SunThisweek Community Guides Apple Valley Guide 2018 | Page 16

APPLE VALLEY | ROSEMOUNT | FARMINGTON
C O M M U N I T Y
G U I D E
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2 0 1 8 - 1 9
LEBANON HILLS
Regional parks are hidden gems
The cities of Farmington, Rosemount and Apple Val-
ley are located in central portion of Dakota County,
which has a population of around 400,000 residents.
The Dakota County Courthouse is located in Hastings
on the county’s eastern edge. The county also operates
the Western Service Center in Apple Valley where peo-
ple can obtain some court and county services.
Top county offi cials as of October 2018 were Dakota
County Administrator Matt Smith, Dakota County At-
torney James Backstrom and Dakota County Sheriff Tim
Leslie. County Board members are Mike Slavik, Chris
Gerlach, Joe Atkins, Tom Egan, Liz Workman, Mary Liz
Holberg and Kathleen Gaylord.
County buildings include:
County Government Center, 1590 Highway 55, Hast-
ings MN 55033-2343 • 651-438-4313
Western Service Center, 14955 Galaxie Ave., Apple
Valley, MN 55124 • 952-891-7570
Northern Service Center, 1 Mendota Road W., West St.
Paul, MN 55118 • 651- 554-6600
Dakota County offers seven parks and three regional
trails.
The largest is Lebanon Hills Regional Park, which
provides activities for all ages. Containing almost 2,000
acres, the park offers miles of trails and many lakes for
16 | Apple Valley - Rosemount - Farmington| Community Guide 2018-19
year-round outdoor sports, recreation and environmen-
tal education. The Lebanon Hills Visitor Center, located
in the eastern section of the park at 860 Cliff Road in
Eagan, offers park information, interactive nature dis-
plays, courses and programs, and access to the park.
Features in the park include:
• Lebanon Hills Campground, 12100 Johnny Cake
Ridge Road in Apple Valley, open May to mid-October;
• Camp Sacajawea Retreat Center, 5121 McAndrews
Road in Apple Valley, [phone] for campsite avail-
ability;
• Schulze Lake Beach; 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Memorial Day
weekend through Labor Day
Whitetail Woods Regional Park is Dakota County’s
newest park. The 456-acre park is in Empire Township,
one mile north of the Vermillion River, at 17100 Station
Trail. Among its amenities are the Empire Lake Shelter,
Whitetail Woods Camper Cabins and Fawn Crossing
Nature Play Area. It accommodates activities such as
camping in its treehouse-like cabins, hiking, cross coun-
try skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, and picnicking. It is
open daily 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
There are four other parks and three regional trails
located in Dakota County. Call [phone] for more
information or go online at www.co.dakota.mn.us.