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State park in Cook County
Hunting on Cascade River State Park in 2026-27
State park hunting in Cook County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Chad Davis. (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Cascade River State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Cascade River State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Deer Yard TrailheadTrailhead · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 3.7 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
The record behind Cascade River State Park, summed up
The mapped area of Cascade River State Park is 2,595 acres, in Cook County. Cook County has 3 state parks on our list; this one is the 2nd largest. Deer rules come from DPA 126, a bucks only area in 2026.
The land manager is Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Hunting is limited to the DNR special hunt dates and hunt-map areas; the rest of the year the park is closed to hunting.
Species named: deer.
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Cascade River State Park
Cascade River State Park regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Cascade River State Park; they come from the agency page.
| Item | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Hunting | Hunt dates only |
| Hunt areas | Hunt map only |
| Ammunition | Lead-free required |
| LIMITED hunts | Visitors share the park |
Sources: record; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Cascade River State Park special hunts
Cascade River State Park has 1 DNR special hunt for 2026-27; permit hunts are drawn through the DNR lottery.
| No. | Hunt type | Permits | Dates | Bag limit | Sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900 | Adult firearm, permit required | 30 | Nov 7-22, 2026 | 1 | Either-Sex |
| Hunt | Begins | Ends | Park open? | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | LIMITED | Map |
DNR special deer hunts and DNR state park hunts; checked October 28, 2026. Special hunts and lotteries.
DPA 126 dates for Cascade River State Park
For 2026, DNR made DPA 126 bucks only; its firearms deer season is the 100-series window. DPA 126 is bucks only this year, so plan on a buck or nothing.
| Deer season | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Youth deer | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Firearms, 100 series | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 |
No mandatory CWD sampling in DPA 126; testing is optional. DPA 126 takes in 978 square miles. Part of Cook and Lake falls in DPA 126.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Cascade River State Park
The closest other public land to Cascade River State Park is Jonvik WMA, 1.0 mi to the northwest; the table lists 8 neighbors with 6,858 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonvik WMA | WMA | 956 | 126 | 1.0 mi | northwest |
| Northern White Cedar WMA | WMA | 77 | 126 | 4.0 mi | southwest |
| Caribou Lake RGMA | RGMA | 1,268 | 126 | 5.6 mi | northwest |
| Lutsen SNA | SNA | 713 | 126 | 6.9 mi | west |
| Wills Lake RGMA | RGMA | 914 | 126 | 9.3 mi | northwest |
| Devil Track GMA | RGMA | 917 | 126 | 9.3 mi | northeast |
| Pendant Lake RGMA | RGMA | 479 | 126 | 11 mi | northeast |
| Dale Honer RGMA | RGMA | 1,535 | 126 | 12 mi | north |
Points: DNR state parks management units layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Cascade River State Park
The town nearest Cascade River State Park is Lutsen at 6.7 mi. Silver Bay (1,776 in 2024) is the largest of these towns. Two Harbors Area Wildlife Office (Two Harbors) is the closest DNR office, 69 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lutsen | Cook | – | 6.7 mi | west |
| Grand Marais | Cook | 1,306 | 11 mi | northeast |
| Finland | Lake | – | 38 mi | southwest |
| Silver Bay | Lake | 1,776 | 44 mi | southwest |
| Beaver Bay | Lake | 122 | 47 mi | southwest |
Towns from the 2024 Census gazetteer and population estimates; offices and businesses from services.json (DNR and business listings, chain stores and license agents left out); straight-line miles. Checked October 28, 2026.
Cascade River State Park area deer harvest by year
DPA 126 totals, which include all the land around Cascade River State Park: 117 deer in 2025 against 85 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 113 | 4 | 117 | 0.12 |
| 2024 | 84 | 1 | 85 | 0.09 |
| 2023 | 61 | 1 | 62 | 0.07 |
| 2022 | 75 | 20 | 95 | 0.10 |
| 2021 | 154 | 47 | 201 | 0.21 |
| 2020 | 207 | 46 | 253 | 0.27 |
| 2019 | 233 | 58 | 291 | 0.31 |
| 2018 | 275 | 71 | 346 | 0.37 |
| 2017 | 323 | 138 | 461 | 0.49 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Cascade River State Park
Cook County holds 27 public hunting records on this site; Cascade River State Park is one of them. Bear permit area 31 and 22 covers part of Cook County (31 (400 permits) and 22 (75 permits)). For turkey the county is in permit area 508. Wildlife office for Cook County: Two Harbors Area Wildlife Office. Unlike Cascade River State Park, Butterwort Cliffs Scientific and Natural Area and Cascade River Aquatic Management Area are shut to hunters.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Cascade River State Park: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Cascade River State Park, so the minutes differ a little from the county tables.
| Day | Hunt | First sun | Last sun | Start | Big game stop | Bird stop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:43 a.m. | 7:09 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. | 7:39 p.m. | 7:09 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 6:53 a.m. | 6:54 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. | 7:24 p.m. | 6:54 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:12 a.m. | 6:26 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. | 6:56 p.m. | 6:26 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 6:54 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 4:38 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:25 a.m. | 4:15 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | 4:15 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:51 a.m. | 4:19 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 4:19 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:17 a.m. | 7:48 p.m. | 5:47 a.m. | 8:18 p.m. | 7:48 p.m. |
Spring turkey uses the bird column.
Hours rule from the DNR booklet shooting hours page; sun times calculated for the unit point (NOAA method, Central Time); checked October 28, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Cascade River State Park hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Cascade River State Park, the closest range on file is Silver Beaver Rilfe & Pistol Club, 45 miles off.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026.
Cascade River State Park and country like it, in photos
Cascade River State Park FAQ for 2026-27
Any other public ground within a short drive of Cascade River State Park?
Closest on the map: Jonvik WMA (1.0 mi), Northern White Cedar WMA (4.0 mi) and Caribou Lake RGMA (5.6 mi).
Cascade River State Park: is hunting allowed there?
Hunting at Cascade River State Park is limited to the managed hunts or the listed open area.
Is Cascade River State Park a big piece of land?
About 2,595 acres, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Cascade River State Park?
Deer permit area 126; the 2026 designation is bucks only. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 22, 2026.
What game is on Cascade River State Park?
The record for Cascade River State Park lists deer.
What are the directions to Cascade River State Park?
Drive from Lutsen (6.7 mi); the agency publishes no directions.
Which office should I call about Cascade River State Park?
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Cascade River State Park.
What are the CWD rules on Cascade River State Park?
CWD status: DPA 126 is outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
Cascade River State Park: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:24 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Before a trip to Cascade River State Park
Plan with this page, then check the agency page for Cascade River State Park the week you go.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Chad Davis. (CC BY-SA 2.0); AustinMatherne (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain).