Fort Snelling State Park
| Fort Snelling State Park | |
| Minnesota State Park | |
 Thomas C. Savage Interpretive Center
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| Named for: Fort Snelling | |
| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Minnesota |
| Counties | Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey |
| Location | St. Paul |
| - elevation | 699 ft (213 m) |
| - coordinates | 44°53′09″N 93°10′41″W / 44.88583°N 93.17806°WCoordinates: 44°53′09″N 93°10′41″W / 44.88583°N 93.17806°W |
| Area | 2,931 acres (1,186 ha) |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Management | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
| Part of | Mississippi National River and Recreation Area |
  Location of Fort Snelling State Park in Minnesota
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Fort Snelling State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. Its most notable feature is the historic Fort Snelling, which dates from 1820. The fort itself is operated by the Minnesota Historical Society and requires a separate entrance fee. The bulk of the state park preserves the bottomland forest, rivers, and backwater lakes below the river bluffs. The park was opened in 1962. Both the State Park and Historic Fort are part of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a National Park Service site.
As of 2005, the park hosts 400,000 visitors annually and contains the restored fort, a visitor center, 18 miles (29 km) of cross-country skiing trails, 18 miles (29 km) of hiking trails, and 5 miles (8.0 km) of biking trails. These trails connect the park to the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Minnehaha Park, and regional trail systems like the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway and the Big Rivers Regional Trail. Minnesota State Highway 55 crosses over the park on the Mendota Bridge, and many jets taking off and landing at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport fly directly over the park.
Today the bottomlands of the river confluence boast a floodplain forest of cottonwood, silver maple, green ash, wood nettle, jewelweed, and willow. There are also marshes, backwater lakes, and wet meadows. Abundant wildlife includes white-tailed deer, fox, woodchuck, badger, skunk, turkey, and coyote. Reptiles include the snapping turtle, painted turtle, soft-shelled turtle, and the non-venomous western fox snake. In 1864 a railroad was built through the area, connecting St. Paul with the riverboat landing.
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