Lebanon Hills Regional Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lebanon Hills Regional Park |
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View from the trail around Jensen Lake
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 Lebanon Hills Regional Park
Location in Minnesota
Lebanon Hills Regional Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | Dakota, Minnesota, United States |
| Area | 1,869 acres (7.56 km2) |
| Elevation | 958 ft (292 m) |
| Established | 1967 |
| Governing body | Dakota County Parks |
Lebanon Hills Regional Park is a huge outdoor space in Eagan and Apple Valley, Minnesota. It's the biggest park in Dakota County, covering about 1,869 acres. That's like more than 1,400 football fields! The park is full of different natural areas, including thick forests, open grasslands, and watery marshes and wetlands.
No matter the season, there's always something fun to do here. In winter, you can go skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, or even try ice fishing. You can also hike or ride mountain bikes on special winter trails. When summer arrives, the park is perfect for mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, camping, horseback riding, and hiking.
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Discovering Lebanon Hills: A Park's Story
Lebanon Hills Regional Park started small in 1967. It began with just 80 acres around Jensen Lake, which is one of the park's largest lakes. Over the years, the park grew a lot! By 2015, more land was added 40 different times. This made the park the huge 1,869-acre space we know today.
Inside the park, you'll find 13 different lakes and ponds. There are also many trails for hiking, biking, skating, skiing, and even horseback riding. If you want to stay overnight, there's a campground. The park also has a special place called Camp Sacajawea, which is a retreat center.
Your Adventure Starts Here: Park Entrances
The visitor center trailhead is the main entrance to Lebanon Hills Regional Park. It's like the park's welcome center!
Visitor Center Fun
At the visitor center, you can rent canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards in the summer. In winter, you can rent cross-country skis, snowshoes, and kicksleds. The park also hosts special programs led by naturalists. These programs teach you about nature and wildlife. There are also picnic areas with grills, perfect for a family meal.
Right next to the visitor center is Schulze Lake Beach. Here, you can go swimming and use the changing rooms and showers. The visitor center also hosts cool events. These include a family-friendly New Year's Eve party and the "Trails by Candlelight" event in February.
Other Great Trailheads
- Equestrian Trailhead: If you have a horse, this is the place for you! It has parking for horse trailers. You can explore over 10 miles of wooded trails on horseback.
- Holland Lake Trailhead: This spot has a pier for fishing. There's also a picnic shelter where you can relax. Trails from here connect to the rest of the park's trail system.
- Jensen Lake Trailhead: This trailhead is great for picnics. It has several picnic areas and a large picnic shelter. There's also a playground for kids. You can enjoy a 2-mile hiking loop around Jensen Lake from here.
Overall, the park has more than 14 miles of hiking trails for summer. In winter, there are 12 miles of trails for snow activities.
Awesome Mountain Bike Trails!
The mountain bike trails at Lebanon Hills are super popular. The first trails were built thanks to a partnership between Dakota County and a group called Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists (MORC). Because these first trails were so successful, the system grew even bigger.
Now, there are almost 12 miles of trails for all skill levels. You can find trails for beginners, intermediate riders, and even expert and double-expert riders. MORC helps keep these trails in great shape. The trails are mostly hard-packed dirt paths, called singletrack. They have lots of fun challenges like roots, rocky areas, log piles, banked turns (berms), bridges, and jumps. In 2012, new features were added. These included a paved parking lot, changing rooms, bathrooms, a picnic area, and a special mountain bike skills park.
Protecting Our Trees: The Emerald Ash Borer
In 2014, a tiny but dangerous beetle called the emerald ash borer was found in the park. This beetle attacks and harms ash trees. Park staff had already been working to protect the ash trees. They treated some trees with special bug spray and removed others.
Now, the park is under a state and federal quarantine. This means rules are in place to help stop the beetle from spreading to other areas. It's important to protect our trees!
A Pipeline Through the Park: What's Happening?
In 2016, a plan was approved for a natural gas pipeline to cross a wetland area in the park. This pipeline is a project by Northern Natural Gas. It will follow a path that was already set aside for utilities.
Some people were concerned because building the pipeline might disturb a very important natural area. However, experts from the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District believe the pipeline is unlikely to cause long-term harm to the wetland. The project is moving forward after getting approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (a government group that oversees energy projects).
Gallery
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One of the narrow wooden bridges on the advanced loop of the mountain bike trail
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Schulze Lake
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Portage Lake in early November
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Cross country ski trails
