Dakota County, MN

The Adopt-a-Highway Program looks for volunteers to collect litter along designated segments of County highways to help keep roadsides clean. Coordination of the program and supplies (safety vests, trash bags and training) are provided by the Dakota County Transportation Department.

Interested? Check to see what sections of roadway are available for adoption on the Adopt-a-Highway map.

Help us keep our roadways clean. Volunteers looking to collect litter along designated segments of County highways can help without adopting a section of road or forming a group. Coordination of the program and supplies (safety vests, trash bags and training) are provided by Dakota County Transportation staff.

​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.

Dakota County Citizen Advisory Committees support county government by involving citizens in the decision-making process, meeting requirements of state law, helping to define community norms and standards, providing technical expertise, serving as advocates, offering feedback, and reflecting the diverse interests of Dakota County clients and residents.

Now is the perfect time to get out and help out. Group volunteering is a meaningful break from the work/daily routine to help build camaraderie, collaboration, improve team communications, and to help make lasting change. Dakota County’s volunteer opportunities offer many unique and rewarding experiences for your group to experience together. All supplies, training, and event organization is taken care of by us. All your group needs to do is show up, ready to work and have fun!  

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. 

Disclaimer: The positions listed below are not with Dakota County Volunteers but with another organization located in Dakota County or serving Dakota County residents.

You may have to complete additional registration/documentation with the host organization to fully apply for these openings. The organizations that host these opportunities take full responsibility for the organization and management of their volunteers.

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.

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.  

Lake Byllesby Regional Park is nestled in the scenic Cannon River Valley on Lake Byllesby Reservoir, the largest lake in southern Dakota County. This beautiful park offers vast open space for a variety of year-round activities including cooling off in the splash pad or lake, staying overnight in our campsite, or taking a boat ride to take in the sheer cliff facings on shore that are hundreds of years old. Make sure to catch a glimpse of the Lake Byllesby Dam before you leave.

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. 

Enjoy the feel of northern Minnesota from this scenic park that overlooks the Mississippi River. A rest stop along the Great River Road, Spring Lake Park Reserve is the "hidden jewel" of the Upper Mississippi River Valley. The Schaar’s Bluff Trailhead and picnic area provide a scenic overlook of the Mississippi River Valley as well as access to summer hiking and winter ski trails.

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.