Loved discovering this park with a friend! Made for a great place to meet and go for a socially-distant hike. We went around Empire Lake and some other trails and also checked out the cool modern cabins too. The trails are exceptionally well-signed and it’s practically impossible to get lost as a result! The outdoor playground is very innovative and have lots of interactive sections or “rooms” as well as varied landscaping incorporated throughout too. Well worth the visit!

Wonderful park to day trip to. We rented the shelter for a grandparents birthday party due to Covid. Was wonderful, great shelter, serving kitchen area with full size fridge and full size freezer. Lots of room for kids to run. Tons of charcoal grills to utilize for cooking. Great fire pit and seating. Is really nice in the evening when lights turn on. We cant wait to try the cabins sometime.

We were very impressed with this park once we found it after a wrong turn! Very nice pavilion, restrooms, and outdoor play area for children (play area was closed during our visit). Beautiful picturesque landscaping and fall foliage around the grassy lawn and dry creek bed area. Many families were having pictures taken. Plentiful trails, paved and natural. Definitely will return to explore more!

Beautiful place to take your dog and family for a walk, lots of trails, spread out so even when its busy there is plenty of room to go around groups. It has become our family weekend place to go, especially nice during sunset!

I took a walk on the trails on the east side of the park on an unusually warm day on November.Pros:- Trails are wide and open. This is great if you want to go for a socially distant walk work someone outside your pod.- Despite a fairly crowded parking lot, the trail was pretty empty and very peaceful.- There are other trails to try.Cons:- The signage at the beginning of the trail is difficult to navigate. Once youre on the trail, it works better.- Google directions were not good. Took some creativity to actually get there.- The trail I took had no shade or protection from the wind. It was 70 and windy, which was fine. Had it been hotter or colder it might have been unpleasant.- The trail had holes dug sporadically. They were about the right size to catch a foot and twist an ankle. Id hope park maintenance would do a more thorough job on filing them in (or at least marking them.)

Great place for an easy hike or run and looks like it will be great this winter for cross country skiing or snow shoeing. Nice looking sledding hill, too! Im interested to see what the picnic shelter area is like in the summer months.

Beautiful place with lots of hiking options. The cabins that you can rent are also very cool

Now that path goes all around the body of water it is great for walking on blacktop or go hiking in trails through woods

Beautiful regional park. Lots of good hiking and skiing trails. We stayed in the camper cabins for the night. Very cozy cabins with immaculate wood architecture. Highly recommend booking a night in one of the camper cabins.

A new Dakota County Regional Park with great trails, varied flora, including oak savanna, cedar trees, and terraced grasses. Paved trail circles Empire Lake with wood or aluminum bridges that cross bogs.

First off beware of the bugs. This must a mosquito sanctuary. Just bring your bug spray for walking in the woods. Everywhere else is fine. The pavilion is new though with social distancing its not really useable unless you are all family. Plenty of perfectly spaced out tables otherwise. Trails are easy to navigate with littles.

One of my go to walking trails. Easy to navigate. Also the 2020 renovations are amazing. A new paved trail around the lake and an improved wider boardwalk over the marsh. Great for strollers, wagons, and wheelchairs.

Over 2 miles of easy paved trails. Also marked for social distancing (1 way directions.) Good for aquatic bird watching.

Loved the new paved/boardwalk path around the lake!

Newer park that has all the makings of a great day trip. Current state: terrific trails through prairie, wetlands, and forest. The pavilion is huge and very nice. Not as much shade, but the trees are still young.

This park was fantastic! Miles and miles of paved and natural trails to hike. Plenty of maps and signs to make sure you know where youre going. Well taken care of.

Beautiful cabin that has a great design and use of space. Nice get away! Many great hiking trails, natural kids play area and open space by the large picnic shelter.

Just wow.. we stayed in camper cabin which is awesome..

Cold day, but trails were clean and clear.

Nice to get out and enjoy the peace and quiet......

Absolutely beautiful. Very quiet and an absolutely wonderful way to spend that quality 1-1 time with family and friends. Very clean and organized. Will recommend and revisit.Only 1 negative.... The shower water could be a little hotter. But what a wonderful get away. Reasonable pricing!! Staff helpful and polite.

They just finished the paved path around the lake. Best fall colors we’ve seen in the area.

Not far from Minneapolis and a very easy drive. The number one nice thing its free. The place is very big, very clean and lots of picnic tables to sit and eat with the family.

I like these woods and the park, but I havent been able to enjoy the full scope of them due to a majority of the park and trails being closed right now due to renovations. Excited to see what it looks like afterwards. But of the trails that are open right now, be cautious--they are a haven for mosquitos in the wooded areas. Bring your deep woods bug spray!

Love this park. They are doing a lot of new stuff. Cant wait to see what it looks like in 2021.

New paved trail around Lake. Nice addition to park

Great trails, new park- will be even better once they are done with their construction work on some trail areas.

Usually a great place to walk and observe nature, but when we went today, there were so many local road closures as well as construction near the entrance that it took us a while to figure out how to get in, park, and find a path that wasnt closed due to whatever theyre doing there. The prairie flowers and plants were wonderful, though!

I spent a glorious 2 hours hiking around Whitetail Woods and saw no one. The trails were well maintained and well marked. The award-winning camper cabins live up to the design hype. It was a nice mix of marshland, woods, and open expanses. It was worth the 40-minute drive from Minneapolis for sunny solitude.

Beautiful picnic area!! We also walked around the lake and that was great too!

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I love this park but due to construction all of the good trails are closed and the bathroom at the pavilion is closed because of COVID-19.The one trail open from the pavilion parking area was WAY too buggy. We got so many bites in a few minutes and i got poison ivy and we only made it to the beginning of the woods lol. Check out a different park this summer or come prepared with an arsenal of bug repellent

Beautiful! Walked around the lake on a paved trail but many more unpaved trails left to explore.

I loved the trails and all the walking. Its a good clean park. They have picknic tables and those immovable grills and trails its not as long as spring lake park but it is still pretty big.

This park was terrible, never go here if you want beautiful open views combined with easy trails and manageable terrain changes.

Large open park with a good variety of interesting landscapes. Features an especially beautiful area where a raised walkway cuts through a marsh. I prefer parks with slightly less linear paths and more opportunities to explore off the the beaten path. Not much of that here.

Really beautiful park. Ive only used the sledding hill, but it is well groomed and safe, with snow fences and a safe pathway back up the hill. Excellently maintained buildings and restrooms. We saw many folks hiking and cross country skiing. Plentiful parking too.

We love this park. Great waking trails, fun water pumps for the kids to play with and get dirty, plenty of great climbing tree, plus a super fun sledding hill in the winter.

Little difficult to find, but it is an awesome park!

Love this place! Camper cabins are relatively new and clean. Fits up to 6 people. Two double bunks and two sofas that turn into twin beds. Three camper cabins total on the premises and youll need to book way in advance if you want a weekend in the summer. We stayed on a Thurs in July in cabin #2. There is nearby parking for the cabins with a wheelbarrow locked at each site that opens with a key youre given at check-in. You take the wheelbarrow back to your car to lug your belongings. My only suggestion for improvement would be to have a lock box on site to get your keys and not have to drive 10 mins to Lebanon Hills. However we did purchase firewood there ($6/bundle) during check-in; staff was friendly and helpful. They also give you a bag for garbage, recycling, and compost to separate for the dumpsters. They provide a broom and cleaning supplies in the cabin for when you leave, so its as you arrived. The bonfire pit has a couple logs to sit on and a picnic table nearby but Id bring camping chairs next time. Each cabin has a deck with chairs that has a peaceful view. Dont forget Deep Woods bug spray, youre in a very wooden area!

Beautiful, well maintained regional park.

This would have been a 5 star a year ago. The trails seem to be getting less and less attention and are getting kind of hard to walk on. They also cut down a bunch of trees next to the pond for extending the blacktop path which i am not sure if they have plans to blacktop the whole trail system? When it first opened it was great and well taken care of. We still go for walks there just have noticed the deterioration or the trails this last year.

I honestly adore this park. Its beautiful.

Fun place to walk. Lots of horseflys unfortunately. Wear bug spray

Beautiful trails. Really nice picnic pavilion.

Awesome sledding hill, best in the area. The hill is raked and groomed, with lights for night time sledding until the park closes. Lots of fun, especially during times it isnt busy, since the hill is narrow.

Wide walking paths. Good range of difficulty (some moderate uphill sections). No loud traffic

Best kept secret in Dakota County! Wheel chair access facility. Paved and grass trails through wooded areas and fields for hiking that have abundant wild flowers. Camper cabins are available is summer. Winter brings cross country skiing, snow shoeing and a sledding hill. New shelter facility with restrooms.

This is a quieter facility than nearby Dakota parks as others mention. The trails are comfortable with flat to rolling terrain and seem to handle moisture fairly well. The natural play area is great for kids who love to explore, and the picnicking facilities are the best in the system Id say.

VERY buggy in the woods. All the best trails are closed as of Summer 2020.

Beautiful park, only problem is the maps. For us stupid people there are no you are here markers.

Amazing park. you can be in the woods or in the fields or even next to a lake. This place is incredible. Very clean and very well maintained.

My husband and I had our wedding reception here and it was gorgeous! The fire pit is a huge plus :)

First time here, very nice! Bring big spray for the hiking

Really nice recent upgrades.

Beautiful park. Great setting for a picnic and a walk through nature.

Beautiful park and wonderfully upkept. Great trails through the woods, prairie, and around the lake. Has a shelter for restrooms and drinking fountains.

Havent been all around in the summer yet, but I liked what I saw so far

Very impressed with the new trail, culvert system. These trails are paved for wheel chairs, theyre probably over a mile at this point.

Maps on signs have not kept up to trail system.

Amazing place, not too busy when I went. I have a 2 & 4 year old so I didnt hit the walking trails but the water/sand feature is amazing! My girls also loved running on the open grass that is obviously setup as an amphitheatre. Cant wait for the music in the park to start in June! Spent 5 hours here when I expected to spend 2...

Girlfriend and I discovered this place a couple of weeks back. Wonderful hiking area. Great for taking in some nature. Not as well known as labanon hills but thats a good thing. The amphitheater area is so new and wonderfully maintained. Will be back to discover more.

Nice and quiet natural place to plan family picnic / hiking!

Beautiful paths, such an awesome park

Beautiful cabins! Perfect for a night away or mini vacation.My only wish was that the cabins were a little more spread out. Nothing like spending time in a nice cabin that was so thoughtfully designed with a massive regional park to observe out your deck only to be within nearly spitting distance from the next cabin. It definitely makes it lose some of the luster of the secluded feel to the cabin.

Lovely park. Great for runs, walking dogs, gatherings, and photo shoots. Its pretty far outside of the city and roads are closed occasionally so be aware of that.

Big disappointment. No playground equipment.

Wonderful trails. Lots of open space.

I love this area I bought my four year old son here. We took a short walk in the woods and played at the water table area. Its a lovely place for a picnics. There is a fire pit and grills and picnic tables. There are bathrooms with running water at the park as well.

Great place for hiking and picnics. so much wide open spaces and things to explore.

Beautiful trails, a great place to experience and appreciate nature!

Wonderfully designed outdoor space, tons of trails, picnic areas. Winter and summer activities galore, worth a visit!

Large place, needs more trees.

A work in progress. Trails were long and uncut grasses. Very wet and not well marked.

Tons of nice trails, perfect place to escape quarantine

Expansive park with great hiking trails! Camper cabins as well. No campground.

Amazing trails and plenty of hills! If youre looking for a wide variety of scenery, this is a great place to go!

Great hike! Only saw one other group on a weekday 5 mile hike. Great facilities for all ages!

Nice secluded place. Great location for a walk with the dog.

Love Whitetail woods!! Fun geocaching spot, gorgeous trails. Many froggies. Me gusta

Took the kids snowshoeing, decent options for trails. The snow was deep and there was ample opportunity to break our own trails...kids were exhausted which was a plus. There is a sledding hill in the reserve which is close to the parking lot

Great park very natural.. Not over developed.

Pretty park

Park is in early stages of being developed into an incredible Regional Park to be envied by this Goodhue resident (and Park Board member) where we dont have the massive budget to creste this kind of extensive and beautiful resource. Trails are varied and follow shoreline of Empire Lake and maturing hardwood forest. They are great any time of year! Lots of bird life present. A wonderfully designed picnic shelter to rent for large and small events with kitchen facilities and ample bathrooms. Great Natural Play area for kids with several creative stations. Also Camper Cabins will be popular for close to home getaway options. Thank you to whomever made this land available for this purpose!

Awesome facilities! Amphitheatre i is great for large group activities. Beautiful park.

This amazingly maintained, safe, beautiful, naturally vegetated park is the perfect place to walk. I am astounded by the detail they have put into their maps (for people like me that suck at map-reading, theyve kindly put a map at every path intersection, always facing north, with additional posts that say to __). Every time I visit Minnesota I go to Whitetail Woods. Highly recommended for many reasons, but this time of year (late summer), an especially beautiful place to photograph butterflies, dragonflies, and bumblebees.

A beautiful park with plenty of gathering areas. The picnic area is lovely with a great view of the water.

Good area for hiking and playing with the kids. Well maintained

Very peaceful and quite, rare to find a place this beautiful so close to the cities. Will definitely be back!

Fawn crossing nature play area is a little basic, but the kids had a lot of fun in the water.

Creative play area for children (rocks, sand, boulders, water) - they pretend to be fawns rather than traditional slides and swings; nice walking trails (some wide, paved, handicap accessible if you are able to power or push up hills)

Excellent park for as new as it is. It has a bright future ahead with all the upcoming plans. Camper cabins are great--my daughter and I get one every year for a father/daughter XC ski. Trip.with adequate snow the trails are great for skiing and snowshoeing.

Cool place to go drive. Just dont go down a service road in a hatchback and get stuck in the snow like I did. Thats what these are for right? Learning lessons.

Nice trails with various degrees of difficulty. Plenty of open spaces.

A great place for pets, a great place to go for a walk/hike, and all around a great place to visit. Would definitely recommend for people of all ages.

Great natural play area and gorgeous covered patio and fire pit

Great park with a wide variety of hiking trails to choose from.

Awesome. Simply the best.

Great place to go on a walk, or setup a hammock and just watch the sunset. If you go down by the water, make sure to pack bug spray because its a wall of bugs.

A good start, but still needs a little bit of work. Could use more restrooms, and better marked trails. FYI very near a shooting range so if you hear gunshots thats what it is most likely. Shooting range Lanes face North away from the park.