Big Island Nature Park: How to Get There & Rules

Big Island Nature Park is reached by water because it sits on Big Island in Lake Minnetonka and has no road access. The City of Orono lists two docks at the preserve: a public dock and a dock that is an occasional stop for the Steamboat Minnehaha. Arrange your own way to reach the island and your return trip.

The City does not describe a land route to the park. Park hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., so build the return leg into the day rather than treating the dock as overnight access.

The rules prohibit overnight docking. Check the City of Orono facility page and rules before you go, especially if weather or lake conditions could change your plan.

Big Island Nature Park is a 56-acre municipal nature preserve owned and operated by the City of Orono. The preserve at 100 Big Island provides trails, two docks, and toilets for public day use from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The site has a documented past as an amusement park and as a veterans camp. Those earlier uses explain why Big Island comes up often in Lake Minnetonka history, while the City now presents the property as a nature park.

The City's 2011 management plan contains older descriptions of the park. This guide does not treat those older trail or beach figures as current conditions; use the current facility page and rules when planning a visit.

Yes. Big Island Nature Park is a public City of Orono preserve, open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Public access is by water through the park's docks, but the rules make it a day-use destination: overnight camping and overnight docking are not allowed.

The City lists toilets at the park. It also asks visitors to follow the posted rules and take care of their waste, which matters more on an island site than at a roadside park.

At Big Island Nature Park, visitors may not fish, lounge, sunbathe, dive, or jump from the docks, and overnight docking is prohibited. Swimming is at your own risk and no lifeguard is provided; dogs may not enter the designated swimming-beach area.

Dogs are allowed only on a leash no longer than six feet, and their waste must be picked up. Motor vehicles and bicycles are not allowed in the park.

The City prohibits alcohol, glass, fireworks, open fires, charcoal fires, and overnight camping. Propane is allowed. These are park rules, so check the City's current document before your visit.

Before visiting Big Island Nature Park, plan a water arrival and departure during the 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. hours, bring what you need for a day visit, and read the City of Orono rules. The preserve is public, but its island setting and no-overnight rules require more planning than a drive-up park.

For people considering a Lake Minnetonka home, Big Island is a useful example of how water access changes the practical rhythm of lake life. I encourage buyers to ask how they will actually use the water, not just how it looks from the shoreline.