Jim's Prairie (near 2799 Ivy Ave. E) Though only 5 acres, the prairie is home to over 150 different plant species! Many consider it one of the best wet prairies in Ramsey County.
Beaver Creek Reserve (1190 Sterling St North) Stroll along Beaver Creek as it meanders through willow and dogwood making its way to Beaver Lake.
Kohlman Creek Preserve (Beam Ave. and Hazelwood St.) Kohlman Creek meanders through the preserve on its way to Kohlman Basin. While you wouldn’t want to wade here, the creek is picturesque. The Bruce Vento Trail runs along the preserve’s western boundary.
Prairie Farm (2170 County Rd D E) The open rolling pasture at the preserve was seed with native prairie grasses and flowers and offers a chance to wade through that sea of grass the early settlers described. You’ll never be far from a glimpse of the old red barn of the Bruentrup Heritage Farm.
Joy Preserve (north of Joy Park) Glaciers carved the rolling hills here thousands of years ago. Today, you can ramble through the old pasture grasses and make your way to the shade of a cool pine plantation. Stay alert and you may catch a glimpse of a fox.
Applewood Preserve (822 Sterling St S, Maplewood, MN 55119) Rolling hills, a pasture dotted with gnarled apple trees, and grand vistas await you here!
Carver Preserve (Carver and Sterling) At Maplewood’s Carver Preserve rolling hills and long views over the Mississippi River Valley set the stage. Open pasture graces the eastern half of the preserve, with waves of grass and even a tiny patch of native prairie.
Trout Brook Preserve (bordering 30 County Road B E) Bush whack along Trout Brook in the shadows of a small woodland. If you’re lucky, the brook will be running and you’ll come upon a fawn hiding. Then cross into the wide open prairie.
Fish Creek Natural Area (Carver Ave. and Henry Lane) On the bluff of the Mississippi River, the prairie and woodlands of beckon hikers and wildlife. A trail winds up to the bluff top, and opens to views of the western horizon. You could see raptors and songbirds, and even fox, coyote, and deer.
Gladstone Savanna (Frost Ave. and English St.) Venture past the cottonwoods into the heart of the preserve and you can almost hear the hissing and clanking of the trains as they pulled into the Gladstone shops for repair.
Hidden Marsh Preserve (near 2860 Arcade St) Hidden Marsh Preserve is one of Maplewood’s smallest Neighborhood Preserves. The large wetland adjacent to the preserve is home to many deer so keep an eye open for deer tracks and scrapes.
Priory (2600 Larpenteur Ave.) Maplewood’s largest and most diverse preserve, the Priory has wonderful examples of our historic landscape: prairie, savanna, woodlands, and wetlands.
Fisher's Corner (southeast side of Kohlman Lake) Enter Fisher's Corner and find yourself in a cathedral of oak and basswood trees. Though this small woodland is degraded ecologically, the trees are magnificent and you’ll be sure to see a jack-in-the-pulpit or two.
Spoon Lake Preserve (2390 Keller Parkway) At Spoon Lake Preserve you can wander from wetlands to woodlands to a grassy glade. Try to solve the ecological mystery of why a grove of box elder trees at the preserve has hummocky topography!
