The St. Paul District operates 49 recreation areas, ranging from public landings along the Mississippi River to lock and dam visitor centers to full-service campgrounds in North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. These recreation areas are an important component of the region’s tourism industry, and the impact on the local and regional economies is significant. Recent data shows an estimated 8.7 million visitors used district recreational sites each year and spend approximately $239 million, of which $165 million was captured in the local economy, generating $235 million in total sales and supporting an estimated 3,060 jobs.
The St. Paul District recreation and natural resource management program mission is focused on providing quality, public outdoor recreation experiences to serve the needs of present and future generations while being consistent with ecosystem management principles. To learn more about recreational opportunities at Corps of Engineers lakes throughout the nation, visit the CorpsLakes website.
As a steward of public lands, the St. Paul District has a special responsibility to assure resource accessibility for today and tomorrow while providing high-quality outdoor recreational opportunities for everyone. The St. Paul District manages approximately 28,500 acres of fee title land above the summer water levels and more than 447,000 water surface acres. From fishing to camping, hiking and boating, the St. Paul District has a wide variety of recreational opportunities available for the public.
Virtual tours of the headwaters recreation areas: https://corpslakes.erdc.dren.mil/visitors/virtual/headwaters/tour.html