Park Facts

Last update: September 14, 2007 - 8:19 PM

Since the regional parks system was established in 1974, the Metropolitan Council has invested $367 million toward helping regional park agencies acquire and develop parks and trails. Today that system includes:

• More than 52,000 acres of regional parks, which are 200 to 500 acres in size, and park reserves, which are 1,000 to 5,000 acres in size.

• 172 miles of regional trails open to the public.

• An estimated 33.2 million annual visits to regional parks and trails last year, compared with about 5 million in 1974.

IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

Big Marine Park Reserve joins these six other regional parks in place or planned:

• Square Lake Regional Park, north of Stillwater

• Pine Point Regional Park, north of Stillwater

• Lake Elmo Park Reserve, near Lake Elmo

• St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park, near Hastings

• Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, near Cottage Grove

• Grey Cloud Island Regional Park (proposed), near Cottage Grove

In addition, the county has a regional trail, Hardwood Creek Regional Trail, from Hugo in northern Washington County to North Branch in Chisago County.

For more information on Washington County's parks, call the 24-hour information line at 651-430-8368 or e-mail parks @co.washington.mn.us.

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