Hyland Lake Park Reserve
Managed by Three Rivers Park District
1,047 acres13.2 mi of trail
Lake TrailNorth TrailHill TrailOak Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Tyler Vigen · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Bloomington
23% of Bloomington’s land is conserved, and 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park
23% of Bloomington’s land is conserved, about 5,112 acres. 47 miles of mapped trail cross Bloomington, 1.3 per square mile of land. 3,547 acres are parks and preserves, 40 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns · #14 of 274 in Minnesota. What drives it
Conserved land
23%
5,112 acres · of 34.7 sq mi of land
Trails
47 mi
1.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,547 ac
40 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
119 mi
45 mi lanes · 74 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
36
5 beaches · 9 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Bloomington?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Bloomington have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Bloomington is ahead of 97% of U.S. towns, #14 of 274 in Minnesota. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Bloomington’s overall grade.
Conserved land23% of the land · typical MN town 5% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.3 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (47 mi) · MN 0.5 · U.S. 0.4APark land40 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,547 acres) · MN 24 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home99% of residents within a half mile of a park · MN 95% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 97%
LessMore
Minnesota towns of 2,500+ (274)Ahead of 95%
Water is 10% of Bloomington’s area (4 of 38 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 21%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Hyland Lake Park Reserve, with 13.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Nature preserve
2,678 acres5.9 mi of trail
Bloomington Ferry TrailHillside TrailMinnesota River Bottoms Singletrack TrailSpur Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Bush Lake Park
Managed by Three Rivers Park District
304 acres2.1 mi of trail
Bush Lake Walking Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Tierney's Woods
Managed by Three Rivers Park District
149 acres1.9 mi of trail
Cherrywood trailBirch trailHIgh water bypass
No dogs
Directionsto Tierneys WoodsWebsite ↗
All 74 parks & preserves
Hyland Lake Park Reserve1,047 acres · 13.2 mi of trail · Three Rivers Park District
DirectionsMinnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge2,678 acres · 5.9 mi of trail
DirectionsRiver Valley Park159 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBush Lake Park304 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Three Rivers Park District
DirectionsTierney's Woods149 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Three Rivers Park District
DirectionsMarsh Lake Park479 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsCentral Park66 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsDred Scott Playfield47 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLake Girard Park64 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsBill Warren Park65 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
Bloomington Off-Leash Dog Park35 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsSmith Park24 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsBryant Park21 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMoir Park20 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsTarnhill Playground32 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsGene C. Kelly Youth Playfield28 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsReynolds Playground15 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWright's Lake Park14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHyland Hills Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
Cavell Pond7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
Poplar Bridge Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
DirectionsNormandale Lake Park180 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Three Rivers Park District
DirectionsHeritage HIlls Park43 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
DirectionsValley View Playfield36 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
DirectionsPond-Dakota Mission Park20 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSunrise Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSouthglen Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
DirectionsNorthcrest Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRunning Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSouthwood Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsVanderbie Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Countryside Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBrye Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHampshire Hills Playlot4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTretbaugh Bike Skills Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
DirectionsColumbus Playlot3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
Bloomington Central Station Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCooks Playlot1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Pleasant Playlot1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
Lyndale Green Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Bloomington
DirectionsWyoming Playlot1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Bloominton
DirectionsFort Snelling State Park159 acres · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsAnderson Lakes37 acres · Three Rivers Parks
Skriebakken Park32 acres
DirectionsBrookside Park25 acres
DirectionsHaeg Park22 acres
DirectionsOxboro Lake Park22 acres · City of Bloomington
DirectionsHarrison Picnic Grounds19 acres
DirectionsWestwood Park13 acres
DirectionsNorman Ridge Park9 acres · City of Bloomington
Lower Penn Lake Park9 acres
DirectionsBoone Pond9 acres · City of Bloominton
Hampshire Pond8 acres · City of Bloomington
Adelman Pond7 acres · City of Bloomington
DirectionsRidgeview Park7 acres
DirectionsQuail Ridge Park6 acres
Lincoln Park5 acres
DirectionsXerxes Pond5 acres · City of Bloomington
DirectionsMaplewood Park4 acres
DirectionsRiver Ridge Playlot3 acres · City of Bloomington
DirectionsSoens Playlot2 acres · City of Bloomington
Fenlason Park2 acres
DirectionsMcAndrews Playlot2 acres
Logan Playlot2 acres
DirectionsXavier Ridge Playlot2 acres
Pickfair Pond2 acres · City of Bloomington
Izaak Walton Beach2 acres
Eight Crest Playlot1 acres · City of Bloomington
Dupont Playlot1 acres · City of Bloomington
Southdell Playlot1 acres · City of Bloomington
Hohag Playlot1 acres · City of Bloomington
Effa Playlot1 acres
Rhodes Playlot1 acres
Hyland Hills Tennis Courts1 acres · City of Bloomington
Who protects it
5,112 conserved acres
23% of Bloomington’s land. Water is left out: Bloomington has 34.7 square miles of land and 3.7 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Bloomington’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service4,358 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits2,498 ac
Town or city1,543 ac
Regional agency970 ac
State parks45 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 4,358 acLocal Park · 4,041 acLocal Conservation Area · 970 acState Park · 45 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 4,358 | Restricted |
| Long Meadow Lake Unit Park Local Park | Land trusts & nonprofits | 2,212 | Open |
| Hyland Lake Park Reserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 948 | Open |
| Bloomington Ferry Unit Park Local Park | Land trusts & nonprofits | 286 | Open |
| Marsh Lake Park Local Park | Town or city | 181 | Open |
| Mount Normandale Lake Park Local Park | Town or city | 181 | Open |
| Central Park Local Park | Town or city | 117 | Open |
| Tierneys Woods Park Local Park | Town or city | 111 | Open |
| West Bush Lake Park Local Park | Town or city | 67 | Open |
| Girard Lake Park Local Park | Town or city | 63 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
111 places to go in Bloomington
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Bloomington
Bush Lake BeachIn Bush Lake Park
DirectionsPlus 4 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Bloomington
1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Bloomington
Hyland Lake Park Reserve & Play AreaIn Hyland Lake Park Reserve
DirectionsNature Play AreaIn Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Directions80 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Bloomington
1 dog park without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Bloomington
Russell A. Sorenson LandingIn Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
DirectionsPlus 8 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Bloomington
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Bloomington
Old Mill SiteIn Central Park
DirectionsPlus 6 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Bloomington
Mount GilboaIn Hyland Lake Park Reserve
DirectionsPicnic areas in Bloomington
WoodcrestIn Hyland Lake Park Reserve
DirectionsPlus 1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Bloomington
2 disc golf without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Bloomington
South Loop Community GardenCity of Bloomington
DirectionsPlus 1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
21 named trails and 36 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.8 miHorses · 0.5 miUnpaved · 27.3 mi
Lake Trail1.4 mi
North Trail1.3 mi
Hill Trail1.2 mi
Cherrywood trail1.1 mi
Oak Trail0.7 mi
Bloomington Ferry Trail0.6 mi
Prairie Trail0.6 mi
Oak Knob0.5 mi
Birch trail0.5 mi
Boulder Ridge0.5 mi
11 more trails
Minnesota River Bottoms Singletrack Trail
0.5 miBush Lake Walking Trail
0.5 miHillside Trail
0.4 miOsprey Trail
0.3 miAspen Trail
0.3 miPond Loop
0.2 miHIgh water bypass
0.2 miMuscrat Trail
0.1 miSpur Trail
0.1 miCentral Parkway
0.1 miNature Center Spur
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Adelman PondpondAncel's Glen LakelakeBarthels PondpondBush LakeCollege PondFord PondFrog PondpondGoose Nest PondpondHampshire PondHeritage Hills PondpondHogback PondpondHutton PondHyland LakeKingsdale PondLake GirardLake NormandaleLittle PondLong Meadow LakelakeMarsh LakeMuskrat PondNine Mile LakelakeOverlook LakelakeOxboro LakePauly's PondpondPenn LakePond CpondSE Anderson LakeSkriebakken PondSt. Edwards PondTarnhill PondTurtle Basking PondWallo PondWanda Miller LakeWood Duck PondYouth Fishing PondpondMinnesota River
Biking & sports
119 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
45 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
74 mi
off-road bike paths
0.7 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Minnesota River BottomsBike route
1.2 miCourts & fields
93Baseball
89Tennis
56Basketball
33Pickleball
16Soccer
6Beach volleyball
6Volleyball
4Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →3 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The walking year in Bloomington
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.1 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.0 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 23 | 28 | 42 | 57 | 69 | 79 | 83 | 80 | 73 | 58 | 42 | 28 |
| Rain (in) | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 1.1 |
January is the driest month (0.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Bloomington →
Next door
Bloomington and its neighbors
Bloomington has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Eagan49 miBloomington47 miEden Prairie37 miEdina26 miBurnsville21 miSavage13 miMendota Heights8.3 miRichfield7.8 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | 23% | 1.3 | 40 | 99% | A+ |
| Savage | 18% | 0.8 | 36 | 98% | A |
| Burnsville | 12% | 0.9 | 33 | 99%+ | A |
| Eagan | 22% | 1.6 | 64 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Edina | 12% | 1.7 | 25 | 99% | A |
| Eden Prairie | 17% | 1.1 | 58 | 99% | A+ |
| Richfield | 11% | 1.2 | 13 | 99%+ | A |
| Mendota Heights | 18% | 0.9 | 83 | 97% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Bloomington
Where can I hike in Bloomington?
The longest trail networks: Hyland Lake Park Reserve, 13.2 miles; Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, 5.9 miles; River Valley Park, 2.5 miles; Bush Lake Park, 2.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Bloomington is conserved land?
23% of its land, against a typical 5% for a Minnesota town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Bloomington’s trails?
Hyland Lake Park Reserve and Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Bloomington?
119 miles of bike routes are on the map: 45 of painted or protected lanes, 74 of off-road paths and 0.7 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Minnesota River Bottoms.
Is there public land near Bloomington?
45,152 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Bloomington or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,547 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Bloomington have?
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #14 of 274 in Minnesota. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Bloomington neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →