Woodland Trails Park

Elk River, MN


	About

	Ownership


	Links
	City of Elk River

	Overview
	The City of Elk River describes Woodland Trails Park as “crown jewel of the Elk River Park system”. That may make it sound like a big fish in a little pond, but that phrase would not do it justice. This 371-acre park has two native plant communities, about 10 miles of hiking trails, and a biathlon range. The trails are wide and well marked, including distance markers every kilometer. Woodland Trails Park preserves an area of low hills and swales formed by the advance of the Wisconsin glaciation about 12,000 years ago. Today, the area is mostly covered in a oak-maple woodland. A small black ash swamp occupies a low area to the west.

	History
	In August of 2016 the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission disignated Woodland Trails Park as a Significant Regional Designation. It is one of only 41 parks and trails in Greater Minnesota to receive that designation. The designation as a regional park makes it possible to receive state funding for park projects.

	Management


	Comments


	Location

	Maps
	Winter trail map Summer trail map

	Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates


	Size
	427 acres

	Parking
	20135 Elk Lake Road Elk River, MN 55330-5600 N45 20.159, W93 36.165

	Hours
	6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

	Fees
	No fee


	Driving Directions
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					Sherburne County
					Central Minnesota


	Activities

	Hiking Trails
	4.7 miles paved bike trails About 5 miles unpaved hiking trail The 4¾-mile Great Northern Trail, a paved bike trail on an abandoned railway, passes througn the park.

	Hunting
	No hunting


	Ecology

	Ecological Classification
	Ecological Province			Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province
	Ecological Section			Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal
	Ecological Subsection			Anoka Sand Plain
	Land Type Association			Anoka Lake Plain Elk River Moraine

	Native Plant Communities*
	Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Alder Swamp (Eastcentral) Southern Dry-Mesic Oak (Maple) Woodland
	* Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources

	Natural Features


	Visitor Photos

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	MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

	Park Entrance


	Prairie Loop


	Poplar Loop


	North Mickey


	Great Northern Trail


	The “Pin”


	Gravity Box


	Terminal Morraine


	Top of the World


	Wash Pond Flats

Camera

slideshow


	Visitor Videos

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	Other Videos


	Woodland Trails Regional Park Winter Trails City of Elk River

	About Mar 1, 2022 The seasons are changing in Minnesota, but before winter transitions to spring, we wanted to show residents just what goes into winter trail maintenance at Woodland Trails Regional Park, while also highlighting and thanking the many volunteers who make it happen! Check it out!