Split Rock Creek State Park

Split Rock Creek State Park is a natural area in Pipestone County that includes a lake, woodlands, and prairie grasslands along a creek. The park covers around 1,300 acres with Sioux quartzite rock formations that create the landscape visitors see when they walk through.

The park took its current shape in the 1930s when the Works Progress Administration built a dam from local quartzite stone. This project created a lake that opened up the area for recreation and allowed more people to visit and enjoy the land.

The park sits in land connected to the Dakota and other indigenous peoples who have long used this region. The rock formations and creek shape how visitors experience this place today and reflect its importance to local communities.

The park is located about 7 miles (11 kilometers) southwest of Pipestone and offers camping areas, trails for walking, fishing access, and swimming spots. Visitors arrive through the main entrance and can explore the different paths and activities from there.

The lake was shaped by three separate ice age periods that each left layers of sediment on the land. This makes it the largest body of water in the county and tells a story of the region's complex geological past.

Location: Pipestone County

Inception: 1937

Website: https://dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00267

GPS coordinates: 43.89780,-96.36420

Latest update: December 12, 2025 14:23