Name:Nerstrand – Big Woods State Park
Year it became a State Park: 1945
Section of Minnesota: Central
Nearby Town: Faribault
Positives: Not too far from the cities. Powerful natural beauty.
The Negatives: Nothing comes to mind.
General Comments: This is a classic old-style state park. Nice long hiking loops, a creek, and different kinds of camping.
Something Everyone Wants To See: Hidden falls on Prairie Creek
Nearby attraction to visit: There is a half marathon race (and shorter runs) that takes place in this park every October.
Interesting Trivia: “One of the last remnants of Big Woods.” 
Personal Stories: We have adopted two of our children – one of them from Russia. Russia requests that you send pictures of your family after the adoption to show that you are treating the child well. We sent them a picture of our family standing in front of the big sign at the gate of this state park. The Ranger lady who took the photo was very patient as we prepared our pose.
What My Kids Want Me To Say: The playground is pretty nice for a state park.
Jamsco Ranking: Very Nice.
Final Word: If you want to get a ‘Big Woods’ feel from a walk – this is a good place to do it.
Revisiting Minnesota State Parks 