Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 4.06% of Brooklyn Center’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Palmer Lake Park (0.5 mi), Northport Park (0.5 mi). 6% of Brooklyn Center’s land is conserved, about 288 acres.
Ahead of 77% of U.S. towns · #127 of 274 in Minnesota. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Brooklyn Center?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Brooklyn Center have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Brooklyn Center is ahead of 77% of U.S. towns, #127 of 274 in Minnesota. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; trail miles pull it down.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Palmer Lake Park, with 0.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Northport Park
All 18 parks & preserves
288 conserved acres
6% of Brooklyn Center’s land. Who manages Brooklyn Center’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial Park Local Park | Town or city | 64 | Open |
| Shingle Creek Trail Local Park | Town or city | 23 | Open |
| Kylawn Park Local Park | Town or city | 22 | Open |
| Evergreen Park Local Park | Town or city | 19 | Open |
| Northport Park Local Park | Town or city | 18 | Open |
| North Mississippi Regional Park Local Park | Town or city | 17 | Open |
| East Palmer Park Local Park | Town or city | 16 | Open |
| West Palmer Lake Park Local Park | Town or city | 15 | Open |
| Lion'S Park Local Park | Town or city | 10 | Open |
| Grandview Park Local Park | Town or city | 10 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
26 places to go in Brooklyn Center
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Plus 19 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
4 lakes & rivers
29 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
September is the best month for walking in Brooklyn Center
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 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 23 | 28 | 41 | 56 | 69 | 78 | 82 | 80 | 72 | 58 | 41 | 28 |
| Rain (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 1.0 |
January is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.4 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Brooklyn Center →
Brooklyn Center and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Center | 6% | 0.3 | 17 | 99%+ | A− |
| Brooklyn Park | 11% | 0.6 | 23 | 99% | A |
| Crystal | 8% | 0.7 | 13 | 99%+ | A |
| Fridley | 9% | 0.7 | 22 | 99%+ | A |
| Robbinsdale | 10% | 0.6 | 15 | 99%+ | A |
| Minneapolis | 11% | 1.5 | 11 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Brooklyn Center
Where can I hike in Brooklyn Center?
The longest trail networks: Palmer Lake Park, 0.5 miles; Northport Park, 0.5 miles; Centennial Park, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Brooklyn Center is conserved land?
6% 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 Brooklyn Center’s trails?
Palmer Lake Park and Northport Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Brooklyn Center?
29 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.5 of painted or protected lanes and 27 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Brooklyn Center?
31,532 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Brooklyn Center or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 562 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Brooklyn Center have?
Ahead of 77% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #127 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 Brooklyn Center neighbors.
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 →