Irving and John Anderson County Park is a 404-acre park which has a mix of hardwood forests, prairie habitats, wetlands and lakes. The park was added to the Isanti County park system in 2007. Irving and John Anderson County Park is located southwest of North Branch, Minnesota in Oxford Township on County Road 18, a quarter mile north of County Road 9 and two miles south of County Road 5. There are no fees to use this park. Dogs are allowed in the park when on a leash.
The main entrance to the park features two beautiful sandhill crane sculptures. The main parking area has a picnic shelter and a unique natural playground. There are vault toilets located here as well.
Bird watching is a major draw of this park. Turkeys, pheasants, red headed woodpeckers, sandhill cranes, and numerous songbirds frequent this park. Other wildlife you may see at the park include white tailed deer, Blanding’s turtles, and beavers. There are three observation platforms located in the park.
The park has 1.75 miles of undeveloped shoreline along Horseleg and Horseshoe Lakes. Canoeing and kayaking are allowed on the lakes and there is a launch a short distance beyond the main parking area on Horseleg Lake.
Irving and John Anderson County Park has a total of 5 miles of multi-use trails that run through its various habitats. In addition to mowed and gravel trails, there are a number of boardwalks over wetlands. Trail uses include hiking, biking, horseback riding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. In addition to the main parking area, there is a smaller trailhead parking area that serves the west side of the park right off County Road 18.
A map of the park and trails can be found here.
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