Spring Lake Park Reserve

Address: 8395 127th Street E, Hastings, MN, 55033
Upcoming Events: Jump to Spring Lake Park Reserve Events

Spring Lake Park Reserve is a large Dakota County Park that stretches from Hastings to Rosemount. The park offers year-round family fun, including archery, community gardens and a playground. We recommend visiting in the fall to get the full effect of the colors in the Schaar’s Bluff portion of the park.

Ideas for family fun at Spring Lake Park Reserve

1. Take in one of the best birds eye views of the Mississippi. The elevation of the Schaar’s Bluff section of the park (near Hastings) makes for some incredible views of a wide spot of the great river. Some trails run close to the edge of the bluff so keep an eye on your little ones.
2. Practice archery​. The archery range is in the Rosemount section of the park and requires an archery pass to use ($6/day or $30/season). Archery season is from early April to late November, weather dependent. 
3. Pack a picnic. Eat lunch before exploring and playing. Make it an evening picnic and bring marshmallows for roasting over one of the park’s two public fire rings. You will find one near the Schaar’s Bluff Trailhead and the other at the ​Fahey Trailhead. Fire rings are available on a first-come first serve basis.
4. Play on the playground equipment.
5. Go for a hike. The park has 5 1/2 miles of hiking trails. If you prefer to bring a stroller or kids bikes, they have over 6 miles of paved trails.
6. Bring your leashed dog on a hike. Dogs are only allowed on hiking trails, not the paved trails.
7. Geocache. Bring your own GPS and get the app from geocaching.com to find the hidden caches around the park.
8. ​Rent a garden plot and see what you can grow. Plots are available from May through October and reservations are taken beginning in mid-February.
9. Take a nap in a hammock. Dakota County Parks are among the Twin Cities parks that actively encourage visitors to bring and use hammocks.​ Just make sure to be tree friendly.
10. Play a game of horseshoes.

Biking in Spring Lake Park Reserve

The paved Mississippi River Regional Trail travels through Spring Lake Park Reserve. Head east out of the park and you can make your way to the charming city of Hastings. The ride is approximately five miles long and connects to more lovely parks and attractions. 

More information

• Learn more: Recreational bonfires at Dakota County Parks
• Get the Geocaching.com app.
• Apply: Community garden plots

Related content

• See our list of the BEST THINGS TO DO IN HASTINGS, MINNESOTA, WITH KIDS for travel ideas!
• We include Spring Lake Park Reserve among our favorite archery ranges in the Twin Cities.
• Review: Mock ONE v2.0 Portable Folding Hammock review

Upcoming Family-Friendly Events

• Forever Wild Family Friday (FREE) - 04/03/2026 - 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Fun Past Events We Hope to See Again

Events TBA

Please Note: FamilyFunTwinCities.com is an independent website run by Twin Cities families for Twin Cities families. We attempt to include the information we find most essential as parents. We make every effort to keep up with changes. However, we are not employed by or connected to this venue, and information sometimes changes without our knowledge. We recommend calling or checking the venue’s website for up-to-date information.

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