People continue to treasure regional parks and trails in the seven-county metro region, making an estimated 65.7 million visits in 2024. Visitors from inside and outside the region made about 45.6 million visits to parks, and 20.1 million to trails. Not surprisingly, the largest number of visits were in the heart of the region where the population is most dense. The most visited parks included: Minneapolis Chain of Lakes Regional Park – 6.9M visits Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park – 3.6M Mississippi Gorge Regional Park – 3.6M Minnehaha Regional Park – 2.3M Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park – 2.2M Como Regional Park, Zoo, and Conservatory – 2M The most visited trails were: Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail – 2.6M visits Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail – 1M Cedar Lake Regional Trail – 1M Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail - .97M Lake Links Regional Trail - .95M Victory Memorial Parkway Regional Trail - .75M “Parks and trails provide recreation for everyone, improve our mental health, support tourism, and preserve valuable landscapes and habitat,” said Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle. “The success of the regional parks and trails system is because of a true partnership between the Met Council and the 10 agencies that operate and maintain the parks and trails,” Zelle said. “Our role is to support local vision with regional coordination, funding, and long-term planning that ensures the system works as one.” Rain dampens 2024 parks visits Parks and trails visitation was down an estimated 5.4% from 2023, the first decline in 5 years, according to the Met Council’s regional parks and trails research staff. Researchers attributed the decline to a combination of typical variations in sample counts from year to year, but also weather patterns. In 2024, 44% of the visitor count days coincided with rainy days, compared with 24% of days in 2023. Interestingly, the rain didn’t appear to dampen the enthusiasm of trail users much. Trail usage was down only .8%. Parks estimates used in funding formulas Every five years, the Met Council in partnership with the 10 park agencies – do a comprehensive study of visitation. Each year between those studies, the Met Council makes estimates of visits based on agency counts at entry points in 132 parks, trails, park reserves, and special recreation features between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Then various multipliers are applied to the counts, based on the comprehensive visitor study, to determine the estimates. The estimates are important because they help determine each implementing agency’s share of regional parks and trails grant program funds. They also demonstrate the continued popularity of the outdoor experiences that the parks and trails offer. The next comprehensive regional parks and trails visitor study will be conducted in 2026. That study will: Help inform planning, policy, and management Evaluate and strengthen equitable usage of regional parks and trails Update key factors that guide funding distribution to the park agencies. Listen to a presentation about the 2024 estimates at the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission (starts at 50:02). Posted In: Parks