About Wannigan Park

Wannigan Regional Park has been established! The first programs are already underway, and additional activities are being planned as park development continues.

Wannigan Regional Park is located in Becker County, Burlington Township, just North of the City of Frazee boundary and includes roughly .70 miles of Otter Tail River frontage. The site is adjacent to the high school & elementary school complex, about 0.5 miles from downtown Frazee. The site is about 10 miles Southeast of Detroit Lakes, 45 miles Northwest of Fergus Falls, and 55 miles Southeast of the Fargo/Moorhead metropolitan area.

Wannigan Regional Park is a new regional destination of 158 acres. The park is mixed habitat land bisected by the Otter Tail River and includes almost .70 miles of riverfront. Three ecological provinces meet in the area and the park contains some habitats of each: Laurentian Mixed Forest, Eastern Broadleaf Forest and Prairie Parkland. The park lies within the Eastern Broadleaf Forest province, in the Hardwood Hills subsection of the Minnesota and Northeast Iowa Morainal Section. Here you will find wetlands and forested sections. Some areas are open grasslands that were former pasture/croplands; the eastern side of the river has likely never been tilled. The lower quality former agricultural land will be conserved, with portions developed with park facilities. Wetlands and forests are being preserved, as is a 50-foot buffer on each side of the river. Portions of the land will be restored to oak savannah habitat. Wannigan includes over a mile of the North Country National Scenic Trail, a 2-mile multi-use paved & accessible trail that connects to the Heartland Trail Extension, and water access to the Otter Tail River State Water Trail.

Trails will remain open in the winter for snowshoeing, walking and cross-country skiing. Plans are underway to host drive in and tent camping in 2029. Eventually park visitors will be able to visit an interpretive center and enjoy an outdoor play or music concert. Others may use the park as a launch for multi-day hikes or paddles.

Programming has begun with invasive species removal and habitat restoration through a partnership with Frazee-Vergas Schools. As development continues, youth are able to walk next door for outdoor classrooms and programs. Other schools will also be welcome.

Activities have included events such as sound-bowl yoga, a treaty workshop, an annual fun-run called The Turkey Trot, a progress party celebration for donors and supporters, wellness day-retreats, hiking events, conservation planning, and planting trees and other restorative plants. Eventually activities could include amphitheater concerts, a canoe/kayak rental program, a snowshoe loan program, interpretive center presentations and outdoor concerts.