At 4,900 acres, Elm Creek Park Reserve has earned the title of largest in the Three Rivers Park District system. The park is bursting with amenities for almost every outdoor activity you can think of. At a glance these include a Winter Recreation Area, the Eastman Nature Center, miles of hiking and biking trails, a swimming pond, a huge playground, campground and much more. Elm Creek Park Reserve is also home to a variety of wildlife such as eagles, sandhill cranes, deer, bluebirds, beavers, loons, Trumpeter Swans and hawks. Â
Elm Creek Play Area – the largest in Minnesota?
The gigantic “rainbow playground” at Elm Creek Park Reserve may be the biggest in our state. It runs neck-and-neck with Hyland Play Area in Bloomington. What matters here is that this playground will spellbind your children and keep them happily active for hours (if you let them). Gianna describes all the super fun features of the Elm Creek Play Area in her post here.
Pictures of Elm Creek Park Reserve – a photo tour
Eastman Nature Center at Elm Creek Park Reserve
The EASTMAN NATURE CENTER is nestled within the southern half of the sprawling park reserve. It contains hands-on exhibits for kids, live animals, a library and an indoor scavenger hunt. Kids might enjoy borrowing an exploration kit to tote along to the trails outdoors. These include things like binoculars, nature checklists, and additional information about the natural elements you might come across. Make sure to stop outdoors and play in the Nature Exploration Area. You’ll also want to check our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR and TWIN CITIES NORTHWEST METRO WEEKEND GUIDE – we keep track of the free and low-cost family programming at Eastman Nature Center.
Swimming at Elm Creek Park Reserve
Elm Creek Swim Pond offers a hybrid of pool and lake with filtered, chlorinated water and a sandy beach and bottom. Giant beach umbrellas provide shade. Other amenities include a changing shelter, concessions and bathroom facilities. A pass is required for ages 1 year and older. The pond is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day from 9am-8pm daily. However, Lifeguards are only on duty at specified times. Passes are required for everyone over the age of 1 and cost $6.00 per person plus tax for a daily pass or $20 per person for a seasonal pass.
WE INCLUDE THE ELM CREEK SWIM POND IN OUR LIST OF THE BEST BEACHES IN THE TWIN CITIES!
Disc golf & archery at Elm Creek Park Reserve
One of three pay-to-play disc golf courses in the Three Rivers district, Elm Creek’s 18-hole golf course starts at the chalet and follows the cross-country ski trails, tubing hill and terrain park. The course features two par-4 holes and offers championship-caliber holes that demand distance as well as accuracy. Availability is dependent on the weather and the condition of the course.
This park is one of several that offers family archery programs. Skilled instructors teach families the basics of safety and accuracy with all equipment provided. Range includes stationary targets and elevated platform. The 30-acre archery range is on the northwest side of the park and can be used outside of special programs with the purchase of an Archery Pass at $7/day plus tax or $40/year. Supervised children may attend for free and do not need a pass.
Biking at Elm Creek Park Reserve
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Winter at Elm Creek Park Reserve
This park has both exciting sledding and tubing hills for snowy days. Families can also ski, snowboard, snowshoe or kicksled in the park. For hiking after dusk, Elm Creek’s Northern Lights Trail is lit after dark. You can find the most updated rental rates on the Elm Creek Winter Recreation Area page.
Wildlife found in Elm Creek Park Reserve
This is a good park for birdwatching. With smaller kids, you may just want to start at the nature center, where the staff maintains bird feeders. Or take a walk and look for birds like red-tailed hawks, wood ducks and trumpeter swans. The nature center loans out adventure backpacks or you can use our Birding Checklist to create your own adventure.
Wood Ducks
Three Rivers Park District’s Wood Duck Management Program maintains and monitors wood duck boxes at this park. Records show that nests in these boxes produce, on average, 8 ducklings in a year. According to Three Rivers, the best time to watch wood ducks, swans and other water fowl is in the spring and fall.
Trumpeter Swans
Three Rivers Park District launched the Trumpeter Swan Reintroduction Project in 1966 and in 1968 the Trumpeter Swan Society was formed. Beginning with a single pair of swans, Minnesota now boasts over 12,000 birds. Elm Creek is one park where these birds build nests and raise their young. You may just catch site of Swans while visiting the park.  However, Three Rivers asks park visitors to respect both the Trumpeter Swans and the park habitat by following all park ordinances, remaining on designated trails, not getting too close to the birds, and avoid feeding them.
Historic Pierre Bottineau House
Located near the entrance of the park on the south end, the historic Pierre Bottineau house is only open for special programs and by appointment. (Or you can peek through the windows they way we did.) This restored 1854 wood-framed house has been transformed into a mini museum of the life of frontiersman Pierre Bottineau.
About Pierre Bottineau & the History Of Elm Creek Park Reserve:
Besides having a library and a park in Northeast Minneapolis named after him, Who was Pierre Bottineau? Learn more here. Families can participate in public programs or schedule a visit to learn about him in a more, too.
More information & helpful links:
- MAPS: With nearly 5000 acres, you will likely want some help finding your way around. Download an Elm Creek Park Reserve map here.
- EVENTS: The Elm Creek Chalet is available to host your special event.Â
- BIRTHDAY PARTIES: Eastman Nature Center offers Wild Birthday Parties that include a guided nature activity and time for play and refreshments.
Elm Creek Park Reserve, 12400 James Deane Pkwy, Maple Grove, MN 55369