The Twin Cities is host to a wonderful park system called Three Rivers Parks. The parks are named after the Mighty Mississippi River, the Minnesota River, and the Crow River.
The Three Rivers Parks System is primarily based in the western metro, but it is traveling south and moving east. Case in point: Silverwood Park is located in St. Anthony, east of the Mississippi River. Since St. Anthony is less than, oh, 5 miles, we have our own park basically in our backyard.
There are many parks in this park system. Each park is unique and focuses on something different. Gale Woods Farm is an actual live working farm. The Landing’s main objective is to teach history. The Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park is centered on the dam built between Brooklyn Park and Coon Rapids over the Mississippi.
Silverwood Park is a smaller park. If you walk the perimeter of the park’s path, it’s probably only 3/4 of a mile, but in its smallness, it has many different ecosystems. Its purpose is to explore the balance of nature and art. In my estimation, this park is absolutely perfect. It is located on Silver Lake with woods, grasslands, marshy wetlands, lakeside property and a beautiful lawn to play on. There are trails and a bridge out to an island. On the island is a small shore to be able to wade into the water.
In the woods, we came upon this. We called it a playhouse because we had no idea what it was. I am still trying to figure it out.
Whatever it is, the kids sure love it. Unlike me, they don’t try to figure it out. They just took it for a fun little play house and did just that. Played!
The thing that I loved the most about this park was that it had no playground equipment. None! You get to just play in the woods. What can be more creative than just playing and exploring? Whereas playgrounds can be lots of fun, so can nature.
Silverwood Park makes nature so much fun!
They have a few buildings on their property; some classrooms and a visitor’s center. The visitor’s center has a coffee shop and a small gallery displaying different shows.
Another thing that Silverwood Park’s visitor’s center has is craft supplies for kids to help themselves to in the coffee shop/ gallery area. A small table the perfect height for a preschool is filled with paper, crayons, and other art supplies. Silverwood Park is serious in its mission of integrating art and nature.
They offer a calendar full of different activities for every age from preschooler to senior adult. Preschool classes (Doodlebugs) and family classes (i.e. Green Beans, Family Clay and Play, Paper+, etc), music classes, yoga classes, nature hikes (Walk with a Naturalist, Walk with an Artist). Silverwood Park is full of many different possibilities.
And the best bonus is no entrance fees or parking fees!
Silverwood Park
Hours: 5:00 AM–10:00 PM
Phone: 763.694.7707
Address:
2500 County Rd. E
St. Anthony, MN 55421