I love this place, a modern playground, on the water, next to a nice little swimming beach, just…read moredown the path from a boat rental shop, all on a point on the lake. They had a huge wind storm this summer that walloped down a lot of trees, including one that unfortunately fell on a very stylish wood picnic shelter, but this didn't diminish the park much.

Located directly adjacent to the campus of Bemidji State University (basically as far east as you…read morecan go of the stadium), I spent some time at Diamond Point Park on a recent visit to the area. Categorically speaking: Location: 5 out of 5 I imagine that if I were a student at BSU, this would be a great place to host some picnics or events. It's close to the campus and there's lots of free parking on premises. Amenities: 4 out of 5 This city park was really nice - there were some recent storms that had damaged one of the gazebo/pavilion type structures, but I imagine that once that debris is cleared away, it would be quite pleasant to host a covered picnic there. There are clean restroom facilities onsite, and several more uncovered picnic table areas in addition to the gazebo/pavilion area that I think is available to rent. Vending machines are available, as is a little facility on the water that rents out paddleboards and bikes. There is a swimming area (no lifeguards though), and some modern playground structures that looked like they were getting good use. There's a main building by the entrance, but I'm not entirely certain what's in there since I didn't go up that way. There are lots of chairs and benches by the waterfront, and once you settle into one of them - it'll be hard to get up and leave. I recall most of the walking trail along the waterfront to be paved, but there might be one section towards the "tip" of the diamond where it's gravel. Lots of open grassy areas exist, so families wanting to play whiffleball, soccer, etc. should be fine. They have horseshoe pits set up with the stakes, which was a nice touch. Scenery: 4 out of 5 The park itself is beautiful, and surrounded by Lake Bemidji - made for a very picturesque setting. It won't blow you away like, "Wow, this is totally awesome!" but again - it is very pretty. When you look out across the park and see people paddleboarding on the water, it's a fun sight. . Overall: 4 out of 5 Great location and great amenities should provide you and your family with full days of fun. This would be my "go to" park if I lived or went to school in the area.

The bog trail is a must. It's such an interesting ecosystem. I loved the many colorful flowers we…read moresaw along the way. It's so well maintained with a boardwalk to keep you and the environment safe. We then walked the old logging trail. A wide trail with mostly trees to see. While it's the 'old' logging trail, it seemed a number of trees along the way were being cleared out. Perhaps the aftermath of last year's storm? Lots of campers in this park. It was quite busy. No issues with parking and we only ran into 3 people while hiking our 3.6 miles.

Gorgeous in October, the leaves are spectacular!!. Great trails to walk and run on. The beach is…read moreSandy and beautiful. A go to spot when in Bemidji!

100' doesn't seem that bad until you climb it and you get above the trees and the wind starts to…read morehit you. It is a nice tower and I've been to the top a couple times but I can tell I'm getting older and this time it seemed way scarier!!! But I made it to the top and survived to tell about it!! Lol

Ok if you are afraid of heights then do not recommend, but if you want something to do then this is…read morejust right for you and the family, when you are done go to the visitor center and get your certificate card

This is a very interesting nature center. They have several hiking trails in beautiful forests…read more They have a nice visitor center with a gift shop. There is a bunkhouse for youth camps. They do a lot of educational events. Busses of kids are coming and going every day education of nature and wildlife.

First time visiting this park as we are on a quest to visit all MN State Parks…read more We pulled into the visitor center parking lot and experienced a torrential downpour with hail. We waited out the storm for 20-30 min then headed inside. The visitor center is very cabin-y. Nice and cozy with lots of display and educational opportunities. Bathrooms were spacious and clean. I bought some postcards in the gift shop and the person working there was so helpful with walking us through trails and maps. We walked the Ozawindib and Landmark trails plus, of course, seeing the Mississippi headwaters. The trails were in great shape, especially given the amount of rain that had just fallen. We were nearly alone on the two trails. The headwaters were was busy. There were two areas where a tree had fallen across the trail but we still could get around it. Keep in mind, the Wilderness Drive is one way on the West side which means you may have to go around the whole park again depending on your destination. We also had a bowl of chicken wild rice soup for lunch in the cafe at the north entrance. It was quite good.

A classic state park and must see!! Loved being at the headwaters of the Mississippi…read more The fire tower is one of the biggest attractions but the line gets pretty long. We waited for an hour around 4pm since only six people can go up at a time. And I didn't even make it to the top because it was absolutely terrifying. I saw a lady take her dog up there and honestly props to her. Even on a fall weekend, there were a ton of sites available. I'm definitely coming back!!

The Lion's Park is home to the world's largest turkey. They have a festival every year in July.read more

My family and I stopped by this park while on vacation in the area in March 2024. We were thrilled…read moreto see there are hiking trails as well as the fire tower, plus there are a lot of interesting things to read about the tower history and fire history in the area. The whole park is nice - clean, well kept, both paved trails and gravel lined trails, well-built steps, and quality railings where steps are located. There is a paved trail that goes to the tower, as well as an unpaved trail that is a good uphill climb. The tower looks neat, and we would have loved to climb it, but it was closed. There is a big fence with a locked door around it. This was a bummer for me - the websites that I found describing the park had said that the park was open year-round, which I (wrongly) thought included the tower. I do understand - it is an unseasonably warm winter, and most people aren't going hiking or climbing giant towers in March. I was just disappointed. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our time there - both the hiking and learning about fire safety in the area.