Fred Sims Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Fred Sims Park is a public park located in the city of Burnsville in the state of Minnesota.


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Summary

The park is a popular destination for visitors due to its various recreational facilities and amenities, as well as its picturesque natural surroundings.

One of the main attractions of Fred Sims Park is its large lake, which offers opportunities for fishing, boating, and other water-based activities. The park also features several hiking and biking trails, as well as picnic areas, playgrounds, and sports fields.

Other notable points of interest in the park include a nature center, which offers educational programs and exhibits on local wildlife and ecology, and a disc golf course.

Interesting facts about the area include its history as a former industrial site, which underwent extensive restoration efforts to transform it into a thriving public park. The park is also home to a diverse range of plant and animal species, including several rare and endangered species.

The best time of year to visit Fred Sims Park depends on visitors' interests and preferences. The park is open year-round, with each season offering its own unique attractions and activities. Summer is a popular time for water-based activities and outdoor sports, while fall offers opportunities for scenic hikes and autumnal foliage. Winter visitors can enjoy snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, and other winter sports.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
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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