Very, very late review of maybe my favorite of the chain of lakes…read more Even though it's connected to much busier lakes it seems more secluded and quieter than the others. It does have a smattering of large homes but much of the shoreline appears almost uninhabited despite being surrounded by the city. Walking along the lake shore can be a relaxing way to pass some time. Even driving by seems calm and peaceful if you're not in a rush. A bonus is my book is that the Lake is next to the Cedar Lake bicycle trail which skirts the North shore.

The lake offers ample shore fishing opportunities…read more Trail Pedestrian is almost 2.miles and the bike is around the same I believe You can grill, do cross country skiing when it's winter I heard. You need to paid for parking lot. Is connected to Lake of the Isles. I post a video of the lake.

Richfield Lake Park: 5-Star Getaway for a Quick Escape!…read more Richfield Lake Park deserves its 5 stars. It's not just a park, it's a convenient slice of peace and quiet, everything you need for a quick break without having to go far from the daily grind. One of the best things about the park is its location. Right in the middle of a busy area with stores and businesses, it feels like you found a secret garden. Richfield Lake Park gives you that instant peace. It's an urban oasis, a peaceful retreat that just steps away from the daily demands. The short walking trail is a highlight. It's well maintained and most importantly has a short loop that is perfect. This is ideal for those colder days when you still want to get some fresh air but don't want to commit to a long, arduous hike. You can get the fresh air, the views of the lake, the exercise without getting too cold or spending too much time outside. Just enough to clear your head, stretch your legs and re-energize with a dose of nature. In short, Richfield Lake Park excels at accessibility and peace. It's perfect for anyone looking for a quick escape, a break or a dose of nature especially when the weather calls for a shorter outdoor adventure. If you're in the Richfield area and need a moment of peace, especially on a cold day, do yourself a favor and go to this park. You won't regret it!

I'm going to have to return to this park again when I have a bit more time to explore. I stopped by…read morefor a quick hike and was a bit stymied when my GPS took me an unnecessary two miles over to the west entrance (past the unrelated marina) when I'd been intending to use the east one. The west entrance has a good-sized free parking lot nearby the gazebo. This structure has picnic tables, fire pit, water fountain, and restrooms (however, the latter two are seasonal... in November the fountain was shut off and the restrooms were locked, which kind of sucked for me who was in need of both... thus why I made my stay somewhat short). The trails for the most part are all paved, unless you take the unofficial ones beaten down along the riverway (which seem to be most utilized by fishers from what I could glean). So that's great for bicyclists or people pushing baby strollers or rollerbladers, but wasn't exactly the vibe I was looking for. Depends on what your desires are recreationally. There was one lake area under restoration that was therefore inaccessible for now; always nice to see when resources are being invested to keep our parks nice. Lots of trees, plenty of shade, even when most of the trees have lost their leaves in preparation for winter. I think I'll come back when some snow has fallen, because I'm sure it would probably be quite gorgeous.

Love this park! Beautiful sand trails by the river and also paved trails. Highly recommend checking…read moreit out. There are many places to park along the road, but I love the parking lot by the picnic shelter, too!

The address is a little mislabeled, it will take you to some public school. Back up, about 0.5…read moremiles away from the underpass, there's a little bridge with a parking lot, that's the trail head. The Trail itself is really wonderful. Deep vegetation, a little too many insects but otherwise great. There's a beautiful creek that runs alongside the trail. The animals you'll see the most are dogs that are being walked. It seems to be a favorite among Bloomington locals.

Beautiful park! I went in the winter and between the snowy creek, bubbling brook, and bird noises…read moreit just can't get much better. Yes it's hard to completely escape the road noise, but a small price for a lovely hike so close to the city.

Pilot Knob aka Oheyawahi offers scenic views of Ft Snelling and downtown Minneapolis. It has a…read moreshort trail leading from the parking lot to a commemorative site featuring seven limestone blocks, each engraved with the name of one of the seven Dakota nations. Along the way are two medicine wheels. This park is a work in progress. While much has been done to restore the native prairie and oak savanna, more work remains. During our visit, numerous native prairie flowers were blooming but many invasive and non-native species were also present.

Come out and visit the Trail Head at Theodore Wirth!…read more It has a fantastic community space and outdoor recreation center. Totally makes winter in Minnesota even better. I'm new to discovering The Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Regional Park, but believe me when I say I'll be back many more time. In the winter, they offer cross-country skiing and lessons. (You can rent a full set of gear for about $30- no need to have your own to experience skiing! They also have à la carte options for cheaper if you only need poles or boots, etc.) Besides skiing, outdoor winter activities also include snow tubing, snowboarding, snowshoeing.... You name it. (I haven't been in fall or summer yet, but I also hear great things about their mountain biking and trail running options.) Inside The Trailhead, there's food and drink concessions, ample seating, lockers, bathrooms, and even rooms for rent. The last time I was there, a family was hosting a young child's birthday party in the multi-purpose room. Altogether, there is an amazing assortment of services here to come and check out. Can't wait for next ski season!

HIDDEN GEM IN THE CITY…read more I've lived on this parkway for 3 years now and I don't think I've shut up about how amazing Theo Wirth is since! The City Chain of Lakes get all the hype, but you know what's even closer to downtown, in the heart of the city, with: a lake xc ski trails fat bike / mountain bike trails endless walking paths beach with volleyball courts public golf course and so much more?! Yeah, that's right - my neighborhood park! You can do about every outdoor activity you can think of here. Plus, the Trailhead is the main hub for all of it, with a restaurant, tons of indoor seating, gear rentals year-round, and an amazing nature space in the heart of the city. This is the perfect park to embrace any season in Minne!

We are on a mission to visit all the MN state parks and Afton was the next on our agenda. We had…read moreour grand pup with us and the trail was perfect for a 4 mile-ish hike. We started on blacktop, moved to dirt and finished on grass trails. We hiked in the afternoon and most of the trail was in the shade keeping us cool. The trail had a little of everything, river views, shallow waters for the pup to run through, creek, bridges, forest, prairie, and we saw a few deer hiding among the trees. We took the south trail and it includes a huge uphill hike and a long straightaway along the river. It was a beautiful late summer afternoon, mid 70s, perfect hiking weather. Really enjoyed this park.

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!

Great shorter hike with some steep slick parts but we had a heavy rain last night and still very…read moredoable. One thing I'd mention that I hadn't read much about was that the poison ivy was pervasive, jutting into the path even in areas that we wouldn't have considered the paths to be overgrown. We opted to stay on the paved path until we got to the most direct path down to the falls. I used the map and route marked on Daytripper28.com's website. Enjoy!

Pretty cool place! I'm not the kind of person to say 'the air was pregnant with humidity' often,…read morebut that is the impression I got here. Lots of dragonflies dancing about here, some nice views of the Mississippi as well.