Around the station
The station's rustic buildings are situated on the eastern shore of Lake Itasca within sight of the headwaters of the Mississippi river. There are over 60 buildings on site. These buildings are either cabins, labs, admin buildings, or maintenance buildings. The newest facility is the Itasca Campus Center which houses three laboratories, the ISBL library/computer lab, and an auditorium. The Station also has a state-of-the-art dining hall that can seat 120 people.
Registered visitors may use the Station’s canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards. Motorized boats owned by the station are available for research or course purposes only.
There is recreation equipment (ping-pong, foosball, and various board games) in the assembly hall, adjacent to the dining hall. Volleyball, softball, soccer, basketball, badminton and horseshoe equipment are available for use on the David Parmelee Memorial Field.
Opportunities to explore extend well beyond the Station limits. Swimming, fishing, canoeing, biking and hiking within Itasca State Park are excellent. If possible, bring your bike to ride the 17-mile paved bike path in the park and for quick trips around the Station. A limited number of bicycles will be available for short-term checkout at the station office on a first-come basis. Bikes, pontoons, fishing boats and other equipment are also available for rental at the Itasca Sports Rental, located in the Park just 1/2 mile from the Station. For more information on Itasca State Park offerings, visit the Department of Natural Resources website.