Metro Park + Trail Data Initiative

The MetroGIS Data Producers Work Group have adopted a data standard and are refining a dataset that represents the park, trail and recreational resources in the metropolitan region.The seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area is home to a system of regional parks and trails that are nationally renowned for their beauty, size and variety of features. With 54 regional parks and preserves, comprising nearly 55,000 acres, more than 300 miles of interconnected trails, and eight special recreation features, the system provides a wealth of opportunities for recreation, exercise, and fun, while also preserving significant green spaces and wildlife habitat.

The current version of the metro parks dataset and metro trails dataset are available from the Minnesota Geospatial Commons.

About the Metro Regional Park System. The Regional Parks System draws more than 48 million visits every year—more than the Mall of America—and makes communities in the region more vital and attractive. The Regional Parks System is operated by 10 partner agencies, including cities, counties, and special park districts, which work with the Metropolitan Council to protect natural resources and provide outdoor recreation for public enjoyment. In addition to the regional system of parks and trails, metro cities and counties fund, maintain and manage a vast system of local parks, and on and off street trails and bikeways that are critical components of the overall system and are used daily for commuting and recreation purposes.

The metro partners are the National Recreational and Parks Association (NRPA)data model as the basis for their data specification and dataset development.

Project Contacts

For more information on the Park + Trail Data initiative, please contact:

Geoff Maas, Project Technical Lead
Ramsey County
[email protected]

David Brandt, Project Technical Support
Washington County
[email protected]