Baker Park Reserve

Overview
Photos
Slideshows
Videos
Observations



			Hennepin County
			Metro Area

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Size

2,700 acres

Maps

Summer Map

Winter Map

Ski Trails

Parking

N45 1.137, W93 38.114

Hiking Trails

11.4 miles hiking
12.5 paved bike trail

The 15.87-mile Lake Independence Regional Trail, a paved bike trail, passes through the park.

Hunting

No hunting

Ecological Classification

Province

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

Section

Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal

Subsection(s)

Big Woods

Land Type Association(s)

Maple Plain Moraine

Native Plant Communities¹

Red Oak - Sugar Maple - Basswood - (Bitternut Hickory) Forest

Sugar Maple Forest (Big Woods)

Tamarack Swamp (Southern)

Willow - Dogwood Shrub Swamp

Ownership

Links

Three Rivers Park District

Comments

Overview
This 2,700-acre regional park offers 11.4 miles of natural surface hiking trails through mostly “big woods” forest. The very busy Lake Independence beach and picnic area is part of this park but is isolated on the west side of Baker Park Road. The hiking trails are parallel to but separated from the paved bike trails. On a summer weekday a hiker is likely to see many bike riders and several runners but no other trail hikers.

Visits

8/8/2014

1/28/2015


Visitor Photos

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Kirk Nelson

Southwestern portion of Baker Park Reserve, seen from the Lake Independence Regional Trail


MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Park Entrance


Parking


Winter Trail Parking


Winter Trails




Hiking Trails




Lake Independence Regional Trail

Camera


Slideshows

	"A (hot) Dog of a day" Bekandjesse's photos around Baker Park Reserve, Three Rivers District TripAdvisor TripWow Slideshows

	About Uploaded on Mar 29, 2011 Preview of Bekandjesse's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bekandjesse/1/1251064131/tpod.html This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Learn more about these videos: http://www.travelpod.com/help/faq#youtube

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

	Baker Near-Wilderness Settlement ThreeRiversParks

	About Uploaded on Aug 9, 2010 It's like getting out of town without actually leaving. Just 20 minutes from downtown Minneapolis, the Baker Near-Wilderness Settlement is a rustic residential center situated within Baker Park Reserve. Here, guests can reconnect with nature and explore the outdoors. The Settlement features eight cabins, the expansive William M. Baker Lodge, miles of trails, many natural habitats, nature classes, and hands-on activities. Each cabin has eight beds, a wood stove and a nearby cooking pad with a grill and seating area. The log lodge features a meeting and activity room that seats up to 120 people lecture-style and up to 80 for meals, a large stone fireplace, wrap-around porch, modern restrooms, and an institutional kitchen. Hours: Scheduled Visits Only Phone: 763.694.7856 Address: 4001 County Road 24 Maple Plain, MN 55359 http://www.threeriversparks.org/parks/baker-park/baker-near-wilderness.aspx

	Baker Park Camping - On the way Maggie

	About Uploaded on Sep 2, 2010 Lofty ambitions of an overnight camping trip 30 miles out to Baker Park Campground in Medina, MN. Just goofing along the Luce Line en route. Hopes were eventually dashed.

	2007 0121 Skiing at Baker Park Allison Moore

	About Uploaded on Jan 21, 2007 X/C skiing at Baker Park

	Vlog #4- EXTREME WINTER CAMPING... Or, not... LostInTheAmazon

	About Published on Jan 12, 2013 Winter overnight with my school at Baker Park in Medina, Minnesota. We did end up going on that night hike, and my knee was apparently bleeding from when I slipped and fell. Fun Stuff!

Camcorder


Visitor Observations

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Kirk Nelson

Insects and Arachnids	bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata)

Mammals	prairie deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii)

Stephanie Segner

Fungi and Lichens	Inky Mushroom (Agaricus moelleri)

MinnesotaSeasons.com Observations

Amphibians	American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens)

Birds	American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) American Robin (Turdus migratorius) American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) Eastern Wood-peewee (Contopus virens) Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Fungi and Lichens	False Turkey Tail (Stereum ostrea) Phomopsis gall on hickory (Phomopsis spp.)

Insects and Arachnids	banasa stink bug (Banasa dimiata) band-winged meadowhawk (Sympetrum semicinctum) cabbage white (Pieris rapae) Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina) chokecherry finger gall mite (Eriophyes emarginatae) clouded sulphur (Colias philodice) common green darner (Anax junius) common whitetail (Plathemis lydia) common wood nymph (Cercyonis pegala) dog day cicada (Neotibicen canicularis) eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) goldenrod bunch gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis) goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus) great black wasp (Sphex pensylvanicus) monarch (Danaus plexippus) multicolored Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) northern pearly eye (Lethe anthedon) red-spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) summer azure (Celastrina neglecta) twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) viceroy (Limenitis archippus) western honey bee (Apis mellifera)

Mammals	American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) northern raccoon (Procyon lotor) whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Plants	One plant species with conservation status in Minnesota is found here:
	Threatened	American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)

	Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Plant List

	Plants frequently found in: Red Oak - Sugar Maple - Basswood - (Bitternut Hickory) Forest MHs38c Sugar Maple Forest (Big Woods) MHs39c Tamarack Swamp (Southern) FPs63a Willow - Dogwood Shrub Swamp WMn82a

	Common Name Scientific Name alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana) American black currant (Ribes americanum) American bugleweed (Lycopus americanus) American cow parsnip (Heracleum sphondylium ssp. montanum) American elm (Ulmus americana) American hog peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata var. comosa) American plum (Prunus americana) American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana) American water plantain (Alisma subcordatum) Amur maple (Acer ginnala) annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus) balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus) bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina) black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) black medick (Medicago lupulina) black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) black walnut (Juglans nigra) black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima) black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii) blackberry lily (Iris domestica) bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) blue skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora var. lateriflora) blue vervain (Verbena hastata var. hastata) bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis) boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo) broadleaf enchanter’s nightshade (Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis) broad-leaved arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) broad-leaved cattail (Typha latifolia) bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa) Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense) Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) Canadian clearweed (Pilea pumila) Canadian tick-trefoil (Desmodium canadense) Canadian woodnettle (Laportea canadensis) catnip (Nepeta cataria) chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana) clammy groundcherry (Physalis heterophylla var. heterophylla) cleavers (Galium aparine) common agrimony (Agrimonia gryposepala) common blue violet (Viola sororia) common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) common burdock (Arctium minus) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus) common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) creeping bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides) curly dock (Rumex crispus) dotted smartweed (Persicaria punctata) early figwort (Scrophularia lanceolata) early meadow rue (Thalictrum dioicum) eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) European cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus var. opulus) false sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides var. occidentalis) field clover (Trifolium campestre) field sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis) field thistle (Cirsium discolor) foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum ssp. jubatum) fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum) fringed brome (Bromus ciliatus) garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) giant chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum) giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida var. trifida) grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia var. graminifolia) gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) hairy vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. villosa) heal-all (Prunella vulgaris) hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) ironwood (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana) jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) late goldenrod (Solidago altissima) leafy spurge (Euphorbia virgata) Maximilian’s sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) Missouri gooseberry (Ribes missouriense) Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia) northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina ssp. angustum) northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis) northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica) oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) paleleaf woodland sunflower (Helianthus strumosus) paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera) paradise apple (Malus pumila) peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides) Pennsylvania smartweed (Persicaria pensylvanica) Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus) plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera) prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) prairie rose (Rosa arkansana var. suffulta) prickly sow thistle (Sonchus asper) purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea) pussy willow (Salix discolor) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota ssp. carota) red baneberry (Actaea rubra ssp. rubra) red clover (Trifolium pratense) red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa) red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea) reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) rock elm (Ulmus thomasii) rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica) sandbar willow (Salix interior) Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris) shining bedstraw (Galium concinnum) Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) silky dogwood (Cornus amomum ssp. obliqua) silver maple (Acer saccharinum) slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) smooth brome (Bromus inermis) smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum) soft agrimony (Agrimonia pubescens) speckled alder (Alnus incana ssp. rugosa) spotted Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum) spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis) spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida) stinging nettle (Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis) sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum) tall thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana) timothy (Phleum pratense) Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) Virginia stickseed (Hackelia virginiana) Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum) water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia) western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) white avens (Geum canadense) white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba) white clover (Trifolium repens) white spruce (Picea glauca) white sweet clover (Melilotus albus) white vervain (Verbena urticifolia) wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) wild ginger (Asarum canadense) wild grape (Vitis riparia) wild oats (Uvularia sessilifolia) wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea) woodland horsetail (Equisetum sylvaticum) woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca ssp. americana) yellow avens (Geum aleppicum) yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius) yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) yellow violet (Viola pubescens) yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta) Acer ginnala (Amur maple) Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder) Acer saccharinum (silver maple) Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple) Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Actaea rubra ssp. rubra (red baneberry) Agrimonia gryposepala (common agrimony) Agrimonia pubescens (soft agrimony) Alisma subcordatum (American water plantain) Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) Alnus incana ssp. rugosa (speckled alder) Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) Ambrosia trifida var. trifida (giant ragweed) Amphicarpaea bracteata var. comosa (American hog peanut) Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) Anemone virginiana (tall thimbleweed) Apocynum androsaemifolium (spreading dogbane) Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp) Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla) Arctium minus (common burdock) Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit) Asarum canadense (wild ginger) Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) Athyrium filix-femina ssp. angustum (northern lady fern) Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera (paper birch) Bromus ciliatus (fringed brome) Bromus inermis (smooth brome) Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed) Campanula rapunculoides (creeping bellflower) Carya cordiformis (bitternut hickory) Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis (broadleaf enchanter’s nightshade) Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle) Cirsium discolor (field thistle) Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle) Cornus amomum ssp. obliqua (silky dogwood) Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood) Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood) Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover) Daucus carota ssp. carota (Queen Anne’s lace) Desmodium canadense (Canadian tick-trefoil) Echinocystis lobata (wild cucumber) Equisetum sylvaticum (woodland horsetail) Erigeron annuus (annual fleabane) Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus (Philadelphia fleabane) Erigeron strigosus (prairie fleabane) Euphorbia virgata (leafy spurge) Euthamia graminifolia var. graminifolia (grass-leaved goldenrod) Eutrochium maculatum (spotted Joe Pye weed) Fragaria vesca ssp. americana (woodland strawberry) Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry) Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) Galium aparine (cleavers) Galium concinnum (shining bedstraw) Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw) Geranium maculatum (wild geranium) Geum canadense (white avens) Geum aleppicum (yellow avens) Glechoma hederacea (ground ivy) Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed) Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian’s sunflower) Helianthus strumosus (paleleaf woodland sunflower) Heliopsis helianthoides var. occidentalis (false sunflower) Heracleum sphondylium ssp. montanum (American cow parsnip) Hordeum jubatum ssp. jubatum (foxtail barley) Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum (Virginia waterleaf) Impatiens capensis (spotted touch-me-not) Iris domestica (blackberry lily) Juglans nigra (black walnut) Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar) Laportea canadensis (Canadian woodnettle) Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort) Leucanthemum vulgare (oxeye daisy) Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle) Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus (bird’s-foot trefoil) Lycopus americanus (American bugleweed) Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal) Malus pumila (paradise apple) Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica (ostrich fern) Medicago lupulina (black medick) Melilotus albus (white sweet clover) Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover) Menispermum canadense (Canada moonseed) Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) Myosoton aquaticum (giant chickweed) Nepeta cataria (catnip) Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (ironwood) Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel) Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine) Persicaria amphibia (water smartweed) Persicaria pensylvanica (Pennsylvania smartweed) Persicaria punctata (dotted smartweed) Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass) Phleum pratense (timothy) Physalis heterophylla var. heterophylla (clammy groundcherry) Picea glauca (white spruce) Pilea pumila (Canadian clearweed) Pinus strobus (eastern white pine) Pinus sylvestris (Scotch pine) Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain) Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (smooth Solomon’s seal) Populus balsamifera (balsam poplar) Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood) Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil) Prunella vulgaris (heal-all) Prunus americana (American plum) Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry) Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry) Pycnanthemum virginianum (Virginia mountain mint) Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak) Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak) Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup) Ratibida pinnata (gray-headed coneflower) Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac) Ribes americanum (American black currant) Ribes missouriense (Missouri gooseberry) Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust) Rosa arkansana var. suffulta (prairie rose) Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry) Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan) Rumex crispus (curly dock) Sagittaria latifolia (broad-leaved arrowhead) Salix amygdaloides (peachleaf willow) Salix discolor (pussy willow) Salix interior (sandbar willow) Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa (red elderberry) Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot) Saponaria officinalis (bouncing bet) Scrophularia lanceolata (early figwort) Scutellaria lateriflora var. lateriflora (blue skullcap) Silene latifolia ssp. alba (white campion) Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade) Solidago altissima (late goldenrod) Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod) Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod) Sonchus arvensis (field sow thistle) Sonchus asper (prickly sow thistle) Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass) Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion) Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow rue) Tilia americana (American basswood) Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy) Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard) Trifolium campestre (field clover) Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover) Trifolium pratense (red clover) Trifolium repens (white clover) Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail) Typha latifolia (broad-leaved cattail) Ulmus americana (American elm) Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) Ulmus rubra (slippery elm) Ulmus thomasii (rock elm) Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis (stinging nettle) Uvularia sessilifolia (wild oats) Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein) Verbena hastata var. hastata (blue vervain) Verbena urticifolia (white vervain) Viburnum opulus var. opulus (European cranberrybush) Vicia americana ssp. americana (American vetch) Vicia villosa ssp. villosa (hairy vetch) Viola pubescens (yellow violet) Viola sororia (common blue violet) Vitis riparia (wild grape) Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash)