Zippel Bay

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After visiting Zippel Bay, you’ll remember the sunsets and the miles of white sand beach. The park is located on Lake of the Woods, one of the world’s largest lakes. The mood of the lake is always changing, from approaching storms that bring three-foot-high crashing waves and lightning flashes to an eerie stillness, broken only by the faint calls of a thousand raucous gulls, out of sight in the lake’s interior. In summer, the 3,000-acre park offers a swimming beach and picnic area on the big lake, drive-in campsites and a group camp, a marina on Zippel Bay and a stone jetty providing protected access to Lake of the Woods.

Birding is excellent—be sure to watch for sandhill cranes and piping plovers. In the winter, three miles of snowmobile trail provide access to the lake, which snowmobilers will find dotted with fish houses making virtual towns on the ice. Seven miles of groomed cross-country trails wind to the lakeshore through jack pine, birch, and open fields.

Zippel Bay State Park 2009 Summer Photo Contest!

A big congratulations to the winners and honorable mentions.
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Park Notes

Gift Cards:

Purchase a Minnesota State Parks Gift Card this holiday season!

Firewood restrictions information:

Minnesota has enacted legislation that restricts firewood being brought to or used on DNR lands. Complete information and lists of vendors and locations where approved firewood is available are posted on the DNR Web site.
More information
Vendor List

Group Camp

The Group Camp at this park can be reserved by phone or online through the centralized reservation system. Group camp reservation can be made from three to 365 days in advance. Call toll free 1-866-85PARKS or reserve online at www.stayatmnparks.com.

Change in Hiking Club Trail:

Due to changes made in the Hiking Club trail, the trail description in the current Hiking Club Trail booklet is incorrect. Please see the following for correct trail description.

The trail begins and ends near the northwest corner of the beach parking lot. From that location, follow the shoreline of Lake of the Woods west-northwest to the jetties that protect the entrance to Zippel Bay. The password sign is located just south of the east jetty. Hikers may return to the beach parking area to complete their hike by either retracing their walk along the beach or taking the parallel trail just south of the beach sand ridge. The two routes intersect and lead you back to the point of origin. Approximate overall length of the hike is 1 mile.

Forestry Campgrounds

Zippel Bay State Park also manages two DNR Forestry Campgrounds - Blueberry Hill and Faunce campgrounds in the Beltrami Island State Forest. Camping is first-come, first-served at these areas. These campgrounds are currently open and accessible.