Spacious park with varied terrain and few people. This was our first time here, and we were a bit confused to start - the road signs to hiking trails by the dog park are not applicable in the winter - those hiking trails are closed. We found some dog friendly hiking trails further into the park and were handsomely rewarded with rolling hills through the woods, then around a marshy lake and some prairie. The trails were well marked and we had no difficulties navigating.

The trail system is very scenic but pay attention to the maps. The joke between my group of is that it’s a rite of passage to get lost here. You can run some smaller loops or really get out and explore the entire area. Also, be warned... the hills are difficult but the views make everything worth it.

Beautiful trails for cross country skiing but they aren't lying when they say it's a challenging course. As a classic skier all the uphill areas were challenging for me. The trails are lined with trees on either side with a slightly more narrow path than other 3 Rivers Park trails. Be prepared to go up and down many hills (mostly straight up and down) but you will be rewarded with great views in the winter when the views aren't obstructed by foliage. Tip: take a photo of the map ahead of time. The trail markers are great for helping navigate the paths and many trail areas are closed in the winter.

Run. Hike. Bike. You can't go wrong here. Its an amazing escape from suburbia. The best part is you can't hear the freeways, all you can hear is the birds signing. And the number of birds here is impressive, if you're a birder you're going to want to come here, you won't be disappointed.

Beautiful park! Super diverse trails. There are wide grassy trails, hills, rocky walks and plenty of choices of trails! I would like to come back to do some cross country skiing this winter. Lovely and will be back soon!

A BEAUTIFUL WALKING TRAIL...HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE....LOTS OF DUCKS, BIRDS, BUNNIES, DEER AND NICE FLOWERS....

If you're looking for one of the most dynamic hiking locations in the South Metro, this place is it. I've put on hundreds of miles through these trails over the past year and regret none of them. The park is effectively split into three locations - there is a wooded area right out the gate with miles of hilly, woody trails. It's of moderate difficulty with several hundred feet of elevation changes. This trail system is around 10 miles of hiking, plus another section that opens after August 1st opens another few miles of trails. Across the road from the park shelter is a switchback biking trail system. I have never personally been down here but judging by how packed the parking lot is once it opens, I imagine its fantastic. Finally the third area is accessible either by hiking through the first park or down a dirt road a couple miles. It's got another 7ish miles of trails, groomed enough for horse back riding. This section is more prairie and easier to walk. It's got wide open views and really is just amazing how quiet it can be, located as close to lakeville and prior lake as it is. As a bonus one of the trails moves past some Osprey nests - you can see them with the naked eye but bring binoculars if you are an avid bird watcher. I HIGHLY recommend this area - I dont know if many better spots around that offer as many miles of diverse trails as this location.

Great park. 18 miles of trails. Maps available at the trail head and the trails were clearly marked. Saw a lot of wildlife. Bring your bug spray, the biting flies were horrible due to the water. Note that some of the trails were hard, need to be prepared for the hills.

Great for hiking and being out in nature. Pretty raw hiking trails. Not manicured like other areas.

Absolutely gorgeous!

This is our favorite local spot to hike! We have explored just about every inch of trail and there is a good variety of different trails. The trail map is available on the Avenza app. Bugs can be bad in the summer, so be prepared with bug spray. The dog park is small but still has a nice loop around it and play area in the middle.

beautiful

Wild space

My favorite trail in the metro!

I wish there were more maps around the park but it's really beautiful out there!

Amazing mbt bring your helmet

Mixed use park with a lot to offer for a suburban park. Most vehicles in the parking lot have bike carriers, showing what a popular spot this is for mountain biking. The hiking paths have a surprising amount of hills, making them a moderate grade for hikers. The park also has a dog park. No running water here but there are vault toilets next to the parking lot. It even has a small picnic area with four tables as a resting/food spot once you've worked up some hunger.

Great mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding.

I go to this park for mountain biking. The trails are kept up very well and they are clearly marked. Plenty of parking here. There is also an area for dogs, that I have not been to, but I usually see people with dogs when I visit.

Love biking here in the trails!!

Fun trails to ride

I did the MTB trail. It was great. The beginner and intermediate trail is significantly shorter than the advance trail.

Great park for hiking

Nice place to take in so.e nature.

This place has a great dog park. Large and fenced in. The parking lot is huge. There are additional walking trails and a biking trail. Very scenic.

My kids loved seeing the wildlife and getting out of the house. The trails weren't busy so it was an easy place to observe "social distancing".

Simple beautiful place to hike. Many paths you can take for a short or long walk. Nice surprises of wildlife here sometimes

Had a great time hiking! Fall colors in full effect

Beautiful nature, easy hiking trails, fresh air

Favorite place to go for a nice nature walk, especially in the fall. So many different trees with all the colors. There are many trails, the shortest one takes about an hour. Lots of hills and dirt paths, great for bikers.

Extensive walkable and tunable non paved trails. Makes me wish I rode a horse. Plenty of gentle hills and not.technical.

Always beautiful at Murphy!

What a great place for a nature hike/walk/stroll or jog. In the winter there is a groomed x try ski trail. A hidden gem.

Lots of different trails, some pretty steep. Parking was good too.

Visited Murphy Lake today. Small Lake & clean water! Not over crowded since it's a non motorized boat lake. Although there were a few fishing boats using their electric trolling motors which kind of ruined the feel. Overall nice lake, will definitely bring the kayak back!

Great mountain biking trails!

Great set of singletrack. The first half of the trail is mostly uphill, but the second half is downhill. It's about 13 miles of trail in a small space, so there's quite a few tight turns, but there's no real heavy tech. Great for beginners and intermediate riders.

Nice Hiking Trails!!

It’s a nice little nature area, tucked away. There is a paved access from one road to the other, kind of confused me. But the main trail is not paved, about a mile loop. It’s late summer now, so the grass is quite high so for much of the path there is limited visibility. However the bridge has a nice view. I would say this is a great place to stretch your legs or walk your dog. But not the right place if you are looking to do a longer hike.

Great bike aka singletrack trails

Such a beautiful park full of rolling hills, prairies, and forest area. I always have a great time running here, and it's also great for hiking, but also in the winter for snowshoeing and skiing!

Pretty decent park. Haven't been through all the many miles of trails yet, but this is definitely a busy park. Also beware, these trails are not for beginners. There are steep hills and uneven terrain. There must be a gun range nearby, as I heard constant gun shots on my hike through here.

A metro single track classic! It has aged like a fine wine! So far ahead of it's time at conception!

Nice trail, Mostly flat so easy to hike.

Good bike trails, huge parking lot, can get a little crowded after work during the week

Country like setting in the midst of suburbia! Lots of paths for hiking, walking, biking.

Wow the county needs to send out the road grader. Worst gravel road ever 8 9 2020

Wonderful walking hiking trails and a great place to bring your horse if you have one. Well maintained paths and lots of scenery to take in. It's my go to place for a good hike.

Trails, trails and trails! There is a trail for everyone for every level. Sooo many mountain bikes! If you like mountain biking this is the place. Also Horse trails. Trails for winter activities. There is a lake. Small Picnic area, there is an outhouse. Come here often? YES.

Great park with hilly hiking, fenced dog park, and singletrack mountain biking. Challenging XC ski trails. Horse trails as well. Mostly raw nature with few buildings. Boat launch for shallow Murphy Lake, great for canoeing or paddleboarding. Ice is thin due to aeration.

Wonderful place for a nice open hike, very wide, easy paths. Lots of routes and very well labeled!

Love this park for non-snow season hiking. If you snowshoe however, don't bother coming here. Only ski paths are marked, no hiking/snowshoeing paths. I don't know why they have to keep the ENTIRE path for skiing- it's big enough they could make it half for skis and half for hiking/ snowshoes..

Ran 12 miles of the trails and overlapped very little. It's a massive Reserve for being so close to the cities. Definitely a beautiful spot. I was at the park on a Friday afternoon and saw very few people out, but it was a hot day too. The southern part of the reserve is quite flat and open. The northern part is wooded and shady with lots of rolling terrain. I saw a pair of cranes, a few deer, and a snake. Really enjoyed my time here and would recommend checking it out. Trails are fairly well marked, but I carried my phone just to be sure.

Great hiking trails with fun/challenging changes in elevation, well marked paths that are easy to navigate. Lots of lakes with options for kayaking. Mountain bike trail. Paid off-leash dog area.

Great place to hike and single-track biking. Parking lots have been safe. I have been coming here once a week for about two years.

I love, love, love this place! The nature walks are so beautiful with the long winding and hilly trails surrounded by beautiful forested areas. It feels like you are so away from the city and houses. You can go for miles...

Love the dog trails. The scenery, the trails are well kept. It's become our weekend ritual- Hike and enjoy.

The park has a stretch of trails that can run 16.6 miles and has terrain that can be flat to hilly, wide enough for an atv or single track. Seems to be popular with the horse riding crowd.

Beautiful summer trails. Some of the pictures don’t do justice!

Nice length trail for a walk or a light run - full loop is about 2 miles but you could probably stretch it to three by taking every little loop there is. The bridge through the water is a nice feature. There is also a nice section through the woods on the south end at the bottom of the hill. You can link up to a paved trail as well - not sure where that goes as I have not taken it but could help create a longer path if one needed. Lots of butterflies, birds, and standard wildlife about and lots of prairie wildflowers. Trail is well maintained. If you can't escape the city this is a good choice for a little nature stroll. Biggest negatives are the massive buzzing power lines and some of the noisy industry next to the preserve. Traffic from highway is quite audible as well.

Beautiful sights on the walking trails.

This place is beautiful all times of year. Its awesome to watch every season change and grow!

No bears

Great place to walk your dog

Nice place to walk 👍

Wasn't there very long but it seemed nice

Great place to walk the dog

I love this little gem. Wonderful walking path and lots of critters to watch and enjoy. The wildflowers are amazing and the bridge over pond is fun and relaxing.

Great park for a longer stroll through nature or a nice jog! Definitely recomend wearing bug spray depending on when you're there. The signage is not ideal, so take a look at the trail map (PDF online) to make sure you're on the right path. The paved sections are NOT a part of the formal trail system, but you can link back up to it. Google maps doesn't show the paved section, so it can be confusing.

What a great place in the cities to get in touch with nature!

Surprised to find this quiet and beautiful nature preserve with trails and a pond off busy highway 13 behind industrial warehouses and strip malls.

Nice lunch spot for watching birds butterflies. Even saw a deer

Beautiful park and walk. We saw a monarch, toad, Canadian geese, catfish, red-wing blackbirds, hawks and lots of native plants. There is a really nice boardwalk over the wetlands as well. The only downside is the buzzing sound in the parts of the preserve that are directly below the power lines.

Nice little trail, wouldn't recommend going out of your way to visit it however

Fun to bike around on

Great place to walk on a nice summer day. Good trails and nature to enjoy.

We love to walk here! It is a quick walk but it is very relaxing and beautiful, especially during the Spring and Fall when everything is changing! The docks are an added plus and the only negative thing I can think of is that SOME people do not pick up their dogs business after they are done.

It was nice. My boyfriend and I saw some beavers. We didn't take pictures as we were enjoying ourselves. There was a lot of trash in the water. Wish it wasn't as touched by civilization .

Nice 1+ mile walk

Love my morning hikes here!

I love this park. Hiking trails are beautiful & moderately challenging. My husband bikes the single track & seems to enjoy that. Dog park isn't huge but does the trick.

HUGE! So many outdoor things to do. It’s a treasure to have this so close

A great place to hike.

Beautiful, it has a dog park and a mountain bike course.

Awesome place to mountain bike. Dog park is just OK.

awesome hike lots of options can walk over 10+ miles if looking for distance. moderately trafficked. lots of hills definitely a lung/leg challenge even if in reasonable shape

Great fishing and trails

Really lovely trail around the lake!

Lovely open spaces, nice hiking with dogs

A hidden treasure in Savage MN. Bikes, horses, and nature.

Great trails...well marked.

We love taking our dog on the pet trail because it has a variety of trail options and is always gorgeous!

Pleasant place to take a walk, sure to see some local wildlife

Except for the powerlines this place is amazing

Great hiking trails through restored prairie.

Ok

Nice place for a run or 🚶 walk

Nice little surprise area for walking and some wildlife viewing. Also good for pokemoning. Only kinda downside is the powerlines, but what can you do.