Fort Snelling State Park
Fort Snelling State Park is a state park in Dakota County, Fort Snelling, Saint Paul. It was established in 1961. 8 lakes with water-quality readings are within 15 miles of the park, including Snelling Lake, Gun Club Lake, Upper Lake.
Fort Snelling State Park State Park spans 724,265 acres in Minnesota — a designated recreation destination with the full set of facilities the state park system provides. 8 measured lakes are within easy reach of the park. Rogers Lake has the lowest nutrient and algae readings of the set.
State parks pair well with the lake pages: the park itself usually has interpretive signage explaining the local lake system, but the per-lake readings tell you which actual lake in the system to head to.
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Official Resources
Nearby Lakes (within 15 mi)
Lakes closest to Fort Snelling State Park, weighted by size. Click a lake for its water-quality readings, fish species, and depth.
| Lake | County | Surface Area | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snelling Lake | Hennepin | 103 acres | 0.5 mi |
| Gun Club Lake | Dakota | 103 acres | 1.1 mi |
| Upper Lake | Ramsey | 69 acres | 1.3 mi |
| Crosby Lake | Ramsey | 69 acres | 1.9 mi |
| Rogers Lake | Dakota | 102 acres | 2.2 mi |
| Augusta Lake | Dakota | - | 1.2 mi |
| Lemay Lake | Dakota | 36 acres | 2.1 mi |
| Nokomis Lake | Hennepin | 201 acres | 3.5 mi |
Other Parks in the Area
- Afton State Park— State Park, 19.4 mi
- Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area— State Recreation Area, 30 mi
- William O'Brien State Park— State Park, 30.6 mi
- Nerstrand Big Woods State Park— State Park, 37.5 mi
Where to stay near Fort Snelling State Park
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Top-rated places to stay near Fort Snelling State Park
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.