Dakota County Parks

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 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.  

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.

The Community Learning Garden program offers a meaningful, hands-on opportunity for individuals and groups to support local food access, environmental stewardships and community education. Volunteers work alongside Dakota County Parks staff and fellow community members to grow organic produce and work in maintaining a welcoming, healthy gardening space for learning and connection. Produce that is harvested is donated to The Open Door Food Pantry in Eagan.

Volunteer opportunities are designed to fit a variety of schedules and interests, ranging from single day events to ongoing seasonal commitments. See the list below to view open opportunities for the gardening season.

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.