Trails
Rapids Lake Trail
Open season: Open year round - Walking and biking spring to fall, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter. This trail is open to biking; floods seasonally.
Length: 2.7 miles, one-way
Location of trail: Rapids Lake Unit, Carver
Surface: Natural surface
Difficulty: Easy
Information: This trail begins at the Rapids Lake Education and Visitor Center. It follows river bottom forest and marsh for much of its length. At 0.6 miles, you will pass a pond at the base of the ridge. River rapids can be viewed (at low river levels) 1 mile from the visitor center. The north end connects to the Carver Creek Loop Trail. This trail is mostly flat and floods seasonally. Look for tracks along the trail after wet periods. Northern / middle portions of this trail are typically inaccessible due to flooding and flood impacts.
Forest Loop Trail
Open season: Open year round - Walking and biking spring to fall, snow shoeing and cross-country skiing in winter. This trail is open to biking.
Length: 0.6 miles, loop
Location of trail: Rapids Lake Unit, Carver
Surface: Natural surface
Difficulty: Easy
Information: Leaving from the asphalt trail below the Rapids Lake Education and Visitor Center, this mostly level trail courses through oak and hickory forest, with a brief view of a slough connecting to Long Lake. View wood ducks in the slough and listen for frogs calling.
North Hunter Lot Trail
Open season: Open year round - Walking spring to fall, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and fat tire biking in the winter. This trail is open to biking.
Length: 1 mile, one-way
Location of trail: Rapids Lake Unit, Carver
Surface: Natural surface
Difficulty: Easy
Information: This trail is a mowed service road running from the parking lot on County Road 11 (Jonathan Carver Parkway) to the northeast, where it ends at the refuge boundary. View native wildflowers, bur oaks, woodpeckers and prairie skink in this restored oak savanna. Please note: wearing blaze orange highly recommended during hunting seasons.
Carver Creek Loop Trail
Open season: Open year round - Walking and biking spring to fall, snow shoeing and cross-country skiing in winter. This trail is open to biking.
Length: 1.6 miles, loop
Location of trail: Rapids Lake Unit, Carver
Surface: Natural surface
Difficulty: Easy
Information: This trail system has three entry points: Bluff Park, Ash Street (downtown Carver), and the Rapids Lake Trail. Connect to Bluff Park from the west (Bluff Park Spur, 0.3 miles) or Ash Street from the north 0.2 miles. Portions of this trail experience seasonal flooding.