A popular park with an emphasis on nature, meaning they haven't cut every tree in site and crew cut…read morethe grass. Plenty for us tree huggers to appreciate with some winding trails. Great views along the bluff and then we realize this park area just keeps going. There is modern 'Gathering Area' for indoor events and room outdoors for your 250 guest outdoor wedding pending Minnesota's rapidly changing weather. Bikers follow a trail from Hastings and then head south, we hikers can hike till we near drop.

Loved this park! We visited on a beautiful sunny mild winter Feb morning. The path is paved so easy…read moreto walk. It follows the river with some stunning bridge views over ravines. We saw several hawks and bald eagles. It looked like they had some non-paved trails that were marked for cross country skiing which I assume would be available for walking in the summer. Will definitely be back!

The refuge is a great place to explore nature. There are many trails to hike both short and long…read more The Visitor's Center has a wonderful display and activities. There is also a viewing area where there are bird feeders. A favorite is the turkeys that stop by! The staff here are helful and friendly. They also plan community events that are always fun and educational.

Hooray, I finally came here when the visitor center was open! I've been a couple of times in the…read morepast just to do some hiking on the trails, but I'd never gotten to see the inside as the hours are somewhat narrow being just Wednesday through Sunday. It looked really grandiose from the outside, so I'm unsurprised the inside was quite modern and comfortable. It's comprised of many available seating areas where you can sit and relax (I especially recommend the seating facing the bird feeders, though there's also a cozy fireplace), or simply wander and explore the exhibits they have up with information on them about the history of the refuge, the work its done and is doing, and the animals that inhabit it. This is important work! I'm so glad they're doing it. Unsurprisingly there is a gift shop with expected trinkets such as stickers, pins, patches, plushies, postcards, jewelry, hankerchiefs, and lots of books. So if you'd like to support the refuge and get a little something for yourself, that's a great way to do it. There is additionally an art gallery with revolving local Minnesota artists that take inspiration from nature, an auditorium playing a looped track, and plenty of space for kids to play (including corn hole and giant puzzles). There is a conference room (downstairs) and a community room (upstairs), and considerable office space (not open to the public, obviously). Two water bottle refill stations. Clean bathrooms (separated by gender, but there's also a bonus unisex, accessible one). These folks do LOTS of events throughout the year, most of them completely free to attend (some require RSVP, others don't), so I recommend keeping an eye out for something that interests you. Plenty of free parking is available on site. There are picnic tables around the visitor center, as well as an outlook with binoculars. If you go down along the left side the visitor center, it will take you to the trails if you're here to do some hiking. :)

Great park and many spots to explore! I stopped in with a friend for a quick hike and we walked…read moredown by the water and enjoyed some snacks by the river. It's nice that we have this park so close to the cities!

I've enjoyed all seasons at this state park: in the winter, I've snow showed, in the spring/fall…read moreI've hiked, and in the summer I've enjoyed the beach. I've been to all 69 state parks in MN, and this one is my favorite near the metro area. There is something for everyone, although the hike to the beach includes a steep incline which can be a bother if you are carrying lots of gear (chairs, umbrella, water toys, etc).

I usually don't describe a park as cute, but Edenvale is just a cute park in Eden Prarie. The…read morecentral area is compact but there is a thick forest, of few remaining in the metro, with a walking path along the road which leads to another park, and keeps heading Northward. I will visit again after the upper Midwest turns totally green and follow the path to a conclusion.

Edenvale Park is a nice neighborhood park in Eden Prairie, Minneapolis. We were visiting family and…read morecame for a walk every morning using one of the trails that leads to the park and continues on. The park it beautiful and well maintained. Reminds me of my neigborhood park in Niagara Falls, Canada. This park has all the amenities such as a Childrens playground, a Basketball Court, Soccer field, Ice Hockey ring and a Baseball field. There are two seperate small shaded areas for family events or sports events. The only drawback is that there was no public restroom beside a lorta potty (Ewwwwww). Other than that its an amazing place to come with friends or family and the the trail next to is a great touch for hiking, jogging, biking etc. The last day we were in MN, we came for a walk through the trail, we saw 4 turkeys (2 males and 2 females) and one of the male was doing a mating dance to impress the ladies. We also saw deers while walking on the first day of walking here.

He Said: Great place for a solo hike, group hike, or…read moreeducational stroll with the family. The Center is right next to 394, but it would not know it, since the Center is very serene. The building is new and clean. There are many cool outside and inside things to do. Check it out. Pros: - Free - Near Minneapolis - Several things to do Cons: - NA

This place is a literal hidden gem…read more Went for a birthday party. It is clean and well kept. As it is smaller than Como, I thought it was super lovely. It was raining and couldn't explore everything but I will be back.

Lebanon Hills Regional Park is such a great park for hiking! The trail system consists of over 14…read moremiles of summer hiking trails and over 12 miles of mountain bike trail. There are multiple parking lots available and even if they seem full don't let that deter you as the park is so large it never feels overly busy. There is also a beach and picnic area available too.

So pretty! We brought our dog but that might have been a bit much for him Everyone had funread more

I was in the area the other day and decided to take advantage of the nice spring weather. I wasn't…read moreexpecting a $7 day fee to enter, but I decided to consider it a donation to the parks system, fed it my debit card and got a ticket to put on my dash. There were three parking lots to choose from, but I drove all the way down to the third and last one by the park office and playground. Decided to do the approximately six mile loop on the dirt path trails (also used for skiing when there's snow on the ground). It was nice hiking through the various groupings of pine trees. I could still hear the freeway noise, but it was mostly in the background. The prettiest part was definitely at the beginning beside the lake though (but perhaps in other seasons, like fall, it might be even prettier). Some mild elevation change, nothing too challenging by any means. There was also the option to walk on a paved path with many benches if you do need something less strenuous or you aren't hiking. The playground was really cute with relatively new equipment. Lots of climbing options, slides, and one large swing (very comfy to lean back in and admire the lake). There were picnic tables around along with barbecues and trash/recycling bins. There's a dock for fishing off of, and another (at the second parking lot) for canoe/kayak launching (which I'll have to come back and try when I have some free time this summer). There were two port-a-potties available for when the park office isn't open. The park office has many a toilet, all singletons so non-gendered, which was lovely. They were clean and well-stocked. The park office didn't have much going for it from what I could glean, but there was space in the lobby to sit and relax if desired, as well as a large backroom that seemed like it was probably for classes and such. It wasn't very busy while I was there; likely because the weather was predicting a storm, but I lucked out and it never came the two hours I was there. I came across a couple that had their dogs off leash, which the park rules state you're supposed to keep your dogs leashed... People, man.

A beauty hidden gem in the southeast metro that I would recommend if you are looking for a close to…read morehome walk/bike with some varied terrain. We hiked this the first week of March and we both wish we would have worn spikes or brought poles- if you get off the main trail, there is some really great up and down. I did not have my cross country skis with me but the trails looked amazing and are groomed for both skate and classic! Highly recommend if you need to get outdoors and want some up and down!

Whitetail Woods is such a great park system tucked near the University of Minnesota agricultural…read moreresearch farm. It's one of my favorite nature spots close to the Twin Cities. Even though it's not far from the metro, once you're out on the trails it really feels like you're deep in nature. It's quiet, peaceful, and you can't hear any city noise. There are plenty of trail options with different lengths and scenery. You'll find trails around the lake, wooded paths, prairie areas, and a mix of paved and natural surfaces. It's also very dog friendly, which is a big plus. They've done a great job with the amenities too. There's a nice play area for kids, restrooms, and well-maintained paths. One of the best things about this park is that it rarely feels overcrowded.

I love this park! Whitetail Woods is a relatively new part of the Metropolitan Parks System, but…read moreit has quickly become a favorite. It is close to the cities, yet when you're walking/hiking/snowshoeing, or whatever, it feels very isolated. Part of that in nature feel is because it is primarily surrounded by federal or state wildlife area and a U of MN researh farm. We first discovered if for snowshoeing and it continues to be one of our favorites for that activity. There's hiking trails you can walk on, or you can explore your own path. The terrain is varied with flat plains, lots of hills, plus swamps. Though we love it best in Winter, it is beautiful for hiking during any season. There's enough variation in terrain that you can get a good workout. Though it has become more popular as people have discovered it, it is still large enough that you do not feel overrun. There are also camper cabins if you would like to stay overnight. Highly recommend as an outdoor escape.