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Baylor Regional Park is a Carver County Park in Norwood Young America. Family-friendly amenities include a beach, disc golf course, campground and an observatory. In December of 2019, Carver County Parks eliminated vehicle fees in its park, making visiting more affordable for everyone.

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• Lake Minnewashta Regional Park
• Carver Park Reserve

12 Ideas for Family Fun at Baylor Regional Park

1. View the stars at a public event at the observatory
2. Campout 
3. Swim at the beach during the hot months.
4. Rent a paddle boat or canoe.
5. Pack a picnic. There is a reservable shelter on the beach and other nearby picnic tables and grills available on a first come first serve basis.
6. Run the bases on the ball field
7. Bring your tennis gear for a fun family game
8. Play on the playground
9. Go fishing on Eagle Lake
10. Hike. There are approximately 4 miles of trails around the park, but families with smaller kids can find trails as short as a 1/4 mile. The Maple Trail, for instance, is only  0.7 miles through maples, basswood and prairie and is particularly beautiful in the fall when the leaves have vibrant changing colors.
11. Geocache. There are 4 caches in this park.
12. Play a round of disc golf. The 18-hole course is free to use. Bring your own discs or rent them at the campground office for $5/day.

Self-Led Activities from Carver County Parks:

Carver County encourages self-led nature activities in all of its parks. Find printable here for the following activities:

• Family Scavenger Hunt
• Park Adventure Quest
• Leaf Hunt
• Track Finder

Baylor Regional Park Beach

The beach at this park is unguarded and, therefore, adults need to actively supervise their children. Carver County beach season runs from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day and the beach is open when the park is open – 6am to 10pm.  The beach does provide changing and restrooms onsite and paddleboats and canoes are available to rent. Learn more about Carver County Beaches here.

Featured in: Splash Happy: 2020 Guide to Twin Cities Beaches, Pools, Water Parks & Splash Pads

Eagle Lake Observatory

The Baylor Park observatory is owned and operated by the Minnesota Astronomical Society. The observatory hosts events throughout the year, such as Star Parties and its annual Camping with the Stars event each summer.

Winter Activities

On weekends during the winter months, the park rents snowshoes for hikes and cross country skis for use on the park’s groomed trails. Carver County does not require a ski pass to use their groomed trails.

Baylor Regional Park Disc Golf

The  18-hole disc golf course is located on the south end of the park. It begins near the parking lot and mostly follows the Peninsula Trail and the Lake Trail around the developed portion of the park. Equipment is available to rent on Fridays during the summer 0f 2023 for $5/day. Watch Carver County’s Intro to Disc Golf video on how to play.

Learn More About Disc Golf: Fun With Dad: Disc Golf in the Twin Cities.

Camping at Baylor Park

The park has a campsite geared toward quiet family camping. Each Saturday, campground staff offers family activities like crafts, story walks, and scavenger hunts, that families can do at their own pace. Find more information, a campground map and a general park map here.

Summer 2023 Grab-N-Go Craft Bags

Carver County invites campers to stop by the campground office patio to grab a FREE craft bag while supplies last. Craft bags will be available each week on a first-come, first serve basis (one per child) to enjoy during weekend camping trips.