The best parks & outdoor spots in Cottage Grove

6 parks & outdoor spots we’ve checked and stand behind — with the story on each one. Not a ranking; a record.

Browse another shelf: all of Cottage Grove’s best · Restaurants · Beauty · Shopping · Nightlife · Bakeries & Sweets · Cafes · Entertainment · Home & Garden · Pets · Antiques, Thrift, & Vintage · Health & Wellness · Hobbies, Books, & Crafts · Arts & Culture · Services · Sporting Goods

Pinned in Cottage Grove today

This spot is open today.

Two pinned places a day in Cottage Grove — $10 here, $25 adds the newsletter. List your business →

Paid placements are always marked.

Parks & Outdoors · 6 places · showing the latest additions first

Pioneer Park

Parks & Outdoors

Local green space featuring swings, slides and picnic areas. Playground for children plus a basketball court; a clean layout.

611 4th Ave (Newport)

“Local green space featuring swings, slides and picnic areas. Playground for children plus a basketball court; a clean layout.”

Website ↗

Lake Elmo Park Reserve

Parks & Outdoors

Hilly preserve featuring opportunities from camping to boating to horseback riding on 2,165 acres.

1515 Keats Ave N (Lake Elmo)

“Hilly preserve featuring opportunities from camping to boating to horseback riding on 2,165 acres.”

Website ↗

Loveland Park

Parks & Outdoors

Relaxed green space featuring a ball field, grills, basketball and tennis courts, plus hiking trails.

1500 Glen Rd (Newport)

“Relaxed green space featuring a ball field, grills, basketball and tennis courts, plus hiking trails.”

Website ↗

Wood Lake Nature Center

Parks & Outdoors

Nature center with various habitats offering wildlife viewing from trails & a floating boardwalk.

6710 Lake Shore Dr S (Richfield)

“Nature center with various habitats offering wildlife viewing from trails & a floating boardwalk.”

Website ↗

Run a Cottage Grove business? Two pinned spots a day — $10 here, $25 adds the newsletter. Advertise →

Thompson County Park

Parks & Outdoors

When the week gets loud, Thompson County Park delivers quiet wooded trails, a calm lake, and a legit playground for kid energy while you…

360 Butler Ave E (West St Paul)

“When the week gets loud, Thompson County Park delivers quiet wooded trails, a calm lake, and a legit playground for kid energy while you snag a shady picnic spot. Perfect for an easy bike spin or unhurried walk that feels like a getaway without leaving the east metro.”

From the St. Paul newsletter, August 18, 2026

Website ↗

Kaposia Landing

Parks & Outdoors

When your cooped-up canine needs a proper zoomies session, Kaposia Landing delivers with an off-leash dog area, easygoing walking trails,…

800 Bryant Ave (South St Paul)

“When your cooped-up canine needs a proper zoomies session, Kaposia Landing delivers with an off-leash dog area, easygoing walking trails, and plenty of green to clear your head. Perfect for a quick weekday reset, then back to pretending your living room isn’t a chew toy graveyard.”

From the St. Paul newsletter, August 25, 2026

Website ↗

Listed here?

You’ve earned the mark — get the BaseLocal’s Best badge for your site →. Want in? List your business →