Things To Do

We invite you to find yourself enjoying all your parks have to offer — gather with family and friends, sleep under the stars, send kites soaring from bluff tops, ski award-winning trails, paddle shimmering lakes, snowshoe by moonlight or chase butterflies among the wildflowers.

You'll find yourself having the time of your life in Dakota County Parks.

Find yourself…

In the woods

• Hike year-round on more than 50 miles of peaceful, scenic trails.
• Test your steady hand at the exquisite field archery trail in Spring Lake Park Reserve.
• Use our GPS to find hidden caches in the park.

On the trails

• Experience nearly 10 miles of the best single track mountain bike trails in Minnesota any time of year at Lebanon Hills Regional Park.
• Bike or inline skate miles of scenic paved trails with views of rivers, prairies and woodlands on the Big Rivers Regional Trail or the Mississippi River, Minnesota River and River to River greenways.
• Saddle up and explore more than 10 miles of beautiful wooded horse trails at Lebanon Hills Regional Park.

On the water

• Head to the beach and cool off with a dip in Schulze Lake in Lebanon Hills Regional Park or Lake Byllesby in Lake Byllesby Regional Park.
• Canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding are fun ways to spend time on the chain of sparkling lakes in Lebanon Hills Regional Park.
• Drop a line from the pier or head out by boat to catch the big one.

In the winter

• Enjoy award-winning, dual tracked cross-country ski trails that wind through the woods and around glittering frozen lakes.
• Don a pair of snowshoes and hike almost anywhere to discover places you won't see in summer.
• Be the power or be the passenger on an exhilarating kicksled ride across the snow and ice at Lebanon Hills Regional Park.

Enjoy everything under the sun

• Frolic with your four-legged friend among 16 acres of woodlands at Dakota Woods Dog Park.
• Spend the night in the great outdoors — along a lakeshore, in the woods or eye level with blue birds in elevated camper cabins.

But there are limits
Enjoy our parks and everything they have to offer, but please follow our rules. So everyone can enjoy the park, use trails for their intended purpose (mountain biking trails are for mountain bikes only, equestrian trails are for horses only, ski trails are for skiers only, etc.).

Pets must be on a 6-foot leash at all times. Please put pet waste in the garbage. Follow posted rules signs and honor posted closure notices. Only park in designated parking spaces.

Check trail conditions before heading out.

The use of drones and fireworks is prohibited. Staked tents outside of designated camping areas are not allowed. Organized groups of 50 or more and organized public and private events must have an approved special use permit for any planned park or trail use.

For a complete list of rules, see the Park Ordinance for details.