Hi friends! Today I’m sharing the last stop on this trip, Myre-Big Island State Park. My time here was spent differently than I anticipated due to weather, but it was a cool place to see.
Myre-Big Island State Park Information
Myre-Big Island State Park is located in Albert Lea, MN and has so much to offer that you’d be hard pressed not to find something to enjoy. The terrain is made up of wet lowlands, oak savanna, and grasslands. Something fun here is Big Island, which is 116 acres and covered in maple and basswood forest.
Activities
If you’re looking to hike, there’s 16 miles to explore with 8.25 being self-guided and 0.5 being accessible. Want to bike? There’s 6 miles of paved trail and 7 miles of unpaved trail. Looking to spend time on the water? You can visit the nearby swimming beach, use the public access to boat, and fish.
During the winter months, you can snowmobile on 7 miles of trails. These trails connect to other nearby trails. Snowshoeing is allowed throughout the park as long as you stay off the groomed trails.
Looking for wildlife? Since there is a diverse habitat here, you can find a variety of animals including: white-tailed deer, raccoon, foxes, muskrat, opossum, squirrels, several species of bats and snakes, and a variety of reptiles. It’s also a good place for birding, so bring your checklist!
Camping here? There’s 93 sites–32 of them being electrical and 1 accessible, 4 backpack sites, 1 camper cabins, as well as 1 group center and 1 group camp site that can accommodate up to 50 people each.
Other offerings
The park also offers a ranger station, naturalist program, picnic area, picnic shelter, boat access, boat dock, gift shop, rentals, ice and firewood sales. Groceries are available within 3-5 miles of the park.
All of this info came from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website, so credit where credit is due. Click here to view the original source.
Accessibility of Myre-Big Island State Park
Parking
There is a parking lot available near the trailhead.
Bathrooms
There are flush toilets in the picnic area and group centers. The website says they are accessible.
Vault toilets are located throughout the park, with two being accessible. I didn’t see them myself, so I can’t say where they are.
Getting to the trail
Follow the road from the park office and you’ll get there. It’s on the island.
Myre-Big Island State Park Trail Information
I planned on doing the Big Island Loop while I was here, but the weather didn’t cooperate. I drove around and checked out the sights instead. That being said, the trail is 1.4 miles in length with 22 feet of elevation. Reviewers said that the trail is wheelchair and stroller friendly since it’s packed dirt for the most part. Some warnings say that it can be muddy and there’s down trees to navigate, so the accessibility could depend on current conditions and your abilities at the time of your visit.
I wish I could share more of my experience, but the thunderstorms got me adapting and changing plans.
My rating
I can’t give a place on my rating scale for this one, since I didn’t get to do it. I will definitely update this in the future if I go back and try it again.
Have you been to Myre-Big Island State Park? Want to go? Comment below. I’d love to hear from you.
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Be safe out there! REMEMBER YOUR MAPS AND PASSPORT STAMPS!! Seeyalaterbye <3
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