ALBERT LEA, MN--Many of you have likely started your holiday shopping, but you may have not thought of a gift for the great outdoors.
The Minnesota Deparment of Natural Resources is hoping you will buy a state parks gift card for someone on your list.
The cards can be used for many things.
They've been around for three seasons now and the state has sold more than 5,000 of them.
And the DNR reminds that cross country skiing and snowshoeing are fun for the winter too.
Tom Wanous with Myre-Big Island State Park says, "They can use it for their camping, state park vehicle permits, merchandise at the nature store. Rental of canoes, kayaks, basically everything that's available at the state parks".
Besides revenue, the cards were started as an initiative to get more interest in outdoor opportunities.
Wanous says, "Because if you give the gift, maybe its somebody that doesn't normally use the state park, it gives them a reason to come out to the state park and become interested in the outdoors".
You can purchase gift cards in three ways:
-By phone (866-85PARKS)
-Online http://www.stayatmnparks.com
-In person at Minnesota state parks or at the DNR License Center in St. Paul.
