Minnesota Statutes

Minn. Stat. § 604A.21 (2026)

Recreational Land Use; Definitions

✓ current as of May 2026

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Subdivision 1.General.

For the purposes of sections 604A.20 to 604A.27, the terms defined in this section have the meanings given them, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Subd. 2.Charge.

"Charge" means any admission price asked or charged for services, entertainment, recreational use, or other activity or the offering of products for sale to the recreational user by a commercial for profit enterprise directly related to the use of the land.

Subd. 2a.Dedicated.

"Dedicated" means made available by easement, license, permit, or other authorization.

Subd. 3.Land.

"Land" means any of the following which is privately owned or leased or in which a municipal power agency has rights: land, easements, rights-of-way, roads, water, watercourses, private ways and buildings, structures, and other improvements to land, and machinery or equipment when attached to land.

Subd. 4.Owner.

"Owner" means the possessor of a fee interest or a life estate, tenant, lessee, occupant, holder of a utility easement, or person in control of the land.

Subd. 5.Recreational purpose.

"Recreational purpose" includes, but is not limited to, hunting; trapping; fishing; swimming; boating; camping; picnicking; hiking; rock climbing; cave exploring; bicycling; horseback riding; firewood gathering; pleasure driving, including snowmobiling and the operation of any motorized vehicle or conveyance upon a road or upon or across land in any manner, including recreational trail use; nature study; water skiing; winter sports; noncommercial aviation activities; and viewing or enjoying historical, archaeological, scenic, or scientific sites. "Rock climbing" means the climbing of a naturally exposed rock face. "Cave exploring" means the planned exploration of naturally occurring cavities in rock, including passage through any structures placed for the purpose of safe access, access control, or conservation, but does not include the exploration of other man-made cavities such as tunnels, mines, and sewers. "Noncommercial aviation activities" means the use of private, nonstaffed airstrips for takeoffs and landings related to other recreational purposes under this subdivision that are not commercial operations under section 360.013, subdivision 45.

Subd. 6.Recreational trail use.

"Recreational trail use" means use on or about a trail, including but not limited to, hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking, bicycling, skiing, horseback riding, snowmobile riding, and motorized trail riding.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 7 cases, 1996–2018 · leading case: Kastner v. Star Trails Ass'n, 646 N.W.2d 235 (Minn. 2002).

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Kastner v. Star Trails Ass'n, 646 N.W.2d 235 (Minn. 2002). · cites it 8× “See Minn.Stat. § 604A.21, subd. 4. Section 604A.”

Kimberly Ann Sallee, Individually & as Next Friend of Lucas Gregory Durkop & Maria Christina Rivera, Matthew James Sallee, & James Allan Sallee v. Matthew R. Stewart & Diana Stewart D/B/A Stewartland Holsteins, 827 N.W.2d 128 (Iowa 2013). · cites it 2× “2012); Minn. Stat. Ann. § 604A.21(5) (West 2010); Miss.”

Ouradnik v. Ouradnik, 912 N.W.2d 674 (Minn. 2018). · cites it 4× “Father argues that a landowner is entitled to recreational-use immunity if all three requirements listed in section 604A.22 are met, while Son argues that section 604A.”

Ouradnik v. Ouradnik, 897 N.W.2d 300 (Minn. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 4× “Minn. Stat. § 604A.21. Turning to common usage, “public,” as a noun, means “[t]he people of a country or community as a whole.”

Conway v. Town of Wilton, 680 A.2d 242 (Conn. 1996). “, Pt. 8, 1971 Sess., p. 3544. We note that lour states explicitly exclude public entities from their recreational land use statutes.”

Razink v. Krutzig, 746 N.W.2d 644 (Minn. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 10× “Did the district court err in concluding that the Krutzigs qualified as landowners under Minn.Stat. § 604A.21 (2002) and were therefore entitled to immunity from the Razinks’ action under section 604A.”

Kastner v. Star Trails Ass'n, 658 N.W.2d 890 (Minn. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 7× “83, subdivision 4, the court concluded that the association was not immune from respondents’ claims because the association was not an “owner” as defined in the recreational-use-immunity statute, Minn. Stat. § 604A.21, subd. 4. In its opinion on the appealability of the district…”

— Minn. Stat. § 604A.21(5) — 1 case

Kimberly Ann Sallee, Individually & as Next Friend of Lucas Gregory Durkop & Maria Christina Rivera, Matthew James Sallee, & James Allan Sallee v. Matthew R. Stewart & Diana Stewart D/B/A Stewartland Holsteins, 827 N.W.2d 128 (Iowa 2013). “2012); Minn. Stat. Ann. § 604A.21(5) (West 2010); Miss.”

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