Exploring Brickyards area of Lilydale regional park

I've recently visited the Brickyards area of Lilydale regional park a couple of times, and thought it was worth a blog post. Located just down the road from Harriet Island park in St. Paul, it is a great place to get away from town without ever really leaving town.

The Brickyard trail is named after the Twin Cities Brick Company, which used to be located on the property. You can still see remnants of this, for more info on the history, check out the NPS website.


Located on a hill, waterfalls are formed from small streams of water flowing in places where cliffs (due to the brick quarry) are located. In the winter they form large walls, which are great for climbing. I got the chance to go ice climbing there, and had a great time.

As I was snowshoeing along the trail, I noticed a couple of groups sledding down the trail, which is something I didn't do, but clearly would be a fun activity if you've got a sled sitting around. For one, it sure would speed up your trip down to the car if you parked on the bottom!

I definitely recommend visiting this trail to anyone interested in a nice hike through the woods.