Lake Bronson State Park

About Lake Bronson State Park

From the observation tower in the park, you can admire the prairie, aspen and oak forests and observe Lake Bronson, the southern arm of the two rivers that fill Lake Bronson.

The lake, which is actually a reservoir, offers a wide range of recreational activities, offering visitors the opportunity to swim, ski, snowmobile, canoe, kayak and hike. Those who prefer a prairie experience can camp at one of the campsites in the prairie. The park, home to Lake Bronson State Park, the largest of its kind in North Dakota, offers visitors a variety of outdoor activities.

Lake Bronson is one of the few large bodies of water in the area and offers visitors the opportunity to swim, ski, snowmobile, canoe, kayak and hike, as well as camp at the campsites.

Over a thousand years ago, Lake Agassiz stretched across the northwestern corner of the state, reaching as far as North Dakota and Canada. In winter, snowmobiles, skiers and hikers enjoy a variety of different vegetation and terrain for running, skiing, canoeing, kayaking and swimming in the lake. Lake Bronson State Park, the largest body of water in the United States, was created when glacier ice blocked the drains to the north.

When the ice blockade in the north melted, Lake Agassiz began to recede, creating the gravel ridges. The ancient McCauleyville Beach Ridge, which crosses the park, was created during the last phase of the lake's retreat from Minnesota. The streams in the area are quiet in summer when they flow along the former rim where rapids can exist, but the landscape of Lake Bronson State Park is created by the forces of a glacial lake.

Over time, eroded notches have formed along the ridges of the beach, and one notch has served as a dam to support the lake.

The park has developed well in recent years, with roe deer and capercaillie being the most common, but you can see them all on walks.

The fact that the city of Bronson has since renamed it Lake Bronson is testament to the important role that Lake Park has played in local history. When the region was on the lake, a drought in the 1930s caused the area's wells to dry up. Because a layer of salt prevented the deeper wells from sinking, it was thought that the only solution for the future would be to dam South Fork Two and create a sizeable artificial lake.

The dams were then transferred to the state of Minnesota and the area became Two Rivers State Park in 1937. In 1945, the park was renamed Lake Bronson State Park and water observation towers, beaches and bathhouses were built next.

The park is located on the west side of Lake Bronson, south of the city of St. Paul, and is accessible from County Highway 28.