Overview of Parks

& Trails in Edina

The city of Edina is home to a wide array of parks, each offering their own unique amenities. Within each of the city’s four quadrants, residents enjoy a wealth of active and passive outdoor recreational options. This article will examine the parks found within the individual neighborhoods of each quadrant.

Northeast Quadrant

Arden Park: Arden Park is the only park found within the Arden Park neighborhood. Known for its hockey and ice skating facilities, Arden Park is a central location within the city. Edina’s storied and longstanding hockey tradition has been largely formed by the Arden Park rink, and as such, the members of the community cherish its significance.

York Park: York Park is one of two parks found within the Chowen Park neighborhood. It is located along the northern end of the neighborhood adjacent to Minnehaha Creek. While the only amenities found within the park are a baseball field and a playground, York Park is utilized for local ball games and visitors enjoy the scenic beauty of the nearby creek.  

Chowen Park: Chowen Park shares the name of the neighborhood in which it resides. While not altogether very large, the park’s central location and great amenities make it a neighborhood favorite. With a playground, foursquare court, basketball court, soccer field, and open space, the park is an integral part of the surrounding community. Local youth, young families, and those desiring outdoor recreation all appreciate the amenities that Chowen Park offers.

St. John’s Park: St. John’s Park is a wonderful amenity for the local neighborhood. A large, open space in the midst of a residential area, the park is perfect for throwing a frisbee, playing soccer, sharing a picnic with friends, exercising the dog, or simply going for a stroll.

Wooddale Park: Wooddale Park is a very popular sporting facility within the city. Home to a variety of ballfields, the park is the go to destination for local leagues and programs. The park includes softball, soccer, and football fields as well as a playground and an open field.

Edina Country Club: Country Club neighborhood was named after its inclusion of the Edina Country Club. The Edina Country Club is one of the Twin Cities’ premier country clubs. A private club offering a world-class, 18-hole golf course, tennis facilities with four clay courts and two hard courts, two paddle tennis courts, an olympic sized swimming pool with a cabana and snack bar, and a 65,000 square foot clubhouse. Within the clubhouse, members are treated to a golf shop, locker room facilities, a fitness room, two premium dining establishments, a pub, and a plethora of meeting spaces for events of all sizes.

York Park: The Creek Knoll neighborhood contains half of York Park. A largely undeveloped park, York Park offers visitors passive outdoor recreation. It is seated along the Minnehaha Creek, and its walking paths provide visitors with a very peaceful stroll while allowing for scenic views of the natural beauty. The other half of York Park is found within the Chowen Park neighborhood and includes a baseball field.

Utley Park: Utley Park is located across from the Edina Country Club. Open to the public, the park features two tennis courts, a basketball court, numerous picnic areas, as well as open space. Ideal for those seeking active outdoor recreation or a quiet place to enjoy time with loved ones, Utley Park provides simple, scenic entertainment in the outdoors.

Weber Park: This 12-acre recreational park established in 1948 offers a hockey rink and warming house, softball and baseball fields, tennis courts, basketball court, and children’s playground. The park was named in 1950 after George Weber. While both Calvin Christian School and the local Golden Years Montessori School utilize the park for school programming, it is also open to the public. The park’s central location makes it convenient for all.

Yale Gardens Park: Yale Gardens Park is another park found primarily within the Morningside neighborhood. While mainly serving as an open space for the nearby Susan Lindgren Elementary School, Yale Gardens Park is a great location to throw a frisbee or exercise the dog. In addition, visitors can utilize the soccer nets found within the park for a game of soccer.

Pamela Park: The crucial characteristic in the neighborhood is the extensive 64 acre Pamela Park. With its soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, warming house and ice rinks, playground, wooded area and wetlands, the park is ideal for all ages and interests. The wetlands are a member of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and are protected by the DNR. Ideal for an active day at the park or a peaceful picnic, Pamela Park is a great destination for the neighborhood and city.

Strachauer Park: The local Strachauer Park, from which the neighborhood derives its name, is a 5-acre park with soccer fields, a skating and hockey rink, warming house, basketball courts and a playground. The park is a wonderful spot to watch the city’s amazing 4th of July fireworks. The fireworks are shot over Lake Cornelia, southwest of Strachauer Park, and getting the best views requires an early arrival because of how many people like to come. Throughout the year, the park sees a wide array of visitors, and is even an off-leash dog area seasonally.

Northwest Quadrant

Birchcrest Park: Birchcrest Park is a small, 2 acre park located on the western border of the Birchcrest neighborhood. Best known as a park for young families and children, the park’s amenities include a playground, swing set, large field for games, and numerous areas of shade. The tall, mature oaks are perfect for encapsulating the park and providing rest areas. Parents can let their kids play in confidence while enjoying a picnic or simply time in the outdoors.

Tingdale Park: Tingdale Park is the smaller of the two parks found within the Birchcrest neighborhood. While small, it provides a great atmosphere for families of all ages. With a playground, baseball field, drinking fountain, benches, and plenty of trees for shade, Birchcrest is the ideal location for a picnic with the family or an afternoon of fun.

Walnut Ridge Park: Walnut Ridge Park is one of the larger parks found within the city of Edina. At 44 acres, it features a wealth of amenities for all ages and interests. Visitors enjoy the half mile walking path, as well as abundant wildlife found within the nearby pond. Additionally, the park provides a playground, baseball field, ice rink, warming house, and tennis courts for visitors. With so much open space and room to explore, residents and visitors alike are sure to have a great time at Walnut Ridge Park.

Bredesen Park: Bredesen Park is an very large, 206 acre park that is popular among visitors and residents alike. The major draw of the park is the fact that it remains largely undeveloped. The major landmark is Nine Mile Creek. The park has over 2 miles of trails for bikers, joggers, and walkers to enjoy, many of which encircle the creek. With an abundance of wildlife all around, visitors will enjoy the scenic beauty and peaceful atmosphere of Bredeson Park.

Creek Valley School Park: The main park within the Creek Valley neighborhood, Creek Valley School Park is located adjacent to Creek Valley Elementary School. This location makes it ideal for younger families or students of the nearby school. At 10 acres, the park boasts one of the largest playgrounds within the park system in addition to having five soccer fields, basketball hoops, foursquare grids, and a giant sledding hill. Children are sure to love the swings and slides that the playground offers. Additionally, during the winter months the hockey rink and warming house are very popular amenities.

Fox Meadow Park: Fox Meadow Park is one of the newly remodeled parks in Edina. It encompasses an area of 4 acres and offers visitors access to a playground, beautiful gazebo, benches, and walking trails. The revitalization of the park was made possible through the donations of nearby neighbors. Cherished by the local community, Fox Meadow Park is an important destination within the Fox Meadow community.

Mirror Lake: Mirror Lake is located directly above Fox Meadow Park and plays a role in the local neighborhood. Numerous homes are located along the lake, offering abundant wildlife and scenic views. While the lake isn’t a motorized body of water, it adds to the beauty of the area. Additionally, it runs adjacent to the Interlachen Country Club located in a nearby neighborhood.

Highland Park: Highland Park is a 44-acre park that includes playing fields, tennis courts, hiking paths, and a hockey rink and warming house in the wintertime. Visitors enjoy the lush scenery, and the soccer fields are a particularly popular amenity due to the large practice field available between games. With its great amenities and engaging environment, Highland Park is an integral component of the Highland neighborhood.

Melody Lake Park: Located adjacent to Melody Lake, the lake sharing the neighborhood’s name, Melody Lake Park is a great location for wildlife enthusiasts of all ages. A largely undeveloped area, this 4 acre park is home to an abundance of wildlife. Visitors can enjoy a myriad of birds and woodland creatures all while appreciating the scenic beauty of the lake. The park offers numerous trees and several benches for rest and shade from the sun.

Alden Park: Alden Park is the only park found within the Presidents neighborhood. A peaceful, 5-acre park situated among grassy hilltops, Alden Park is a staple of the local neighborhood. In addition to offering visitors a playground and a basketball court, the park includes numerous benches and picnic areas for passive recreation.

Todd Park: Todd Park is the only park found within the neighborhood sharing its name. It is a 33-acre park with athletic fields, walking paths, a playground, and a park shelter/warming house. The park is named for T. Lea Todd, former chair of the Edina Planning Commission and president of the Village Council, 1943-1968. A popular destination within the community, the park is centrally located and offers amenities for all ages and interests.

Meadowbrook Park: While mostly residing within the neighboring city of St. Louis Park, Meadowbrook Park is partially located within the Todd Park neighborhood. The park is located on Meadowbrook Lake and remains an undeveloped area. It offers a natural, serene setting for visitors.

Southeast Quadrant

Centennial Lakes Park: The local 24 acre park, Centennial Lakes Park, contains more than 1.5 miles total of elegant paved walking paths circling the lake and its gardens. With its amphitheater, mini golf, boat rental, lawn bowling field, labyrinth, swinging benches, fountain, warming house, pavilion and ice skating during the winter months, Centennial Lakes is one of the most romantic and scenic parks in the city as well as the state. Visitors love the peaceful ambiance that the park exudes as well as its distinct, upscale beauty. With activities for all ages, guests can play a round of mini golf, feed the ducks in the pond, or simply sit on one of the swinging benches and enjoy the fresh air.

Edinborough Park: Edinborough Park is one of the most unique parks found within the city of Edina. Located entirely indoors, this public park is full of activity. While not free, visitors can enjoy the junior-sized Olympic swimming pool, running track, fitness facilities, and massive playground. The playground is perhaps the most notable feature of the park. Known as Adventure Peak, the playground features a 3 story climbing structure with slides, climbing walls, crawling areas and more. It is one of the largest indoor play structures in the country.

Rosland Park: The 22-acre Rosland Park is the only park found within the Lake Cornelia neighborhood. It offers ball fields, a playground, a fishing dock, a picnic pavilion, and a disc golf course. Lake Cornelia is at the heart of Rosland Park, with a walking path around the north section of the lake. Visitors enjoy walking around the lake as well as venturing to the aquatic and art centers located within the park.

Lake Edina: Lake Edina is a 24-acre body of water of unknown depth near the southern border of Edina. The lake is maintained by stormwater runoff from much of south portion of the city. The lake is high in nutrients but that makes it hard to swim in or fish in. As such it a non-public lake. While the lake cannot be accessed recreationally, it offers wonderful scenery for the houses along its shores.

Arneson Acres Park: Arneson Acres Park is the only park located within the Lake Edina neighborhood. A unique park, Arneson Acres was originally a tree nursery. The owners donated their home and the attached 13.2 acres to the city of Edina with the condition that a greenhouse be established for the natural plants in the area. Today visitors can tour the park’s greenhouse and 28 parks. Also located within the park is the Edina Historical Society.

Fred Richards Park: Fred Richards Park is under construction and will become a multi-purpose park in the future, retaining most of the space for passive naturalistic park space with walking and biking paths.

Lake Edina Park: Lake Edina Park is a 3 acre park found within the Parklawn neighborhood. While part of the park has been assimilated into the Richards Golf Course, the park rests in the center of the course. Visitors enjoy the open space that the park provides and the scenic beauty of the nearby golf course.

Cornelia School Park: Cornelia School Park services the local elementary school in addition to being a sports center for the local neighborhood. At 10.75 acres, the park is full of wonderful amenities for visitors. The park contains a playground, two softball fields, a baseball field, tennis courts, and a hockey rink. Visitors utilize these facilities for numerous community sports as well as for picnics with the family or simply an afternoon of fun.

Southwest

Normandale Park: Normandale Park is located within the neighborhood that shares its name. A fabulous, 10 acre park that is full of wonderful amenities, Normandale Park is cherished by the local neighborhood. During the warmer months, visitors enjoy the basketball courts and tennis courts, baseball field, picnic areas, walking paths, and open space. The park’s size makes it ideal for an active day at the park, or simply enjoying a passive afternoon picnic. During the winter, the full-size hockey rink and warming house are very popular amenities.

Lewis Park: Lewis Park is one of the city of Edina’s athletic parks. At 21 acres, the park features numerous ball fields and amenities related to an active outdoor recreational experience. Visitors enjoy the two soccer fields, two football fields, tennis courts, playground, warming house and hockey rink. With year-round activity and lots of room to run around, Lewis Park is an integral component of the Prospect Knolls neighborhood and the city of Edina as a whole.

Heights Park: Heights Park is the premier park within the Heights neighborhood. At 4 acres, the park offers fabulous amenities in a conveniently-sized area. Visitors enjoy the playground, baseball field, ½ basketball court, picnic areas, walking paths, and benches. All of the park’s amenities have been recently updated, increasing its appeal to the local community. A perfect destination for a ballgame, picnic, or simply a walk through the park, Heights Park is an important component of the Heights neighborhood.

McGuire Park: McGuire Park is a small, 2 acre park with a classic offering of amenities. Children enjoy climbing on the playground or playing ball games in the nearby field. Parents can watch their children play from numerous benches located around the park, or they can join in on the fun! A safe and simple park option, residents of the Heights neighborhood cherish this local treasure.

If you have any questions regarding the city of Edina, Minnesota, it’s parks, schools, history, or amenities OR if you would like to sell or buy a house in the Edina area, please feel free to visit www.DavidOlsonRealEstate.com or text/call Realtor David Olson @ 952.314.9446 or email: [email protected].