of trail is gravel, so please plan your route in advance. The project will hopefully be completed by late summer.

Park Notes

Learn More about the Park:

Who is Jay Cooke? (5:05 MP3 narrated by Kris Hiller, Park Naturalist)
Virtual Tour: Get low at the St. Louis River gorge or see up high from Oldenburg Point. Plus, get a look down the Willard Munger State Trail. Panoramic tour | Accessible tour

Gift Cards:

Purchase a Minnesota State Parks Gift Card.

Firewood Restrictions Information:

Minnesota has enacted legislation that restricts firewood being brought to or used on DNR lands. Learn more and review vendor lists.

Birders:

Bird Checklist at Jay Cooke State Park.

Park Highlights

Camping	Hiking
Swinging Bridge	Pioneer Cemetery
Thomson Dam	Oldenburg Point

Events

Find more State Park events on the DNR Events Calendar!

05/26/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Spring Wildflower Hike
05/26/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Through the Lens - Landscape Photography Workshop CANCELLED
05/27/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Birdsong Hike
06/02/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Through the Lens - Photographing Lady's-slippers
06/03/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Birdsong Hike
06/09/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Outdoor Adventures Day
06/10/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Birdsong Hike
06/17/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Birdsong Hike
06/22/12	Jay Cooke State Park	I Can Fish - Shoreline Fridays
06/24/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Birdsong Hike
06/29/12	Jay Cooke State Park	I Can Fish - Shoreline Fridays
07/01/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Birdsong Hike
07/06/12	Jay Cooke State Park	I Can Fish - Shoreline Fridays
07/07/12	Willard Munger State Trail - Jay Cooke State Park	Shift Gears Saturdays - Bicycle Program Series
07/08/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Birdsong Hike
07/13/12	Jay Cooke State Park	I Can Fish - Shoreline Fridays
07/13/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Searching Through a Dark Park - Nighttime Geocaching
07/14/12	Jay Cooke State Park	Wildlife Adventures Day

Hours

Best time to contact the park:

Office Open Daily 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Contact

780 Highway 210
Carlton, MN 55718

tel: 218-384-4610

email: jaycooke.statepark@state.mn.us

Getting There

From the town of Carlton go 3 miles east on State Highway 210.