The Dakota County Parks Department is part of the Physical Development Division that oversees all physical property owned and managed by Dakota County.
The Parks Department manages over 4,700 acres including two regional parks, two park reserves, a regional trail, a county park and an off-leash dog park.
Park staff are grouped into two major units:
Park Development and Maintenance—oversees the physical features of the parks including
- development of public gathering areas, recreation complexes, trails, buildings and natural areas
- maintenance of over 110 miles of summer and winter trails, and other park facilities such as picnic shelters and surrounding picnic areas, retreat centers, campgrounds, playgrounds, archery trail, model airplane flying field, a dog park, the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center, Dakota Lodge (banquet center), the Lake Byllesby Dam, beaches and other facilities
- natural resource management such as prairie restoration, lake and wetland water quality and control, fish and wildlife management, protecting old growth forest and controlling invasive plants
Visitor Services—oversees all park guest services including
- programs such as natural resource based recreational and outdoor education courses, school field trips, children’s birthday parties, customized private nature programs and more
- facilities such as a visitor center, campgrounds, retreat centers, picnic shelters, dog park, banquet center, archery trail, ropes and challenge course, model airfield and other facilities
- a volunteer program that furthers the Parks’ mission while providing citizens meaningful and educational opportunities