Free Minnesota State Park Passes Can Be Checked Out At The Ramsey County Library, White Bear Lake

Minnesota state parks and the White Bear Lake library have teamed up to encourage more people to get outdoors. The library shelves are now stocked with 10 “Parks Rx” kits. Each kit contains a pass that provides free entry for seven days to any of Minnesota’s 75 state parks and recreation areas.

The kits are made possible through a grant from the Greater White Bear Lake Community Foundation in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Ramsey County Library and BearPower, a community-wide movement helping White Bear Lake area families eat well and be active.

“The benefits of spending time outdoors are clear,” said Erika Rivers, director of Minnesota State Parks and Trails at the DNR, “so we hope that this effort will entice new people to visit Minnesota state parks and trails.”

Along with the free park pass (which would sell for $7/day), each Parks Rx kit includes three books:

• Minnesota State Parks by Anne Arthur
• Vitamin N by Richard Louv
• 60 Hikes within 60 Miles – Minneapolis and St Paul by Tom Watson

“Parks Rx is a growing movement to encourage people to get outdoors and into nature,” said Therese Sonnek, manager of the White Bear Lake library. “Libraries can play an active role in the movement by providing families with helpful resources – in this case not just books but also a park pass.”

The kits can be checked out on a first-come, first-served basis only. They cannot be requested or renewed.

The White Bear Lake library is located at 2150 2nd Street, White Bear Lake. It is open10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday, 1 p.m. -8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; closed Sundays.

For more information, call the library, 651-724-6007, or the DNR Information Center, 651-296-6157.