County Parks

Physical Address: 53100 State Hwy. 62, Dundee, MN 56131

Amenities: 

• 64 camping sites with water and electricity (18 daily rentals)
• 13 tenting areas available (No reservation needed, first come/first serve)
• Shelter house (No reservation needed, first come/first serve)
• Wood and ice
• Picnic tables and grills
• Bathrooms with shower facilities
• Swimming area with sandy beach (unsupervised)
• Playground area
• Sand volleyball
• Basketball court
• Horseshoes
• Camper dump station at main bathrooms
• Fish cleaning facility 
• Coin operated washer and dryer

The park is open from May 1st to October 31st with a shorter bathhouse season.  

History: 

In January of 1957, the Dundee Rod and Gun Club founded Talcot Lake County Park. In May of 1976, the land was released to Cottonwood County for development and maintenance under the direction of the DNR. In 1974, Cottonwood County Park purchased 30 adjacent acres through the LAWCON grant (this land currently serves as the campground). $40,000 was used for roads, picnic facilities, comfort stations, and camping areas.

In 1985, the State-owned land was separated from the 30 acres. The State's property is used from day-use activities and public access to Talcot Lake. The County-owned land serves as a camping and swimming area. LAWCON provided a grant for an additional $25,000 in 1985 for development of a dump station, well water system, landscaping, camping pads, and improved roadway.

For additional history about Talcot Park click HERE

Campground Map: 

• • Sites in red indicate seasonal rentals.
  • Sites in white indicate daily rentals.

Address: 27761 County Road 6, Westbrook, MN 56183

Amenities: Shelter house, primitive bathroom, water pump, water hook-ups, and 50 AMP electrical hook-ups for $20.00 per night. No reservations required (envelopes provided at entrance of park).

*Remember that the park is open from May 1-October 31. Hunting is not allowed.

History: 

South Dutch Charley offers a variety of landscapes within 24 acres - the entrance leads to flat grounds that turn into slight slopes at three percent to intense slopes at fifty-three percent. The creek enters the park area from the west and meanders almost three thousand feet through the southwestern and northern portions of the park. This aesthetically pleasing park hosts an important historical presence because it was the home of Charley Zierke, also known as Dutch Charley.  Zierke was the first settler of Cottonwood County. 

The park was purchased in 1968 and 1972 with the assistance of a LAWCON grant. Just over twenty-six thousand was used to develop a primitive camping area with a picnic shelter, tables, a roadway, parking, underground electric, pit toilets, playground equipment, & signage.

Physical Address: Nine miles west of Windom, MN on Highway 62 then north on 390th Avenue.

Amenities: Primitive Only

*Remember that the park is open from May 1-October 31 from sunrise until 10:00 pm. Hunting is not allowed.

History:

This 80 acre park is located at the junction of the Des Moines River and the Heron Lake Outlet. Cottonwood County purchases this area in 1982 with assistance of the LAWCON state fund amounting in seventy-five thousand dollars. The park offers great areas for hiking, nature interpretation, canoeing, and picnicking. 

Pat's Grove provided one of the region's first caucasian inhabitants, Pat Conlin. Conlin built a stone house in 1878 out of the remains of a half-built flourmill. The walls are more than a foot thick and it stands twenty feet tall. The family made their dwelling here until 1936. The park once held two log cabins built by Conlin as well. Today, only the stone house remains, which was restored in 2019.
At this time, the plan is to leave Pat's Grove as primitive as possible which will allow access and exploration of the natural habitat for birds, plants, and wildlife. 

Physical Address: 48771 250th Street, Sanborn, MN 56083

Amenities: Primitive Bathrooms & Shelter House

* Remember that the park is open from May 1-October 31 from sunrise until 10:00 pm.

History: 

Red Rock Falls offers a unique, natural, and beautiful scene. Exposed bedrock attracts tourists and geologists alike. A steady flow of water moves over the rocks leading to a thirty-foot waterfall which is a huge contribution to the aesthetic quality of this area. This Cottonwood County Park was purchased using grant dollars from LAWCON in 1968 and 1972. Twenty-five thousand was used for the construction of a parking lot, pit toilets, walking pathways, a shelterhouse with fireplace, and signage. The Minnesota Historical Site known as the Jeffers Petroglyphs is only four miles from Red Rock Falls. 

Very little development has happened since the original projects in 1972. We look forward to additional landscaping and general grooming of the natural areas to enhance the present beauty. 

Location: North of Jeffers, MN about 4 miles on County Road 4

Amenities: Primitive only

*Please note that the Parks are open from Sunrise until 10:00 pm May 1-October 31.

History:

The Schoper-Bush Reservoir, a floodwater retention structure, was built in 1986 through the joint efforts of Cottonwood County and the Soil & Water Conservation District. The reservoir was built to control crossover land flooding, the normal depth of the water is estimated at 19.8 feet and is estimated to cover 13 acres at normal level. Maintenance includes mowing the area for public access.

Physical Address: 59501 390th Street, Mountain Lake, Minnesota 56159

Amenities: Primitive bathrooms & Shelter house

*Remember that the park is open from May 1-October 31 from sunrise until 10:00 pm.

History:

Mountain Park was purchased in November of 1976. Major development of Mountain Park took place in 1979 with the assistance of LAWCON funding. Thirty-one thousand was used to build roads, toilets, trails, a picnic shelter, entry signage, and a well. Mountain Park not only offers a beautiful area for picnicking and family reunions, but it has also been placed on the National Register of Historic Sites as a result of the 1976 Archaeological Survey.
Artifacts and cultural data from inhabitants dating back to 500 BC were found in the survey, making this park the site of the oldest human dwelling ever found in the State of Minnesota. The results from this discovery are on display at the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul. 

We hope to increase access to the island top of Mountain Park, due to its placement on the National Register of Historic Sites. The top supports a primitive, natural setting which is a superior habitat for wildlife and birds alike. With that, we hope to also add informational signage explaining the history of the area and identifying specific trees, grasses, and birds found in the park. 

For more history about Mountain Park click HERE