
Glendalough Canoe-In Campsites Permit
Glendalough State Park (MN) · Minnesota
Three canoe-in sites reached by paddling across Annie Battle Lake.
Get an alert when Glendalough Canoe opens on your dates.
When it opens
- 120 days
- First come, first served from 120 days before your start date, at 8 am CentralYou book on the agency's site.
Source: dnr.state.mn.us
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Glendalough Canoe were gone within 10 minutes.
Glendalough Canoe reservation dates
- max group size
- 6people
How to get a Glendalough Canoe permit
As of September 2026, Glendalough Canoe in Glendalough State Park (MN), Minnesota requires a permit issued via reservation. Glendalough Canoe is a high-demand permit, rating 8/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. Cancelled Glendalough Canoe permits are re-released on the booking system, and PermitSnag alerts you the moment one opens.
- Type
- Overnight
- Location
- Otter Tail Lakes, MN
Step 1: Create a Minnesota State Parks (ReserveMN) account
Sign up at Minnesota State Parks (ReserveMN) if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.
Step 2: Know the release schedule
Permits release on a rolling basis. Check the release time for your dates.
Step 3: Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
Step 4: Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
More on Glendalough Canoe: Live availability activityWhen Glendalough Canoe permits open upReserveMN (Minnesota State Parks) permit and campground cancellations
The Glendalough Canoe hike
Glendalough Canoe landmarks
- 1Annie Battle Lake
DNR: "a 335-acre, non-motorized 'Heritage Fishery' that provides a tranquil fishing experience second to none." The three canoe-in sites are on its northeast shore.
- 2Beaver Pond Trail
DNR: "1.4-mile loop — Glendalough's most popular trail follows a crystal clear stream through forest and meadow and returns along Blanche Lake."
- 3Lake Emma Trail
DNR: "2-mile loop — This wooded, remote trail features an observation platform."
- 4Sunset Lake Trail
DNR: "1-mile loop — Entirely circling Sunset Lake, a small lake known for its abundant waterfowl."
Three campsites on Annie Battle Lake that you can only reach by paddling.
Why it matters
Annie Battle Lake is a motor-free heritage fishery, so the crossing is quiet by regulation rather than by luck. Three sites is the whole paddle-in inventory of the park.
The feeling
You load a boat instead of a pack, cross water no outboard is allowed on, and land at a tent pad and a fire ring. No electricity, primitive toilet, and the far shore between you and the car park.
Glendalough Canoe hike highlights
- Minnesota DNR's definition of the category: "Backcountry campsites in Minnesota state parks are not accessible by motor vehicle and are a half mile or more from a parking area. They do not have electricity, and are a popular option for backpackers, paddlers, and bicyclists."
- "Backcountry sites typically have primitive toilet facilities and water, a tent pad, and a fire ring. Some have a picnic table and a grill on the fire ring, and a few have shelters."
- The Minnesota reservation system lists this facility as "Canoe-In" with three units, named Canoe-In/Boat-In #CI27, #CI28 and #CI29.
- Minnesota DNR's published backcountry rate at Glendalough is $22 per site, per night, plus tax.
- DNR groups paddle-in sites in the same backcountry category as backpack sites: not reachable by motor vehicle, half a mile or more from parking, no electricity.
- "Seasonal availability varies by park." The booking calendar shows which nights are open.
- DNR: "Canoe-in Sites | Three sites on the northeast shore of Annie Battle Lake — These sites can also be accessed by foot or bicycle."
- No distance is published for the canoe-in sites. The nearest figure DNR gives is for a different facility, the cart-in campground: "Campsites are in a wooded area from 200 to 1,200 feet from parking." That is not this one, so no distance is claimed here.
- No season is published for the canoe-in sites either. DNR's season sentence covers other facilities: "Cart-in campground, camper cabins and yurts are open year-round."
- Water, and what it depends on. DNR: "Water is on in the campground until Sunday, October 4, 2026. Water is available year-round at the park office." The campground supply has a published end date on it; the office tap is the fallback, and the office is who to ring if water decides your plan.
- Toilets: "Vault Toilets | Available year-round throughout the park." The dining hall restroom is year-round; campground and trail centre restrooms are seasonal, and showers ran to October 4, 2026.
- Reservations: "Reservations are required at all times for all sites... Same-day reservations can be made for open sites at no charge."
- "No vehicles are allowed in the campground area."
When to hike Glendalough Canoe
Best time to visit
DNR puts it plainly on its Lake Emma Trail description: "Best times to visit are spring, fall and winter (avoid the summer bugs)." It describes Annie Battle Lake as "a 335-acre, non-motorized 'Heritage Fishery' that provides a tranquil fishing experience second to none," with the canoe-in sites "free from the traffic and noise of traditional drive-in camping." No season is published for the canoe-in sites themselves, so the booking calendar is the authority on which nights exist.
Glendalough Canoe rules, gear and safety
Gear checklist
Required- A canoe or kayak, and paddles for everyone in the party
- Dry bags: everything crosses open water
- A Minnesota state park vehicle permit for the car you leave at the trailhead
- Water, or a way to treat it: DNR says these sites "typically" have water, which is not the same as always
- A camp stove, and a meal plan that works on it. Minnesota DNR closes fire rings at short notice, and its Tettegouche notice of 2026-08-10 read "Camp stoves are permitted for cooking."
Recommended gear
- Life vests sized for the party
- A wind plan; Annie Battle Lake is open water and a loaded canoe is slow into a headwind
Rules & regulations
- 01All campsites require a reservation. Minnesota DNR: "All campsites require a reservation. Please make a reservation online or call 866-857-2757."
- 02Reservations open 120 days before arrival, and same-day bookings are allowed. On the day a date first becomes available, online reservations cannot be made before 8 a.m.
- 03The reservation fee is $8.00 online and $10.00 by phone, non-refundable. There is no fee for a same-day booking.
- 04Camping check-in is after 4 p.m. and checkout is by 4 p.m. If you have not checked in by 11 a.m. on the second day of the reservation, DNR may cancel it.
- 05"A campsite's occupancy is limited to one camping group of six people or less, one camping shelter, and one vehicle." More than that needs the park manager's prior approval.
- 06Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., and generators may not run in those hours.
- 07Park hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 365 days a year, and "only campers with a reserved campsite are allowed in the park after 10 p.m."
- 08Every vehicle entering a Minnesota state park must display a valid year-round or one-day state park vehicle permit.
- 09Firewood transport is regulated. DNR allows wood bought at this park for use in this park, Minnesota Department of Agriculture certified firewood anywhere on DNR land, and an uncertified bundle only if it is not ash and was harvested in the county where you will burn it: "be sure to keep your receipt and the bundle label to show proof of purchase."
- 10Firewood from home, pallet wood, and painted, stained or metal-bearing lumber are all prohibited, and "collection of firewood in state parks is not allowed."
- 11Pets are welcome on a leash six feet or shorter, or in a portable enclosure, and must be personally attended at all times.
- 12It is illegal to consume or display intoxicating liquors in Minnesota state parks.
- 13Fireworks and metal detectors are not permitted.
- 14Hammocks need trees at least 12 inches in diameter and straps at least an inch wide, one hammock per tree, hung over mowed and cleared ground.
- 15You may pick edible fruits and mushrooms for personal consumption; picking wildflowers or other plants is not allowed.
- 16Campfires here run on a live burning restriction that moves with fire danger, so a fire ring at the site is not permission to use it. The authority is this park's own Camping & Lodging page, https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/glendalough/camping.html. Read it in the week you travel, not the week you book.
- 17Read 2026-08-10, that page carried both halves of the restriction: "Campfires are not allowed in backcountry (hike-in/backpack and boat-in) campsites, even if there is a fire ring", and "Attended campfires are allowed in established fire rings in state park campgrounds, including drive-in, cart-in and walk-in campsites." Neither half names a canoe-in site. DNR's fee page groups "backpack and watercraft sites over a half mile from parking" as backcountry, while its Glendalough page calls these "Canoe-in Sites" that "can also be accessed by foot or bicycle", so the two DNR wordings do not settle which side this falls on. Plan on the stricter reading and ask the park.
Hazards & considerations
- DNR's visitor tips: "Annie Battle Lake is a designated Heritage Fishery – no motors, special fishing regulations apply." "Zebra mussels are in park lakes."
- DNR prohibits air mattresses, inner tubes and other non-Coast-Guard-approved flotation devices in state park waters outside designated areas.
- DNR lists no other hazards for this park. Plan for ticks and cold water as you would at any Minnesota lake.
Safety & planning
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Glendalough Canoe.
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Glendalough Canoe · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides
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Glendalough Canoe FAQ
How do I get a Glendalough Canoe permit?
PermitSnag alerts you the moment a Glendalough Canoe cancellation opens, so you can book it before anyone else. Glendalough Canoe permits use a reservation system.
When is the best time to visit Glendalough Canoe?
Season dates are on the agency's page. Weekdays have better availability than weekends.
How competitive is the Glendalough Canoe permit?
This permit has a demand score of 8/10, making it highly competitive. We recommend having backup dates and using PermitSnag's cancellation alerts.
What if I can't get a Glendalough Canoe permit?
Cancellations happen daily. Set up alerts with PermitSnag to get notified the moment a spot opens up. Pro and $19 single-permit alerts are checked about every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.
Glendalough Canoe trail conditions and trip reports
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Write the First ReportAlternatives to a Glendalough Canoe permit
- Same AreaPermit required
Glendalough Remote Yurt Camp (Canoe-In)
Two yurts on the southeast side of the same lake: a woodstove and bunks instead of a tent.
Tradeoffs
$80 per night rather than $22, and no pets inside.
- Similar ExperiencePermit required
Maplewood Boat-In Site
A single boat-in site in the hardwood hills half an hour south.
Tradeoffs
One site rather than three, so far harder to land.
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