Get Outdoors Friday With Free Access to State Parks

UNDATED (WJON News) -- Friday is the last of four "Free Park Days" in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources waives the vehicle parking fees to all 73 state parks and recreation areas to encourage friends and families to get outdoors and explore.

The DNR says late November offers a variety of outdoor recreation options, including hiking, biking, photography, fishing, and more. Bare trees also make it easier to see wildlife and for bird watching.

The DNR encourages everyone to plan ahead for their visit by checking visitor alerts, downloading the free Avenza app, and the park's GeoPDF map ahead of time. The app will track your location even without the internet or phone service.

Dress appropriately and check out the signs at the park entrance.

The first Free Park Day in 2026 will be on January 19th.

LOOK: Top pizza chains in the US

To help you find your next slice, Stacker examined PMQ Pizza Magazine's 2025 Pizza Power report to round up the 30 biggest pizza chains in the country based on annual sales in 2023. Some are classic fast-food franchises, customizable and deliverable to our doorsteps in less than 60 minutes; others are brick-and-mortar family joints.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

LOOK: Food history from the year you were born

From product innovations to major recalls, Stacker researched what happened in food history every year since 1921, according to news and government sources.

Gallery Credit: Joni Sweet