Woodland Trails Park

Elk River, MN

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

 
     
 

Links

 
 

City of Elk River

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

The City of Elk River describes Woodland Trails Park as “crown jewel of the Elk River Park system”. That may make it sound like a big fish in a little pond, but that phrase would not do it justice. This 371-acre park has two native plant communities, about 10 miles of hiking trails, and a biathlon range. The trails are wide and well marked, including distance markers every kilometer.

Woodland Trails Park preserves an area of low hills and swales formed by the advance of the Wisconsin glaciation about 12,000 years ago. Today, the area is mostly covered in a oak-maple woodland. A small black ash swamp occupies a low area to the west.

 
     
 

History

 
 

In August of 2016 the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission disignated Woodland Trails Park as a Significant Regional Designation. It is one of only 41 parks and trails in Greater Minnesota to receive that designation. The designation as a regional park makes it possible to receive state funding for park projects.

 
     
 

Management

 
 

 

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

Winter trail map

Summer trail map

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
         
         
 

Size

 
 

427 acres

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

20135 Elk Lake Road 
Elk River, MN  55330-5600

N45 20.159, W93 36.165

 
         
 

Hours

 
 

6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

 
         
 

Fees

 
 

No fee

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

Get driving directions from Google Maps to this destination from any address, and send those directions to your phone.

   
          Sherburne County  
          Central Minnesota  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

4.7 miles paved bike trails
About 5 miles unpaved hiking trail

The 4¾-mile Great Northern Trail, a paved bike trail on an abandoned railway, passes througn the park.

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

No hunting

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

   
  Ecological Section    

Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal

   
  Ecological Subsection    

Anoka Sand Plain

   
  Land Type Association    

Anoka Lake Plain

Elk River Moraine

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Alder Swamp (Eastcentral)

Southern Dry-Mesic Oak (Maple) Woodland

 

   
  * Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources      
         
 

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this destination.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

 

 
 

 

 
           
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Park Entrance

 
    Woodland Trails Park   Woodland Trails Park  
           
 

Prairie Loop

 
    Woodland Trails Park      
           
 

Poplar Loop

 
    Woodland Trails Park      
           
 

North Mickey

 
    Woodland Trails Park      
           
 

Great Northern Trail

 
    Woodland Trails Park      
           
 

The “Pin”

 
    Woodland Trails Park   Woodland Trails Park  
           
 

Gravity Box

 
    Woodland Trails Park      
           
 

Terminal Morraine

 
    Woodland Trails Park   Woodland Trails Park  
           
 

Top of the World

 
    Woodland Trails Park   Woodland Trails Park  
           
 

Wash Pond Flats

 
    Woodland Trails Park      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this destination.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Woodland Trails Regional Park Winter Trails
City of Elk River
 
   
 
About

Mar 1, 2022

The seasons are changing in Minnesota, but before winter transitions to spring, we wanted to show residents just what goes into winter trail maintenance at Woodland Trails Regional Park, while also highlighting and thanking the many volunteers who make it happen! Check it out!

 

 

Camcorder

           
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Share your sightings or comments about of this destination.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
 
 

 

 
 

 

 
         
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

4/23/2016

  5/12/2017            
 
 

Amphibians

 
 

Ameroasian treefrogs (Dryophytes spp.)

boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata)

  boreal chorus frog  
 

Birds

 
 

Six bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:

Special Concern

Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan)

Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina)

Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

 
 

eBird Field Checklist

 
 

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)

Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)

Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

Eastern Wood-peewee (Contopus virens)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)

 

American Goldfinch

Blue Jay

Canada Goose

Gray Catbird

Mallard

Mourning Dove

Northern Cardinal

Wood Duck

 
 

Fungi and Lichens

 
 

Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum)

Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)

Common Greenshield Lichen (Flavoparmelia caperata)

Crown Rust (Puccinia coronata)

Dryad’s Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus)

False Tinder Fungus (Phellinus igniarius)

False Turkey Tail (Stereum ostrea)

Hairy Bracket (Trametes hirsuta)

Hoof Fungus (Fomes fomentarius)

Milk-white Toothed Polypore (Irpex lacteus)

Northern Cinnabar Polypore (Trametes cinnabarina)

Smooth Patch (Aleurodiscus oakesii)

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore (Daedaleopsis confragosa)

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

 

Common Greenshield Lichen

Dryad’s Saddle

Hoof Fungus

Willow Bracket

 
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis)

common green darner (Anax junius)

dot-tailed whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)

eastern boxelder bug (Boisea trivittata)

eastern comma (Polygonia comma)

eastern tent caterpillar moth (Malacosoma americanum)

eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

goldenrod bunch gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis)

goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)

mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)

painted lady (Vanessa cardui)

red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

spongy oak apple gall wasp (Amphibolips confluenta)

spring azure (Celastrina ladon)

willow pinecone gall midge (Rabdophaga strobiloides)

 

common green darner

eastern comma

mourning cloak

spongy oak apple gall wasp

 
 

Mammals

 
 

American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)

plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

  plains pocket gopher  
 

Plants

 
 

One plant species with conservation status in Minnesota is found here:

Special Concern

creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Alder Swamp (Eastcentral) WFn64b

Southern Dry-Mesic Oak (Maple) Woodland FDs37

     
 

 

absinthe wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

Allegheny blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis)

alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum)

American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana)

American elm (Ulmus americana)

American hazelnut (Corylus americana)

American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana)

American plum (Prunus americana)

American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis)

big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)

bigleaf aster (Eurybia macrophylla)

bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata)

black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina)

black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii)

bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii)

bluntleaf sandwort (Moehringia lateriflora)

boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo)

bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa)

Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)

Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense)

chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana)

cleavers (Galium aparine)

common blue violet (Viola sororia)

common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

common burdock (Arctium minus)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common duckweed (Lemna minor)

common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

common false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum)

common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca)

common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

crested wood fern (Dryopteris cristata)

cut-leaved coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata)

downy arrowwood (Viburnum rafinesqueanum)

downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens var. pubescens)

Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)

dwarf raspberry (Rubus pubescens)

early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum)

eastern false rue anemone (Enemion biternatum)

eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana)

eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)

field horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta)

field thistle (Cirsium discolor)

fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum)

garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)

glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus)

gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)

ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

Howell’s pussytoes (Antennaria howellii)

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

interrupted fern (Claytosmunda claytoniana)

jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus)

late goldenrod (Solidago altissima)

little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

Missouri gooseberry (Ribes missouriense)

Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)

nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)

narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia)

nodding trillium (Trillium cernuum)

northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum)

northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis)

northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

northern red oak (Quercus rubra)

northern starflower (Lysimachia borealis)

ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica)

paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera)

paradise apple (Malus pumila)

Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)

plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera)

prairie violet (Viola pedatifida var. pedatifida)

purple meadow-rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa)

red maple (Acer rubrum var. rubrum)

red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea)

rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica)

round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata)

rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides)

scouring rush horsetail (Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

silvery cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea)

small white violet (Viola macloskeyi ssp. pallens)

smooth sumac (Rhus glabra)

speckled alder (Alnus incana ssp. rugosa)

sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum)

sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)

switch grass (Panicum virgatum var. virgatum)

tamarack (Larix laricina)

variegated yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon ssp. argentatum)

veiny pea (Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus)

Virginia stickseed (Hackelia virginiana)

white avens (Geum canadense)

white clover (Trifolium repens ssp. repens)

white oak (Quercus alba)

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)

wild grape (Vitis riparia)

wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)

wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia var. quinquefolia)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

 

Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder)

Acer rubrum var. rubrum (red maple)

Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)

Alnus incana ssp. rugosa (speckled alder)

Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem)

Anemone quinquefolia var. quinquefolia (wood anemone)

Antennaria howellii (Howell’s pussytoes)

Antennaria neglecta (field pussytoes)

Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine)

Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit)

Artemisia absinthium (absinthe wormwood)

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)

Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum (northern lady fern)

Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera (paper birch)

Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge)

Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry)

Cirsium discolor (field thistle)

Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood)

Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood)

Corylus americana (American hazelnut)

Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman’s breeches)

Dryopteris cristata (crested wood fern)

Enemion biternatum (eastern false rue anemone)

Equisetum arvense (field horsetail)

Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine (scouring rush horsetail)

Eurybia macrophylla (bigleaf aster)

Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry)

Frangula alnus (glossy buckthorn)

Galium aparine (cleavers)

Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw)

Geranium maculatum (wild geranium)

Geum canadense (white avens)

Glechoma hederacea (ground ivy)

Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed)

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Lamium galeobdolon ssp. argentatum (variegated yellow archangel)

Larix laricina (tamarack)

Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus) (veiny pea)

Lemna minor (common duckweed)

Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort)

Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover)

Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle)

Lysimachia borealis (northern starflower)

Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower)

Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal)

Malus pumila (paradise apple)

Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica (ostrich fern)

Menispermum canadense (Canada moonseed)

Moehringia lateriflora (bluntleaf sandwort)

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)

Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)

Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely)

Claytosmunda claytoniana (interrupted fern)

Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (American hophornbeam)

Panicum virgatum var. virgatum (switch grass)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Pinus strobus (eastern white pine)

Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain)

Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood)

Populus grandidentata (bigtooth aspen)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Potentilla argentea (silvery cinquefoil)

Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil)

Potentilla recta (sulphur cinquefoil)

Prunus americana (American plum)

Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry)

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry)

Quercus alba (white oak)

Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak)

Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak)

Quercus rubra (northern red oak)

Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup)

Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)

Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)

Ribes missouriense (Missouri gooseberry)

Rubus allegheniensis (Allegheny blackberry)

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Rubus pubescens (dwarf raspberry)

Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata (cut-leaved coneflower)

Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa (red elderberry)

Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)

Solidago altissima (late goldenrod)

Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thalictrum dasycarpum (purple meadow-rue)

Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow-rue)

Thalictrum thalictroides (rue anemone)

Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood)

Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Trifolium repens ssp. repens (white clover)

Trillium cernuum (nodding trillium)

Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail)

Ulmus americana (American elm)

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm)

Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis (American stinging nettle)

Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein)

Viburnum lentago (nannyberry)

Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood)

Viola macloskeyi ssp. pallens (small white violet)

Viola pedatifida var. pedatifida (prairie violet)

Viola pubescens var. pubescens (downy yellow violet)

Viola sororia (common blue violet)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash)

 

alsike clover

American plum

black cherry

black raspberry

Canada mayflower

common blue violet

common evening primrose

common mullein

common strawberry

downy yellow violet (var. pubescens)

Dutchman’s breeches

eastern white pine

field thistle

ground ivy

Missouri gooseberry

Morrow’s honeysuckle

nannyberry

northern prickly ash

northern pin oak

northern starflower

prairie violet

red clover

red elderberry

rue anemone

purple meadow-rue

white clover

wild columbine

wild geranium

wild grape

wood anemone

 
 

Reptiles

 
 

common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)

painted turtle (Chrysemys picta)

  western painted turtle  

 

 

Binoculars

 

Created:

Last Updated:

© MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.

About Us

Privacy Policy

Contact Us