Lake Vermilion State Park

Coming Soon to the Area

Funding for a new State Park on Lake Vermilion was included in the budget agreement reached by the State Legislature and signed by Governor Pawlenty on May 18, 2008.

BREAKING NEWS ON THE LAKE VERMILION STATE PARK (courtesy of "The Timberjay", Tower)

The proposed Lake Vermilion State Park, an idea once-thought dead, has new life this week after Department of Natural Resources officials announced they have reached an agreement to pay $18 million for approximately 3,000 acres of land on Vermilion's eastern shore from US Steel. The park could be open for limited day use as early as mid-summer 2011. Construction of a fully-functional park will likely take three years or more, and cost $25-$30 million, according to DNR officials.

The deal must still pass muster with the Legislature, in part because the agreed-upon price may exceed the provisions approved by legislators two years ago when they authorized $20 million in bonding for park acquisition and development. But DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten said it isn't clear if the price exceeds legislative authority or not. In either case, he said the $18 million purchase price includes an additional 500 acres of land, located south of Hwy. 169, that was not a part of the original discussions.

MORE DETAILS WILL BE ADDED AS INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE

For additional information:  Minnesota DNR Lake Vermilion State Park information