Minnesota's Network of Parks & Trails

The Center for Changing Landscapes was directed by the Minnesota State Legislature to create a long-range framework for an integrated statewide parks and trails system that provides information on the natural resource-based recreational opportunities available throughout the state. The detailed framework must include an inventory of existing regionally and statewide significant parks and trails, respond to recreational trends and demographic changes, and identify underserved areas, overused facilities, and gaps in the current parks and trails system (Minn. Gen. Laws 64.8 § 6).

Below you will find the two reports (framework and summary inventory), and supporting documents including county maps, trends summary, and regional socio-demographic profiles.

Minnesota's Network of Parks & Trails: Framework

The framework provides information that can guide decisions for acquiring and developing parks and trails. It suggests ways to link resources to meet the needs of a growing and diversifying populace and create a synergistic statewide network.

(click image to download the entire document - 52mb)

Download in sections:

Section 1: Cover, TOC, Executive Summary

Section 2: Project Introduction

Section 3: Statewide & Regional Opportunities

Section 4: Statewide Strategies

Section 5: Regional Strategies

Section 6: Project Approach

Section 7: Recreation Opportunity Analysis

Section 8: References & Appendices

Minnesota's Network of Parks & Trails: Summary Inventory

The inventory is a snapshot of the status of natural resource-based parks and trails in Minnesota, intended to be a useful tool to help citizens, local, regional, and state officials make decisions about establishing and developing parks and trails.

(click image to download the entire document - 52mb)

Download in sections:

Section 1: Cover, TOC, Intro, Methodology

Section 2: Statewide Socio-Demographics

Section 3: Landscape Context of Study Regions

Section 4: Study Regions Physical Setting Inventory

Section 5: Statewide Physical Setting Inventory

Section 6: Recreation Experience Inventory

Settion 7: References & Appendices


County Maps & Regional Profiles

February 10, 2011: The regional profiles by Mae Davenport and Ingrid Schneider have been finalized and are available for review. These reports provide detailed information on recreation trends, and outline recreation experience opportunities in all regions of Minnesota.

Central Region Recreation Profile

Metro Region Recreation Profile

Northeast Region Recreation Profile

Northwest Region Recreation Profile

South Region Recreation Profile

January 15, 2011: The county maps listed below have been updated as of January 15, 2011. We will continue to update this information during the spring, so please email Brian Schreurs if you have revisions.

Please hit *refresh* each time you visit this site to ensure you see the most recently posted information.

Aitkin Anoka Becker Beltrami Benton Big Stone Blue Earth Brown Carlton Carver Cass Chippewa Chisago Clay Clearwater Cook Cottonwood Crow Wing Dakota Dodge Douglas Faribault Fillmore Freeborn Goodhue Grant Hennepin Houston Hubbard Isanti Itasca Jackson Kannabec Kandiyohi Kittson Koochiching Lac qui Parle Lake Lake of the Woods Le Sueur Lincoln Lyon Mahnomen Marshall

Martin McLeod Meeker Mille Lacs Morrison Mower Murray Nicollet Nobles Norman Olmsted Otter Tail Pennington Pine Pipestone Polk Pope Ramsey Red Lake Redwood Renville Rice Rock Roseau Scott Sherburne Sibley St. Louis - North St. Louis - South Stearns Steele Stevens Swift Todd Traverse Wabasha Wadena Waseca Washington Watonwan Wilkin Winona Wright Yellow Medicine

*All maps are formatted to print at 11x17 size. Please contact us if you require a different size.

 

Earlier Updates:

July 26, 2010 - A draft of Minnesota trends (both demographic and recreation related) is available here. Please contact Mae Davenport and Ingrid Schneider with questions or comments.

July 9, 2010 - all 87 county maps are posted for review! If you notice we are lacking some information do get in touch via email. Because of the scale of the map, some small natural-resource based parks will not show up on these maps. If you want to check to see we have the information, contact Brian Schreurs.

Draft regional profiles by Mae Davenport and Ingrid Schneider provide detailed information on recreation trends, and outline recreation experience opportunities in all regions of Minnesota. Please review the following documents and provide your feedback to Mae and Ingrid.

Central Region Recreation Profile (Draft May 2010)

Metro Region Recreation Profile (Draft May 2010)

Northeast Region Recreation Profile (Draft May 2010)

Northwest Region Recreation Profile (Draft May 2010)

South Region Recreation Profile (Draft May 2010)

 

Additional Information

Minnesota Parks and Trails Legacy Plan
From their website:In 2008, Minnesotans passed the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Act.  14.25% of the funds generated from the 3/8% increase in the sales tax will provide funding for regional and state parks and trails.  

The Legislature requested that a plan be developed to provide guidance for how these funds should be spent, as well as other traditional sources of funding for state and regional parks and trails.  The Department of Natural Resources was charged with leading the planning effort in collaboration with other park and trail providers, non governmental organizations, and citizens.  The plan includes goals and measurable outcomes and a vision for Minnesotans of what the regional and state parks and trails will look like in 25 years.

Questions or inquiries regarding the project? Please contact Cindy Zerger, Project Manager.