O'Dowd Lake Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
O'Dowd Lake Park is a stunning location in Carver County, Minnesota.
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Summary
It is a great place to visit for those who love nature, water activities, and outdoor recreation. The park is spread out over 1,200 acres and offers a variety of activities such as fishing, boating, hiking, camping, and bird watching.
One of the main attractions at O'Dowd Lake Park is the lake itself. The lake is home to a variety of fish species including walleye, bass, and northern pike. Visitors can enjoy fishing from the shore or from a boat. There are two boat launches located in the park, and boats are available for rent.
In addition to the lake, the park has several picnic areas, a playground, and a volleyball court. The park also offers a variety of hiking trails that take visitors through beautiful wooded areas and around the lake.
O'Dowd Lake Park is also home to a variety of wildlife including deer, beavers, and a wide variety of birds. Bird watchers will appreciate the park's birding trail, which offers excellent opportunities to see a variety of bird species.
One interesting fact about O'Dowd Lake Park is that it was created as a result of a gravel mining operation. After the mining was completed, the area was transformed into a park.
The best time to visit O'Dowd Lake Park is during the summer months when the weather is warm and the lake is perfect for swimming and boating. However, the park is open year-round, and visitors can enjoy a variety of winter activities such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
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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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