DNR updates to campsite, lodging policies to take effect Dec. 1

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has updated its camping and lodging reservation policies, starting Dec. 1.

According to the DNR’s update Thursday, visitors who cancel 14 or more days prior to their scheduled visit won’t have to pay cancellation fees. The DNR states asking for more advance notice within their cancellation policy will also help rebook those sites for other potential visitors, particularly as attendance at Minnesota’s state parks and recreation areas has increased.

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The DNR is also updating its reservation policy to prohibit "date sliding," which happened when visitors would reserve a specific campsite by making use of a loophole in the policy. Now, visitors who make reservations at the maximum reservation window, which is 120 days in advance of the arrival day, will have to wait 21 days before modifying or canceling their reservation.

“We want to ensure that campsites and lodging are open and available to each person equitably, and that if your plans change you can easily cancel so the DNR can make that opportunity available to one of your fellow Minnesotans," Erika Rivers, DNR parks and trails division director, said in a statement.

Learn more about the DNR’s camping and lodging policies here.