Apple Ponds Park
Rate this placeNearby: Valley Lake Park Newell Park
Last Updated: December 5, 2025
Apple Ponds Park is a beautiful 146-acre park located in the city of Woodbury, Minnesota.
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Summary
The park offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, fishing, and picnicking. Visitors are also able to observe the diverse wildlife that calls the park home, including deer, fox, and a variety of bird species.
One of the main attractions of the park is the Apple Ponds themselves, two large ponds that are home to a variety of fish species, including bass, crappie, and sunfish. The park also features a paved trail system that spans over 2 miles and is perfect for walking, jogging, or biking.
Other points of interest at Apple Ponds Park include a large playground area for children, an off-leash dog park, and several picnic areas complete with grills and tables. Visitors can also take advantage of the park’s beautiful natural setting by exploring the various hiking trails that wind through the woods and around the ponds.
One interesting fact about Apple Ponds Park is that it was originally a gravel mining operation before it was transformed into a public park. The park’s natural features, including the ponds and surrounding woods, were all created as a result of the mining activity.
The best time of year to visit Apple Ponds Park is during the summer months, when the weather is warm and the park’s natural beauty is on full display. However, the park is open year-round and offers a variety of winter activities, including ice fishing and snowshoeing.
Overall, Apple Ponds Park is a wonderful destination for anyone looking to experience the beauty of Minnesota’s natural landscapes and enjoy a variety of outdoor activities.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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