Woodland Trails Regional Park
About • Location • Activities • Ecology
About |
Ownership |
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Overview |
The City of Elk River describes Woodland Trails Regional 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 427-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 Regional 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 2015, Woodland Trails Park expanded to include the nearby Big Tooth Ridge Park. In August of 2016 the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission disignated Woodland Trails Park as a Regional Park. The designation makes it possible to receive state funding for park projects. |
Management |
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Location |
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Size |
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427 acres |
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Driving Directions |
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Parking |
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20135 Elk Lake Road Park entrance |
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Hours |
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6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. |
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Fees |
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No fee |
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Maps |
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Activities |
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Hiking Trail running Biking Mountain biking Horseback riding Picnicking Camping Swimming Boating Canoeing Birding Nature photography Horseshoes Volleyball Geocaching Cross country skiing Skate-skiing Winter hiking Snowshoeing Snowmobiling |
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Trails |
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Hunting and Fishing |
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Ecology |
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Ecological Classification |
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| Ecological Province |  |
Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province |
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| Ecological Section |  |
Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal |
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| Ecological Subsection |  |
Anoka Sand Plain |
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| Land Type Association | Anoka Lake Plain Elk River Moraine |
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Native Plant Communities* |
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Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Alder Swamp (Eastcentral) Southern Dry-Mesic Oak (Maple) Woodland |
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| * Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources | |||||
Natural Features |
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Visitor Photos |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Park entrance |
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Prairie Loop |
Poplar Loop | |
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North Mickey |
Great Northern Trail | |
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The “Pin” |
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Gravity Box |
Wash Pond Flats | |
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Terminal Morraine |
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Top of the World |
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Slideshows |
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Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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Woodland Trails Regional Park Winter Trails |
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! |
Visitor Sightings |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
Visits |
4/23/2016 5/12/2017 |
Amphibians |
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Fungi and Lichens |
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Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum) Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa) Common Greenshield Lichen (Flavoparmelia caperata) Crown Rust (Puccinia coronata) Dryad’s Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus) False Tinder Fungus (Phellinus igniarius) False Turkey Tail (Stereum ostrea) Hairy Bracket (Trametes hirsuta) Hoof Fungus (Fomes fomentarius) Milk-white Toothed Polypore (Irpex lacteus) Northern Cinnabar Polypore (Trametes cinnabarina) Smooth Patch (Aleurodiscus oakesii) |
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Insects and Arachnids |
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blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) common green darner (Anax junius) dot-tailed whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta) eastern boxelder bug (Boisea trivittata) eastern comma (Polygonia comma) eastern tent caterpillar moth (Malacosoma americana) eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) goldenrod bunch gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis) goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) spongy oak apple gall wasp (Amphibolips confluenta) spring azure (Celastrina ladon) |
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Mammals |
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American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) |
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Plants |
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Plants frequently found in: Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Alder Swamp (Eastcentral) WFn64b |
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absinthe wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) Allegheny blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis) alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana) American elm (Ulmus americana) American hazelnut (Corylus americana) American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana) American plum (Prunus americana) American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) bigleaf aster (Eurybia macrophylla) bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata) black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina) black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii) bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii) bluntleaf sandwort (Moehringia lateriflora) boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa) Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense) chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana) common blue violet (Viola sororia) common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) common burdock (Arctium minus) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common duckweed (Lemna minor) common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) 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 yarrow (Achillea millefolium) crested wood fern (Dryopteris cristata) cut-leaved coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata) downy arrowwood (Viburnum rafinesqueanum) downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens) Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) dwarf raspberry (Rubus pubescens) early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum) eastern false rue anemone (Enemion biternatum) eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta) field thistle (Cirsium discolor) fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum) garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) Howell’s pussytoes (Antennaria howellii) Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) interrupted fern (Claytosmunda claytoniana) jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) late goldenrod (Solidago altissima) little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) Missouri gooseberry (Ribes missouriense) Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia) nodding trillium (Trillium cernuum) northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum) northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis) northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) northern red oak (Quercus rubra) northern starflower (Lysimachia borealis) ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica) paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera) Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica) plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera) prairie violet (Viola pedatifida) purple meadow-rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) red clover (Trifolium pratense) red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa) red maple (Acer rubrum var. rubrum) red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea) rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica) round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata) rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) scouring rush horsetail (Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine) silvery cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea) small white violet (Viola macloskeyi ssp. pallens) speckled alder (Alnus incana ssp. rugosa) sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum) sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) switch grass (Panicum virgatum var. virgatum) variegated yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon ssp. argentatum) veiny pea (Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus) Virginia stickseed (Hackelia virginiana) white clover (Trifolium repens ssp. repens) wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder) Acer rubrum var. rubrum (red maple) Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple) Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) Alnus incana ssp. rugosa (speckled alder) Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem) Anemone quinquefolia var. quinquefolia (wood anemone) Antennaria howellii (Howell’s pussytoes) Antennaria neglecta (field pussytoes) Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine) Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla) Arctium minus (common burdock) Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit) Artemisia absinthium (absinthe wormwood) Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum (northern lady fern) Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera (paper birch) Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge) Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry) Cirsium discolor (field thistle) Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood) Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood) Corylus americana (American hazelnut) Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman’s breeches) Dryopteris cristata (crested wood fern) Enemion biternatum (eastern false rue anemone) Equisetum arvense (field horsetail) Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine (scouring rush horsetail) Eurybia macrophylla (bigleaf aster) Fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry) Frangula alnus (glossy buckthorn) Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw) Geranium maculatum (wild geranium) Glechoma hederacea (ground ivy) Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed) Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar) Lamium galeobdolon ssp. argentatum (variegated yellow archangel) Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus) (veiny pea) Lemna minor (common duckweed) Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort) Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover) Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle) Lysimachia borealis (northern starflower) Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower) Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal) Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica (ostrich fern) Menispermum canadense (Canada moonseed) Moehringia lateriflora (bluntleaf sandwort) Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose) Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely) Claytosmunda claytoniana (interrupted fern) Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (American hophornbeam) Panicum virgatum var. virgatum (switch grass) Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine) Pinus strobus (eastern white pine) Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain) Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood) Populus grandidentata (bigtooth aspen) Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) Potentilla argentea (silvery cinquefoil) Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil) Potentilla recta (sulphur cinquefoil) Prunus americana (American plum) Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry) Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry) Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak) Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak) Quercus rubra (northern red oak) Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup) Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) Ribes missouriense (Missouri gooseberry) Rubus allegheniensis (Allegheny blackberry) Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry) Rubus pubescens (dwarf raspberry) Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata (cut-leaved coneflower) Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa (red elderberry) Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) Solidago altissima (late goldenrod) Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod) Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass) Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion) Thalictrum dasycarpum (purple meadow-rue) Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow-rue) Thalictrum thalictroides (rue anemone) Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood) Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover) Trifolium pratense (red clover) Trifolium repens ssp. repens (white clover) Trillium cernuum (nodding trillium) Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail) Ulmus americana (American elm) Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis (American stinging nettle) Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein) Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood) Viola macloskeyi ssp. pallens (small white violet) Viola pedatifida (prairie violet) Viola pubescens (downy yellow violet) |
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