Last updated on January 5th, 2025
Minnesota’s Carley State Park is best known for the masses of Virginia bluebells that bloom each May. But bluebells are only the star of a spring flower show that includes a wide variety of blossoms. It’s the ideal place to slow down and take in spring’s beauty!
Virginia bluebells are the star of the spring flowers in Carley State Park.
The best place to see Virginia bluebells in Minnesota
If you are looking for masses of gently nodding Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), Carley State Park is the place to be in Minnesota in early spring.
Virginia bluebells in full bloom.
Despite their common name, Virginia bluebells are indeed native to far southeastern Minnesota. They are quite different from the native northern bluebells (Mertensia paniculate) found in northeastern Minnesota. And they are in a completely different plant family from the harebells (Campanula rotundifolia) I called “bluebells” growing up on the prairie!
For about a week each spring, the valley and rocky hillsides along the north branch of the Whitewater River become a sea of blue.
If you visit at the peak of the bluebell bloom, you’ll find them everywhere!
But don’t worry if you are a little early or a little late. There will still be plenty of wildflowers!
More than bluebells
While it’s best known for bluebells, you’ll also find lots of other spring flowers in Carley State Park. I can’t tell you how many other species (the Department of Natural Resources doesn’t seem to publish that information any more), but there are a lot of them! And many bloom around the same time as the Virginia bluebells.
When I visited in 2021, spring flowers intermixed with the season’s first bluebells included false rue anemone (Enemion biternatum), rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides), Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), white trout lilies (Erythronium albidum), cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenate), early meadow rue (Thalictrum dioicum), large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora), and a few things I couldn’t identify.
Dutchman’s Breeches may seem strange, but look closely and you can see they are related to the bleeding hearts found in many home gardens.
Rue anemone adds a bit of pink and lavender to the color scheme.
Depending on when you visit, you may find either a lot of white trout lilies or a lot false rue anemone, but their bloom time does overlap a bit.
Other wildflowers you may see in Carley State Park through the spring include bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense), little-leaf buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus), violas, mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), and trillium. And more.
While peak bloom times vary every year, generally you can expect a good number of flowers from mid-April through the end of May. Of course, as the season changes, the mix of wildflowers changes too.
About Carley State Park
At just over 200 acres, Carley is one of Minnesota’s smallest state parks. And, while best known today for its wildflowers, it was created to protect a stand of native white pines. Some of the pines are still there, but the spring flowers steal the show.
Park history
Before statehood, this area was home to the Dakota people They lived here until an 1851 treaty opened most of southern Minnesota to white settlers.
Carley State Park is named for Minnesota state senator James Carley. Senator Carley and the Ernestina Bolt family donated the land to the state in 1948 to protect a grove of native white pines. The park was established the following year, although park facilities weren’t developed for another couple decades.
The pines that the park was intended to protect were severely damaged in a hail storm less than a decade after the park was created. However, many pines remain in the park today.
Park geology
While Carley State Park is small in size, there’s a lot of variety packed into this small area, with the river, steep bluffs and rocky ridges, the wildflower filled river valley, and gently rolling uplands.
The park straddles an area that includes a bit of the Driftless area, which wasn’t covered with glaciers in the last ice age. That accounts for some of the variety in the landscapes here. And it preserves a small ecosystem from that long-ago glacial period in the park’s north-facing cliffs. Here a cool, damp microclimate supports more northerly plants usually not found in southern Minnesota. Some of these species, like Canada yew, have been here since the last glaciers retreated.
Plan your trip to see spring flowers at Carley State Park
While Carley State Park is an easy day trip from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, it’s worth adding a few more sites to your plans and make a two or three-day road trip out of it.
And spring comes earlier to southern Minnesota than the Twin Cities metro, so start planning your trip before you start seeing flowers around Minneapolis or farther north.
Carley is located in a very rural area and there are no transit options available to get you to the park.
Where is Carley State Park?
Carley State Park is located about ½ hour east of Rochester in southeastern Minnesota. It takes about an hour to get there from Owatonna. And it’s about a 1½ to 2- hour drive from Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
I recommend taking the slightly slower, but highly scenic, route along the Mississippi River. Both sides of the river are gorgeous and have some great parks and interesting small towns. However, plan your route, as river crossings between Minnesota and Wisconsin are only available in Red Wing/Hager City and Wabasha/Nelson or south of Carley in Winona.
When can I see spring flowers in bloom?
The spring bloom lasts about a month, with the bluebells at their best in early May. The Carley Bluebell Festival is a good indicator of when the bluebells will be in bloom. That’s often around Mother’s Day. (For 2023 that’s Saturday, May 13.) Activities include a family scavenger hunt, archery, and guided wildflower walks.
The photos in this story were taken at the very end of April 2021. I was a little early for the peak bloom. But I’m guessing the bluebells were at their very best within a week of my visit. And there were plenty of flowers even when I was there!
General info about visiting Carley State Park
In general, Carley State Park is relatively rustic with limited infrastructure. It’s open year-round, but campgrounds are only open during warmer seasons. And the road into the park is not plowed in winter, so it can only be accessed on foot once the road closes for the season.
Be sure to check the Carley State Park website before you visit for information on road and trail conditions, services, and more.
A Carley State Park map showing park facilities and trails is available on the park website.
Fees
Recent changes mean almost all park fees in all Minnesota state parks must be paid online or at park office.
All motor vehicles in the park must have a Minnesota State Park permit. (Either a single day permit or an annual pass). There is no park office at Carley (the office is located 15 miles away at Whitewater State Park) and permits are no longer available at the park via self-pay envelopes. If you don’t buy your permit in advance, you must buy your permit online or run over to Whitewater when that office is open.
So, purchase your pass in advance. DON’T count on the office being open or getting a phone signal to connect to the internet to buy your permit when you arrive.
Facilities
This is a low amenity park, with a picnic area, swings, open space for games, a rustic campground, and vault toilets.
There’s a convenient parking lot by the picnic area and vault toilets are located throughout the park.
Trails
Carley State Park has 4 miles of marked hiking trails. All are hard-packed dirt, many are narrow, and some include steps that link the bluff and river valley.
Some trails have a lot of steps!
Trails up and along the bluff also have steep drop-offs.
Most spring flowers are along the river. However, this area is part of the floodplain, which means the trail can get very wet. And warm weather brings out a lot of insects.
Trails along the river go through a floodplain, so they can get muddy.
There are also several places where you can cross the river. Some of these require crossing on stepping stones or even logs. And, if the water is high, it may be unsafe to cross.
A river crossing in Carley State Park. It gets trickier when the water is high.
Dogs
Dogs are allowed in the park if they remain on a leash of no more than six feet and are attended at all times.
Spring wildflower viewing
The largest number of spring wildflowers (and the easiest ones to see) are along the aptly named Wildflower Trail.
Searching for spring flowers? Just follow the sign.
The easiest access to this trail is from the parking lot by the picnic area. There are signs, but generally you just need to follow the trail closest to the river.
This short, level trail closely follows the Whitewater River, with a couple of spots where you can cross to the other side. It’s the easiest trail in the park and the best place to look for flowers, although there are also a lot of flowers climbing the cliffs above the river. The Wildflower Trail is also part of the park’s short (less than two-mile) Hiking Club trail. (The Hiking Club trail runs along both the river and bluff.)
The floodplain along the river is wooded and many spring wildflowers in this area bloom from late April through May. There are flowers through the summer, but it’s not as dramatic as the spring display.
No matter when you visit, STAY ON THE TRAIL! Wandering off the trail and into the flowers damages the them and will result in fewer flowers in the future. There are plenty of opportunities to take pictures with the flowers without stepping into them!
Other things to do at Carley State Park
Wildflower season at Carley is gorgeous, but this lovely little park has a variety of activities available throughout the year.
Hiking on the bluff
Other trails go up to and along the bluff. An overlook up there offers scenic views of the gorge before the trees fully leaf out.
Birdwatching
Carley State Park is a good place for birdwatching, with a wide variety of birds throughout the year. Spring and fall migration should be a good time to be here. However, the link to the park’s bird checklist doesn’t work, so I don’t know for sure what to expect throughout the year.
Fishing
The north branch of the Whitewater River is a trout stream where anglers will find both brown and rainbow trout. Just be sure to have both a fishing license and a trout stamp.
Fall leaf peeping
I have not gotten down here in fall, but the mix of hardwoods and white pines should make this a very lovely spot for leaf peeping.
Winter sports
The park doesn’t have any groomed trails, but skiing is allowed on about 2 miles of marked trail. Snowshoeing is allowed throughout the park. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to hike in once the road closes for the season!
While you’re in the area
Whitewater State Park is just a few minutes away. The park headquarters, visitor center, and Nature Store here serves both parks. Like Carley, Whitewater has great spring wildflowers. But the park and river are both much larger at Whitewater, the bluffs much higher (and more dramatic), and there are many more facilities and programs. But it is also much busier.
Stay awhile
While it’s easy enough to visit Carley State Park on a day trip from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area, this beautiful part of the state is worth more of your time. There are several good wildflower and birding areas nearby.
Camping
Camping reservations for state parks must be made online. Reservations cannot be made more than 120 days before arrival, but can be made the day of arrival if space is available.
Camping at Carley State Park
Carley State Park has a seasonal campground that is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. It’s a rustic campground with 20 sites and basic amenities. That means there are no flush toilets, no showers, no dump stations, and no electric or water connections. However, all sites have a fire ring and picnic table. Some sites also have camping pads for tents.
While sites can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet, there are only a couple of campsites that are well suited to RVs. The park website indicates both which sites are most suitable for RVs and which are the most hammock friendly.
Two areas are also available for tent-only group camping.
Camping at Whitewater State Park
Whitewater has over 120 campsites, most of which are drive-in sites and have electricity. There are also wheelchair accessible sites, cart-in sites, three large group camps, a group center with cabins, and camper cabins. Get more information on the Whitewater State Park camping and lodging page.
Other area campgrounds
There are at least a couple of privately-run campgrounds very near Whitewater State Park. Most are in or around the city of Elba.
To the north, there are several horse campgrounds in the Zumbro Bottoms area of the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest. Several other campgrounds are also located near this area and around Wabasha.
Hotels, Airbnb, and VRBO
For hotels and any other type of lodge, by far the most options are in Rochester. Check TripAdvisor (affiliate link) to see your options.
For a small town or rural experience, you’ll need to check Airbnb or VRBO, both of which usually have a few options around Elba and more around Wabasha.
There used to be a gorgeous B&B in Plainview, but the owners were looking to sell it when I was there and it seems to now be permanently closed.
