Dakota County, MN

​Protecting Dakota County’s valuable surface water and groundwater resources is an important responsibility for everyone who lives and works here. Dakota County helps protect water quality every step of the way.

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
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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.

Dakota County Parks offers a variety of opportunities for groups and individuals wishing to share their talents and time volunteering in their county park system. If you enjoy working with people or have a passion for nature, Dakota County Parks is the place for you.

Throughout the year, Dakota County Parks host stewardship opportunities and other habitat restoration events where volunteers can help with seed collecting, tree and shrub planting, plant propagation, greenhouse support and much more. Various sites and opportunities available seasonally across our park system.

Have an extra excuse to enjoy the outdoors – become a Dakota County Parks Trail Ambassador! Our ambassador teams support 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.  

Lebanon Hills Regional Park is the crown jewel and largest park in the Dakota County park system. Containing almost 2,000 acres, the park offers miles of trails and many lakes for year-round outdoor sports, recreation and environmental education. The Lebanon Hills Visitor Center, located in the eastern section of the park, offers park information, interactive nature displays, courses and programs for all ages, and equipment rentals. 

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.