Dakota County, MN

We all have items we don't need that just take up space. Choosing to donate those items and choosing used over buying new saves money and it’s better for the environment. That is why Dakota County hosts Fix & Swap events in partnership with our Fix-it Clinics.

Community Swaps provide an opportunity for the community to leave their unwanted items and then take as many available items as they wish – for free. All items left over after the event will be donated to a local reuse retailer. 

Working together makes us stronger, builds better bridges and opens up a world of opportunity to our residents. The Dakota County Volunteer Network (DCVN) exists to help local nonprofits and organizations tap into Dakota County's broader volunteer network. We seek to not only activate people who live in Dakota County but to everyone living in the Twin Cities metro and beyond. As participating organizations, we work together to build better programming and to share insights and ideas so that all of us can flourish and thrive in the causes that our organizations care about and support. 

Dakota County Volunteer Network - Connecting Communities to Local Opportunities. 

DISCLAIMER: Some of these opportunities are not managed by Dakota County Volunteers but with another local organization. You may have to complete additional registration and/or documentation with the host organization to participate with the activity. The organizations that host these opportunities take full responsibility for the organization and management of the activities listed below. 

LeDuc Historic Estate was built between 1862 and 1866 by William Gates LeDuc and his wife Mary LeDuc near the Vermillion River in Hastings, Minnesota. The LeDucs were prominent early settlers of Minnesota and played significant roles in the state's growth from a territory to a state. Take a step back in time and hear stories about the LeDuc family and the history of the 1800s.

1629 Vermillion Street
Hastings, MN 55033
651-438-8480
Get Directions

The Estate is open to the public Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from May 15 through October 25 and on special occasion the rest of the year.

Address
20085 Heritage Dr
Lakeville, MN 55044

Phone
952-891-0360

Regular Hours
Monday–Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Closed on holidays

Address
131 Seventh Ave. N

South St. Paul, MN 55075

Phone
651-480-0900

Regular Hours
Monday–Thursday: noon - 8:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: Closed

Closed on holidays

Address
1340 Wescott Road
Eagan MN 55123-1029

Phone
651-450-2900

Regular Hours
Monday–Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Closed on holidays

Have an extra excuse to enjoy the outdoors – become a Dakota County Parks Trail Ambassador! Our park ambassador teams provide a vital service to our trail programs by providing trained assistance with directions, FAQs, rule compliance and first aid care. Qualified candidates are enthusiastic and frequent users of our parks and that want to serve as friendly ambassadors to other park visitors.

Volunteer on your own time (no set schedule - you go out when you want), while personally enjoying the trails, it doesn’t get better than that. A variety of recreation can be performed within our ambassador program. See below for open team recruitment (you can join more than one team depending on what activity you do while in the parks). 

Help maintain your dog's mental and physicals health by getting them outside to roam. Dakota Woods Dog Park is a 16-acre, fenced-in, wooded park that is a great place to let your dog run and exercise on and off-leash. The park is centrally located in Dakota County, just east of Rosemount and north of Farmington.  

This charming 57-acre park provides a quiet get-a-way in the midst of West St. Paul. The park features a large picnic and playground area that overlooks Thompson Lake and miles of wooded trails that link Thompson County Park to Kaposia Park and to the Mississippi River Regional Trail. Thompson County Park is also the home of the Dakota Lodge — a four-season event center that is perfect for weddings, reunions, meetings, banquets, retreats, parties and much more.

Whitetail Woods Regional Park is located in Empire Township in the center of Dakota County, one mile north of the Vermillion River. Whitetail Woods provides year round fun from sledding down hill in the winter to enjoying a walk through the flowering prairie during the spring to taking in the relaxing sounds of an outdoor concert during the summer. Looking to get away for a weekend? Unique cabins for rent offer year-round comfy lodging for you and your family to explore the outdoors.

The American Red Cross and Dakota County partner to offer onsite blood donations at our main building locations throughout the county.