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Boreal Community Media

New payment options available at Minnesota state parks, recreation areas, forest campgrounds

Mar 31, 2023 08:47AM ● By Content Editor
Photo: Josh Hild

From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - March 31, 2023

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is modernizing payment options in state parks, recreation areas and forest campgrounds by discontinuing the use of on-site self-payment collection boxes and expanding electronic payment options. This includes deploying an app for mobile devices called Yodel.

Yodel is currently available for some transactions in state parks, recreations areas and forest campgrounds. For information about Yodel, and a guide to the full suite of payment options available, visit the Parks and Trails payment options page (mndnr.gov/state_parks/payment-options.html). Products available to purchase via Yodel will expand throughout the summer camping season. Yodel is an addition to current payment options, which include in-person transactions at park offices and the online reservation system (mndnr.gov/reservations).

The DNR is modernizing payment systems to reduce risk of theft of payment envelopes collected on site, improve data security and improve safety of visitors and DNR staff.

Campsites in state forest campgrounds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Campgrounds in state forests do not have staffed offices. Visitors should follow instructions on signs in campgrounds to pay camping fees via Yodel, or by mailing in the fees if payment via Yodel is not possible. As always, vehicle permits are not required for visitors to state forest campgrounds.

For more information, visit the DNR’s Parks and Trails payment options page (mndnr.gov/state_parks/payment-options.html) or contact the DNR Information Center by emailing [email protected] or by calling 888-646-6367 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

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