there are  state parks nine state recreation areas nine state waysides and  state trails in the minnesota state park system totaling approximately  acres  km a minnesota state park is an area of land in the us state of minnesota preserved by the state for its natural historic or other resources each was created by an act of the minnesota legislature and is maintained by the minnesota department of natural resources the minnesota historical society operates sites within some of them the park system began in  with itasca state park when a state law was adopted to "maintain intact forever a limited quantity of the domain of this commonwealthin a state of nature" minnesotas state park system is the second oldest in the united states after new yorks