2050 Regional Parks and Trails Policy Plan
The Twin Cities region ranks high in national livability rankings – in large part because of our Regional Parks and Trails System. With 487 miles of regional trails and 66 parks, park reserves, and special features, the system showcases the area’s unique landscapes while providing year-round recreation.
The Metropolitan Council teams with a wide range of partners to develop a Regional Parks and Trails Policy Plan that supports human health and well-being while expanding ecological benefits, building resiliency, and reducing climate change impacts for our parks and trails.
The 2050 Regional Parks and Trails Policy Plan was adopted in February 2025. It builds on the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan adopted in 2014 and most recently amended in 2020.
What the new policy plan covers
The Regional Parks and Trails Policy Plan is part of a set of policy plans that supports the vision, values, and goals of the long-range regional development guide, Imagine 2050. It focuses on:
Fostering equity – Connect people to nature, community, and cultural landscapes to better support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Taking care of what we have – Reinvest in existing regional parks and trails to maintain and enhance visitor experiences.
Protecting and restoring – Fortify natural systems to safeguard all living things.
Adapting and mitigating – Increase the region’s climate change resilience by mitigating greenhouse gases and adapting to future climates.
Meeting future needs – Meet the growing demand for regional parks and trails through land acquisition and development.
Collaborative coordination
The 2050 Regional Parks and Trails Policy Plan was created in collaboration with many key stakeholders – including the Met Council, regional park implementing agencies, the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission, and residents – to conserve, maintain, and enhance an extensive Regional Parks and Trails System that draws nearly 70 million visits annually.
Local plan reviews
Each of the 188 cities, townships, and counties in the Twin Cities region is responsible for creating a comprehensive local plan that ties into the 2050 Regional Parks and Trails Policy Plan. The Met Council reviews each of these plans to ensure it serves people at a local level while adhering to regional policies.
Research
Park and trail research largely informs our engagement strategy. It provides helpful insights as to who is and isn’t visiting our regional parks and trails and offers recommendations around how the Met Council and implementing agencies can foster more inclusive park experiences and our overall journey towards a more equitable system where everyone feels welcome.
The visitor study measures satisfaction across demographics, age, and gender with the regional park and trail system. Among other goals, this information is used to strengthen equitable usage of regional parks and trails and inform the regional parks and trails plan.
We gathered youth and parks research to better understand and serve underrepresented populations. This one-of-a-kind study informs policy about the needs, motivations, and barriers that youth face when accessing the regional park and trail system. Intentionally inclusive involvement, particularly from young people, is needed for maintaining broad-based public support for park and trail investments.
Annual use estimates allow us to monitor trends over time and calculate each agency’s share of Met Council awarded grant program dollars.
Comprehensive regional planning
The regional parks and trails plan is one of four systems that the Met Council plans for as a part of the regional planning process. We also plan for our wastewater treatment system and the transportation system, which includes airport system information. We also create policies for land use, water resources, and housing.