Hayes Lake State Park

Boat Access

A boat ramp and wooden dock provide access to Hayes Lake for a day of fishing or sightseeing. Only electric motors are allowed on the lake so visitors can enjoy the scenery and solitude without interruption.

Fishing Pier

An accessible wooden fishing pier provides anglers with the perfect spot to try their luck at catching northern pike, crappie, and sunfish.

Beach

Enjoy an afternoon with family or friends at this sandy beach along Hayes Lake.

Picnic Shelter

This screened-in picnic shelter near the beach is a wonderful place for group get-togethers. The shelter has electricity and can be reserved by contacting the park office. A grassy, open area with picnic tables, fire rings, and swings for the kids provides a great spot to spend the afternoon.

Grefthen Bay Overlook

This beautiful overlook on Grefthen Bay is located near the park’s campground.

Campground

Choose from 35 campsites (18 of which are electric) within the park’s campground. Tall trees provide dappled shade over the picnic table and fire ring found in each site. A centrally located shower/restroom building is available to campers seasonally.

Timberline Cabin

This accessible log cabin sleeps five and provides a great spot for a weekend getaway with family or friends. The cabin has a gas fireplace that creates a cozy atmosphere, even on chilly northern mornings. A bathroom and shower building is available nearby.

Bog Walk

Step onto a wooden boardwalk that threads through the park’s bog and you may be lucky enough to spot plants such as sundew, pitcher plant, and lady’s slippers. This unique area was created when Glacial Lake Agassiz retreated, leaving behind a large, flat landscape. Drainage in these areas was very poor, but the water table remained high. As a result, hundreds of square miles of land, from the park eastward, developed into muskeg and bog communities. Read interpretive panels along the boardwalk to learn more.

Walk-In Site View

Enjoy this stunning view from one of the park’s walk-in sites. Campers who enjoy a more quiet, rustic experience will love these sites. Set-up a tent, eat a camp meal at the picnic table, cozy up to a campfire in the fire ring at night, and wake up to this beautiful view in the morning. The hike to the campsites is about 250 yards and vault toilets are available nearby.

Camper Cabin

Spend a night or two in this cozy camper cabin near the lake. This cabin sleeps six. A picnic table and fire ring (located just outside) provide the perfect spot to enjoy an evening campfire. A vault toilet is available nearby.

Lake View Near Cabin

A short path from Cabin 3 leads right down to the water and the cabin’s own private fishing hole! Campers using this cabin often dock their canoe or boat here during their stay.

Hayes Lake Dam

Hayes Lake officially became a state park in 1967. Both the lake and the park were named in honor of A. F. Hayes, an early settler of the land now included in the park. Nearby picnic tables provide an excellent place to soak in the scenery.

Historic Site/Monument

In the early 1900s, the first homestead was established in what is now the west portion of the park. The family graves of this first homesteader, Alva Hendershot, can be found along the trail starting to the northwest of the dam. Farther down the trail, past the grave sites, the remains of the original homestead and farm can be seen.

Park Office 

Visitors to Hayes Lake State Park will pass the park office where they can purchase a vehicle permit, register for camping, or ask questions about the local area. Located on the western perimeter of vast, sparsely populated wildlands within Beltrami Island State Forest, Hayes Lake State Park offers visitors recreation and access to hundreds of square miles of untamed land. Man-made Hayes Lake meets the forest edge for spectacular shoreline views.

Bemis Hill

Bemis Hill Campground is located within the Beltrami Island State Forest and managed by Hayes Lake State Park. The campground offers two campsites and four horse campsites, all of which are primitive. Drinking water and vault toilets are available seasonally. In winter, the campground offers an excellent sledding hill, a shelter, and access to snowmobile trails.