It's a bit confusing where to park... I know Apple maps randomly took me to the boat ramp parking…read moreafter passing by two other perfectly good small parking lots that connected to the trail. Which, since I wanted to just hike around in the autumn sunshine, I turned my car around and went back to. There was a port-a-john in the lot I parked in, which I appreciated. A little ways walk I also located a large gazebo-like structure with picnic tables. Didn't seem to have restrooms and the water fountain had already been turned off for the cold season. The trail is paved all the way around, which I suppose is nice for bicyclists, but not what I'd prefer as a hiker as it is hard on the feet and doesn't feel very nature-y. I also thought that in late October, this spot would be gorgeous, but for whatever reason all the trees had either already shed their leaves or were just kind of a sickly yellow color. Oh well. It was neat hiking along the river on either side; plus I got to watch a train go over the tresses on the north end. Not a super long walk, maybe an hour's worth if you go all the way around. Oh, there's also a small fenced-off section serving as a "dog park" but it didn't look very appealing or well-maintained... Also, people who drive their cars through here seem to want to speed above the limit... which is like weird because why not cruise and enjoy the scenery? Plus, the trail crosses the road in numerous places, so if you're speeding, you're more liable to hit someone. =/ It just doesn't feel well designed.

When my boys were little they attended a fossil camp that visited Lilydale for fossil hunting. The…read moreboys are teenagers and they still fossil hunt. Nice paved parking lot, wide walking path. We follow the path and walk up the big hill. Near the top of the hill to the left is the premiere location for fossils. Usually the boys hunt while the rest of us continue up the path taking in the nature. Great little get away during Covid.

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.

Took a nice walk around Thomas lake park and enjoyed the scenery. It has well paved paths that are…read morewide. There are many benches along the path, some overlooking the lake which make for a nice rest. There are ample parking spots available and a park pavilion down one of the paths. Only drawback was all of the poop that has been left behind by pet owners.

Pros- lots of green, clear trails for walking, running , lots of entrances and exits. Lots of…read morebenches and places to rest . I saw at least one large playground. Can't wait to bring the rest of my family. No cons.

We stopped here to do some geocaches and to check out the view of the St Croix River from the land…read more The day before we had boated by and saw the park from the river. The park does have a nice overlook down to the river and you can walk the path down to the beaches at the river level. If you have a boat you can tie-up here though I don't know it you can camp overnight in your boat. The park did not appear to have a campground though it did have a number of hiking trails. No surprise that this time of year also attracts lots of mosquitoes! Overall an OK state park.

This is a park on the Wisconsin side of the St Croix River. We have been here in the summer which…read morewas nice. It is completely different in the winter. The trail down to the river is very steep. It is a long climb up. The river when it was frozen allows you to walk along the swampy area and see several bald eagle. It was also very quiet and peaceful.

Perfectly adequate experience for hiking. Definitely got the impression that this park is more…read moregeared towards winter cross-country skiing purposes. Though there is also a mountain biking path. There is both an East and a West entrance to this park. The East entrance seems to more be the main entrance with a tennis court, hockey rink, children's playground, and little free library. The West end however has a younger children's playground and a gazebo with ample picnic tables and a grill. Both ends have trash/recycling bins and a port-a-potty. No plumbed toilet facilities and no water fountains (this fact admittedly lowered my rating of the place). Trails are all pretty wide (again, to accommodate the cross-country skiers), and there are a decently number of maps posted periodically along the route to help you keep track of where you are. The outermost loop is 3.2 miles, so this would be a decent place to practice your 5k, especially if you want frequent elevation changes. I didn't find the scenery to be all that stunning compared to some other spots I've found around MN, but it was still reasonably pretty here and there. Nice large parking lots on either end.

I love this Burnsville area! Feels like I am hours away from the city. The trails here were nice…read more Took my dog around the loop. Very peaceful....

LOVE this park, especially in Autumn! We used to reserve the picnic shelter from Dakota County for…read moreour kids' birthday parties. This was one of our kids' favorite playgrounds when they were 4-10 years old. The trails are beautiful and can range from a 2 mile hike around the lake to an 9 mile hike if you go all the way to Shultz Lake.

Jensen Lake Trail is part of the greater Lebanon Hills Regional Park, which is so big it has four…read moreseparate entrances. So far I've visited three of the four (the fourth is the Equestrian Trailhead though, and I don't have horses so...). For not being the "main" entrance, this one sure is nice also! There's plenty of parking available, including handicap parking. A short distance away is a large gazebo-like structure with a plentiful number of picnic tables, countertops, electrical outlets, fire pit, grills, firewood, trash/recycling receptacles, restrooms, water fountain, and water bottle refill station. You can apparently rent the gazebo, or just use it if it's available while you're there. Next door to that is a very nice children's playground, with a variety of swings (regular, bucket seat, handicap accessible, and tire swing) and structures. Plenty of benches nearby for adults to watch their kids too. The trail itself goes around Jensen Lake and connects to the rest of the trails around Lebanon Hills (most notable of which is the Voyager Trail). The loop around the lake is quite gorgeous, with many plank/boardwalks as part of the trail. It is mostly shaded, and you'll find a few park benches along it if you need to stop and take a break or just want to pause and soak it all in. I'm going to need to return soon to utilize the portage entrance on the west bank. I've been wanting to try this park's canoe/kayak "trail" for awhile!

You can't convince me otherwise that the best part of this park is the zipline near the parking…read morelot. It is just SO FUN, even for adults. This alone is worth stopping by to check out, in my opinion. There's also a Nature Play Area with various features, wood and rock formations for climbing on and playing. Benches and a little library. Gazebo with picnic tables. An observation deck. No toilets or water fountains, unfortunately. During the nicer months there is a port-a-potty, though by November this had been taken away. Beyond all that are a few trails you can take around the lakes nearby. They are picturesque and lovely. You'll see all kinds of trees, and likely some wildlife too! I saw squirrel, deer, and birds on my walk. The trails aren't too long or challenging, though there are some decent elevation changes along the way. The paths are primarily dirt or sandy. A fair number of folks were using it to walk their dogs.

Came here for the first time this morning with my dogs. I wanted a nice trail and new smells for…read morethem. What a great hiking area! Very well maintained. We saw deer, or what I'm sure my dogs thought were weird looking doggies. I'll admit we did get semi lost at one point. Came across a map that I SWORE I had just looked at (Twilight Zone moment) and it turns out I had. Pulled out the GPS on my phone and we had done TWO full circles w/o even knowing it. As we were getting back on track we did hear a deep growl come from the tree area. Like DEEP growl. Had it been night with a full moon and I was in a horror movie, this would be the time I got attacked by a werewolf, therefore I recommend maybe bringing pepper spray along. Luckily it didn't follow us and we made it out alive albeit exhausted and sweaty. I wanted to lay down and have the dogs drag me to the car, but I resisted. I'll definitely come back with pepper spray in hand.

Very beautiful community park. Family fun for every one. Heart fishing dock and boat landing.read more

It's a large park area with lots to do. From easy fishing spots, to walking and bike trails, and…read moreeven the clam shell for performances there is a lot to do at Casperson. The park is clean and feels safe, I often see lots of kids and families. And there is some lake life happening as well with boaters and kayakers. Plan for an hour or plan for the day.