Whether in town or country, along lakes or within the neighborhood, Dassel Cokato parks are a myriad of entertainment.

Parks in Cokato

Situated in the very center of the city, Peterson Park, located on Broadway and Fourth Avenue, forms the hub of Cokato. The 4.8-acre park is adjacent to both the business district and the elementary school, and is the site of many community activities.

Playground equipment, ball diamonds, and a steep hill for winter sledding are used extensively by youngsters throughout the year.

The whole family will enjoy Veterans Memorial Park, located on Johnson Ave. N., on the east side of Brooks Lake.

A softball field, picnic shelter, open play fields, playground equipment, a boat launching ramp, and fishing pier are all available.

Young people can enjoy sports activities at Mooers Avenue Park, located at Eighth Street and Mooers Ave.

In the winter, skaters making use of the hockey rink and the open skating rink can take a warm-up break in the warming house provided by the city.

There are also two tennis courts and a basketball court located across Jackson, between Fifth and Sixth streets, near the municipal swimming pool.

Residents of Southeast Cokato pass time at Prairie Park, a neighborhood park located in Builders Park Addition. The park offers playground equipment, ball fields, two volleyball courts, a basketball court, and open space.

Railroad Park is home to eight horseshoe pits. It is located on Broadway Avenue, adjacent to the business district and provides night lighting for evening use.

Unity Park was put in after a tornado struck Cokato in 1992. It memorializes residents’ efforts in restoring the city.

Trailstone Park is in the southwest corner of town. It has playground equipment and is still under construction as of June 2007.

Parks in Dassel

A renovated old-fashioned bandstand graces Dassel’s Bandstand Park, which is the site of many community activities. Picnic tables and children’s play equipment are also available in this small park on Atlantic Avenue and Fourth Street.

The sounds of cheering fans often roar out on summer nights when members of the DC Saints, the local men’s amateur baseball team, step up to bat at the Dassel Ballpark, located on Second Street and Linart Avenue on the north side of Dassel. The field is well-groomed, with a scoreboard and modern lighting. The field is also used by youth leagues. A new grandstand is a welcome addition.

Horseshoe tossing is also a sport enjoyed by many at the park.

Wintertime fun begins when water freezes to ice on the hockey and open skating rinks on leased land on the south side of town. There is a warming house on site.

The cool shade provided by large trees tenting Breeds Park, located in the center of Dassel on Highway. 12, beckons travelers and hometown folk alike on hot summer days. Visitors also enjoy the barbecue pits, picnic shelter, playground equipment, and tennis and basketball courts.

Sellards Park is adjacent to the new housing development in the southwest corner of Dassel, at the corner of Pacific Avenue and Sellards Drive. It includes playground equipment, a shelter, and a basketball court.

School House Park in Darwin is the site of Twineball Days the second Saturday of August, and a Farmers Market on Saturday mornings from May to September.

River Routes, County Parks

Spend a morning, afternoon, or even a full day or two paddling down all or part of the 125-mile North Fork Crow River Canoe Route.

Access points and campsites are located every nine to 15 miles along the river in both Meeker and Wright counties. The route begins at Lake Koronis in Stearns County and ends where the river joins the Mississippi River at Dayton.

Wildlife County Park contains a canoe access and two canoe campsites, four miles north of Cokato off Wright Co. Rd. 3, on the bank of the North Fork of the Crow River.

Spend a few hours or a few days at Collinwood Regional Park, located three miles southwest of Cokato off Highway 12. Find superb facilities for campers, swimmers, picnickers, hikers, cross country skiers, and boaters within its 308-acre borders.

The modern campground is open from early May through October. Group camp sites and a large picnic shelter area are also available.

For more information, call (320) 286-2801.

Strung out like a strand of jewels between Lake Francis and Twin Lake, the four units that are part of the Stanley Eddy Memorial County Park Reserve offer picturesque rolling hills, lakes, and marshes. Hiking, ski trails, picnic areas, and pack-in campsites span a 620-acre area located along Wright Co. Rd. 2 in French Lake Township.

The waters of beautiful Lake Washington lure swimmers and anglers to Sportsmen’s Park, open from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day. A clubhouse is available for rent. It is located two miles west of Dassel on Highway 12, and one mile south of the highway along the north shore of Lake Washington.

For more information, contact Sharel Lee, (320) 275-3720.

During summer months, the Lake Francis Recreation Area, located four miles northeast of Kingston on Lake Francis, offers a wooded retreat complemented by a swimming area, boating, and fishing.

There’s plenty of space for a crowd at Spring Lake County Park, located one mile north of Highway 12 on Meeker Co. Rd. 4, between Spring Lake and Long Lake, just north of Dassel.

This wide open, hilly park offers a boat launch, picnic shelters, playground, ball park, tennis/volleyball courts, and ample parking.

Mud Lake County Park, located at the junction of Wright Co. Rd. 35 and 4, five miles north of Cokato, features a wooded picnic area overlooking the lake, a fishing dock, and boat launch. It is open during the summer months.

Nestled along a curve on the North Fork of the Crow River, Finnish Memorial Park, located 1/2 mile west of Kingston and Highway 15 on Meeker Co. Rd. 17, is a tribute to the original settlers in the Kingston area. Situated next to a turn-of-the-century cemetery, the park offers a cool retreat on hot summer days, especially to canoers and tubers who make Kingston a stop on trips down the scenic river.

The park has a picnic shelter, playground, and tennis court.

Step into the past when you visit Albrights Mill County Park northeast of Cokato, four miles north of Highway 12 on Wright Co. Rd. 5. This tranquil park along the shore of the North Fork of the Crow River enchants modern visitors. There is a picnic area, canoe launch, and primitive canoe campsite.

Mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and horseback enthusiasts have cleared rustic trails in the Dassel-Darwin County Park, midway between Dassel and Darwin on Highway 12.

There is also a winter sliding hill and a primitive camp site for groups, by reservation.

Snowmobile fans have access to hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails in both Wright and Meeker counties. The Meeker County trails, which can be accessed just northwest of the city of Dassel, connect with the Glacial Lakes, Stearns, and Luce Line Trails.

For more information or maps, contact the county parks departments, city halls, or snowmobile dealerships.