frontenac state park

this park has a lot going for it. nice picnic area with bluff and river views. there's a covered shelter in case of bad weather. good selection of hiking trails that offer varying degrees of difficulty and views. take note: the trail that goes below the picnic area along the bluff to the river has some steeper ascents(or descents depending on which way you go). especially near the In-Yan-Teopa rock. they are also not well marked, but that may be because somebody removed some of the signage. the other trails that go out to the prairie land and into the pine forest are much easier. I think they also have the better views as you can see down south along the river and the bluffs and farmland. very picturesque. a nice place to spend a day.

Frontenac State Park is a really great park with some nice views of Lake Pepin and the Wisconsin Bluffs. The hiking out here is quite demanding with lots of hills and stairs. The picnic areas have amazing views and a nice breeze. Worth coming out for the day and spending it relaxing or exploring this beautiful park.

We spent the morning at this park. The views of Lake Pepin were better than any of the other spots we viewed the lake. We chose to hike the challenging lower trail from the picnic spot to the rock and then took the upper trail (much easier) back. The lower trail was not marked very well and led us to a dead end at the lake several times. But we are glad we experienced the lower trail. We saw several turkeys on this trail. The upper trail that is partially paved, will get you to the rock and there are several other places to stop and get a great view of the lake and maybe a few eagles soaring above the lake. The bathroom facilities were clean. We didn't use the picnic area but it was clean and looked like a great spot. Admission to the park was only $5. The views and the hike are well worth the price.

We spent some time hiking at the park. It was delightful. A nice breeze kept most mosquitoes away. There are beautiful views of the Mississippi from the trails.

Frontenac State Park is an excellent day drip from Minneapolis. Although it’s what I would call a “smaller” state park, it offers hikers many habitats to enjoy, including river bluffs, prairie, forest, and floodplain woods. Hiking trails offer a variety of ease/difficulty: from the paved path from the picnic area to the campground, to prairie walks, to wooded trails of various difficulty (and stairs) along the river bluffs. Birding is exceptional - so bring your binoculars and/or your camera. Views of the Mississippi River (aka Lake Pepin in this area) are just stunning, especially from the Point-No-Point picnic area. Pro tip: when traveling from the Twin Cities, travel WI-35, a segment of the Great River Road/Scenic Byway, from Prescott, Wisconsin (where you can visit the Great River Road Visitor Center), then proceeded south via to US-63 across the river back to Red Wing. This was a scenic driving route, and highly recommended. If the park's Sand Point trail isn’t flooded and is open, be sure to check that out as well - it includes a unique boardwalk trail through floodplain forest. For that you’ll need to drive down and park at the Fort Beauharnois historical marker area and proceed from there.

We went to this park on our way out of town to grab a geocache. What we found were beautiful delta views. We saw some pretty awesome birds, including a beautiful eagle circling overhead. The trails were clean and not too difficult, and we didn't have to drive on any gravel roads, which is always a plus when visiting a park.

Frontenac is a beautiful park with easy trails with great views or more difficult longer trails. We took the trail on the side of the bluff that descended several hundred feet, went through forest, and went right by In Yan Teopa Rock (an interesting formation).

About an 80 minute leasurely drive south on Hwy 61 from Saint Paul, MN takes you through the historic river towns of Hastings and Red Wing. Shortly thereafter you will see a sign to the left for Frontenac State Park as you enter the small hamlet of Frontenac. Up the winding road you enter the park which is built on the bluffs overlooking Lake Pepin (part of the Mississippi River). If you are a birder then you want to come and camp over the peak migrations in May and then in the fall. Otherwise anytime during the year you will be standing at the level of the gliding bald eagles that are picking up the updrafts from the bluffs.The camping sites are very clean with hot water showers and drinking water. There are a handful of electric RV sites.Going out of the park then go the other way on County 2 and you will find yourself traveling through antebellum homes built the end of the 1890s. Leaving these the Villa Maria Retreat center is to your right. Keep going and you will find yourself back on Hwy 61. Go south and enjoy the lake view from Lake City.Enjoy!

During a recent visit to Minnesota I had the opportunity to hike for a good part of a day at Frontenac with a friend of mine. We brought a picnic lunch and hiked the path along the river, stopping along the way to enjoy the views of the river. What a nice hike! It wasn't a particularly long trail but with enough ups and downs to make it interesting. We saw several deer which was a nice surprise! After finishing the river trail, we hiked along some of the meadow paths - nice and peaceful! My only complaint about the park is that the signage and the map could have been a bit clearer. We did the same trail twice in the meadow without realizing it!

We just spent the weekend in Cart-in campsite #4.It was a neat, memorable experience!The carts are provided at the lot across the street where you park.It is 1/4 of a mile up and down a hill to the sites. Not for the couch potato!Site #6 is the best and most private, but not reservable.Site #1 is closest to the pit toilet and the least private.We loved the view from the Point No Point picnic area.Most of the trails in the park were grass cross country ski trails.There is a paved trail from the big campground to the picnic area that is about one mile long. The trails going down the bluff to the water were dirt and rock with wood stairs at some places.This park feels remote and peaceful.We also liked that it was close enough to Red Wing in case it rained and we wanted to shop.(I rated the park 3 stars as we saw it all and I don't feel like I would need to go back.)

We chose to stay at the Frontenac State Park for the night because it was cheaper than staying in a hotel. The park was very quite and they were not a lot of people. We hiked the trail to Lake Pepin and it was a very easy walk. All the trails were decently marked and the staff was very nice. We would stay a night again .

Well worth the $5 day pass, great place for a picnic. The view is fantastic!