A Weekend at Glacial Lakes State Park: Sharing a Favorite Place with My Favorite Person
A Weekend at Glacial Lakes State Park: Sharing a Favorite Place with My Favorite Person
There are some places that just feel like home the moment your boots hit the trail, and for me, Glacial Lakes State Park is one of them. Nestled in the rolling hills of west-central Minnesota, it’s a hidden gem among the state parks, quiet, scenic, and packed with natural beauty. A couple weekends ago, I had the joy of sharing it with my kiddo for the first time, and it made an already special place even more meaningful.
Our Home Base: A Camper Cabin in the Woods
We stayed in one of the park’s camper cabins, which are a fantastic option if you want a rustic experience without needing to pitch a tent. For those unfamiliar, camper cabins are one-room wooden shelters with bunk beds, a table, benches, and electricity. Think of it as a cross between a cabin and a glorified tent. You still bring your own sleeping bags, and there's no running water inside, but you get a roof over your head, lights, and heat if it gets chilly. Ours was tucked away in a secluded spot, just a short walk from Signalness Lake and close to my favorite hiking trail in the park.
Camper Cabin - Glacial Lakes State Park
The Hiking Club Trail & High Peak Trail: Views Worth Every Step
One of the best ways to experience the park is by hiking the Hiking Club Trail, a 3.5-mile loop that winds through prairies, wetlands, and woodlands. It’s part of the Minnesota State Parks Hiking Club program and gives you a great taste of the landscape’s glacial past. The trail leads you to the start of the High Peak Trail, which branches off and takes you to the highest point in the park.
Hiking Club Trail
The High Peak Trail itself isn’t long, but it does climb steadily to a summit that sits at 1,400 feet above sea level; one of the higher elevations in the region. From the top, you’re rewarded with sweeping views of the surrounding hills and lakes. It’s one of those vistas that makes you stop, breathe deep, and feel a little bit smaller in the best possible way.
Lake Life: Beach Days, Paddle Adventures, and Fierce Turtles
At the park, we took full advantage of Signalness Lake. It has a charming little swimming beach, perfect for cooling off in the summer sun. You can also rent canoes or kayaks from the park office or try your hand at fishing from one of the designated fishing piers scattered around the shoreline. We didn’t do any fishing ourselves, but we did spend time hanging out on one of the piers and that’s when we spotted four monstrous turtles gliding just beneath the surface.
These turtles looked like they had been around for decades. Moss-covered shells, ragged claws, and ancient faces gave them a prehistoric vibe, fierce, weathered, and oddly majestic. We couldn’t take our eyes off them.
When the Air Turns Hazy
Part of our weekend came with a challenge: hazy, smoke-filled skies from Canadian wildfires. The air quality wasn’t great, and there were times when being outside just didn’t feel good. But we made the most of it. We hunkered down in our cozy little cabin, played board games and card games, laughed until we cried, and listened to music as the world softened around us. It turned out to be a different kind of memory, slower, quieter, but still really special.
Campfire Cooking: Pudge Pies & S’mores
No camping trip is complete without a fire, and we made the most of ours. We cooked up pudge pies—those delightful little sandwiches made in a pie iron over the flames. Our go-to is pizza pudge pies (pizza sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni between buttered bread) and for dessert, cherry pie pudge pies with pie filling and graham crackers. Crispy, gooey, and oh-so-satisfying.
And of course, we roasted marshmallows for s’mores. There’s a bit of a debate about how to toast a marshmallow, but let’s be honest, are you even into s’mores if you don’t like your marshmallows charred to a crisp? I want that thing on fire before I squish it between chocolate and graham cracker.
Sunset on the Dock
Another unforgettable moment was watching the sunset from a small dock on the lake near our cabin. As the day wound down, we made our way to the water’s edge and sat quietly, letting the evening settle around us. The sunlight danced across the lake, shimmering like a thousand tiny mirrors, and everything felt calm. The only sounds were the gentle lapping of water and the occasional whisper of wind through the reeds. It was peaceful and grounding in a way that’s hard to find in everyday life.
Lake Signalness - Glacial Lakes State Park
Final Thoughts
There’s something incredibly grounding about spending a weekend surrounded by nature, especially when it’s a place you already love. Glacial Lakes State Park is one of Minnesota’s best-kept secrets and sharing it with my kiddo this time around made it even better. From high trails to lakeside evenings and marshmallow battles by the fire, it was the kind of weekend that reminds you what matters most.
If you haven’t been, go. Book a cabin or campsite, pack your pudge pie fixings, and keep your eyes peeled for ancient turtles. You just might fall in love with the park like we did.
Let's keep rambling.
- Kelly