The city of Long Lake, Minnesota is a smaller western city in the Twin Cities metro. It features a number of parks and trails that are available to the public. It is the nice combination of active and passive outdoor recreational options that truly make Long Lake’s park system shine. Some of the most notable examples include:

Long Lake: Long Lake is the basis for the city of Long Lake’s name. As the only major body of water connected to the city (Lake Minnetonka is close nearby), Long Lake is the primary source of outdoor aquatic recreation for Long Lake’s residents. At 284 acres in size and reaching a maximum depth of 33 feet, Long Lake is a great destination for swimming, boating, and fishing.

Nelson Lakeside Park: Located in the heart of downtown, Nelson Lakeside Park is on Long Lake and is one of the city of Long Lake’s most popular summer locations. It features a public boat launch, fishing pier, rack for canoe storage, a swimming beach, a picnic shelter, outdoor grills and picnic tables around the park, playground equipment, and is home to the Long Lake Veterans Memorial. With so many outdoor amenities available to the public, Nelson Lakeside Park is a fun destination for the whole family.

Holbrook Park: Holbrook Park is a medium-sized park featuring a wealth of active outdoor amenities. During the warmer months, visitors can enjoy a ballfield and bleachers, a seasonal dog park, a half-basketball court, playground equipment, picnic tables, and grills. This variety of amenities makes Holbrook Park a popular summer destination with something for everyone. During the colder months, a hockey rink, ice rink and a warming house open up for the public. This mix of year-round activity makes Holbrook Park a central location for residents and visitors alike.

Hardin Park: Hardin Park offers tennis courts, a basketball court, playground equipment, picnic tables, benches, and walking trails. One of Long Lake’s smaller parks, Hardin offers a quieter getaway for those seeking passive outdoor recreation. It’s tennis courts, however, are very popular and start attracting visitors as soon as the snow melts.

Luce Line Trail: What was once a railroad line that transported people to downtown Minneapolis on electrically-propelled trains has been converted into 63 miles of trails developed for biking and mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. With trails running from Plymouth in the western suburbs to Cosmos in west-central Minnesota, the Luce Line Trail is a fabulous way to be active and explore nature. It helps to connect Long Lake to it’s neighboring cities.