Sakatah Lake State Park

Just an hour's drive from the Twin Cities is a wooded, 842-acre park that will set any adventurous pup's tail a-wagging! Nestled on the shores of the Upper and Lower Sakatah Lakes, Sakatah Lake State Park is the pawfect destination for an outdoor day trip with your doggo

A treat to explore in any season, Sakatah Lake State Park is teeming with recreational opportunities that both human and canine visitors can enjoy. One of the most pawpular features at the park is the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail, a 39-mile, paved rail trail that stretches from Mankato to Faribault. A 3-mile segment passes through the park, winding through mostly deciduous trees that provide ample shade and beautiful colors during the fall.

Other trails that you and your furry friend can explore include the scenic, 2.2-mile Hiking Club Trail, which will bring you through old growth oaks and over rolling hills, and the .75-mile Big Woods Loop, which will have you strolling under a canopy of tall, mature Big Woods trees. If you and Fido don't mind a challenge, hit the 1-mile Wahpekute Trail, where you'll find puptacular lake views from overlooks and rocky lakeshores. Remember to bring enough water and clean-up bags, and keep them on a 6-foot leash at all times.

After all that exploring, take a break at one of the many shady picnic sites located throughout the park. For lunch with a view of the water, head to the picnic area by the lake. As you and Fido munch on your food, you might spot or hear cedar waxwings, blue jays, or black-capped chickadees from the trees above.

Sakatah Lake State Park offers a campground with 62 drive-in sites from April through late October if you'd like to extend your adventure. In case you need to get anything, convenience stores and restaurants are only 2 miles away in the city of Waterville.

For an unfurgettable experience with your pup, head on over to Sakatah Lake State Park!