Kinsel Park is located just south of Excelsior Boulevard on Kinsel Road, on the north side of Glen Lake. Classified as a community preserve, only two of Kinsel Park’s 19.5 acres are developed, including the parking lot, trails, boardwalk, secluded picnic areas, benches and a gazebo.

Kinsel Park is the place to go for observing native plants and trees, birding or having picnics. Several picnic areas are located off the trails, as well as many benches for stopping and enjoying the natural scenery or views of Glen Lake.

Kinsel Park has only 0.6 miles of trails, including a 600-foot boardwalk through the wetland area connecting one side of the park to the other. The boardwalk provides views of the lake as well as wetland plants and wildlife.

Trails

The 975-foot west arm trail starts from the parking lot and includes a loop around the gazebo and the west side of the boardwalk.

The 1200-foot east arm trail starts from the parking lot, reaches the east end of the boardwalk and makes a connection to the neighborhood east of the park.

The 600-foot boardwalk connects the east and west trails.

The parking lot has room for only six vehicles. The two large sediment ponds near the parking lot play an important role in filtering stormwater run-off from Excelsior Boulevard and the surrounding area.

If You Go

• Park is open from 5:00 AM - 10:00 PM
• The park is accessible by vehicle from Kinsel Road, just south of Excelsior Boulevard
• Dogs must be on a leash (no longer than 6 feet) on the trails, in the play areas and in the parking lot.
• Please pick up after your pet. A Mutt Mitt dispenser is located by the parking lot.

Fun Facts

• Three large, wide-crowned bur oak trees grace the open lawn in the northeast corner of the park, remnants from the oak woodland and savanna of the pioneer days.
• The largest known ponderosa pine tree in Minnetonka stands south of the trail in the southeast corner of the park. Ponderosa pine is native to the western United States, and this large tree was likely planted by a settler.
• The new plantings on the western edge of the park were done as part of an Eagle Scout project through the Natural Resources Division.
• In the 1920s, a tour boat operated on Glen Lake.