Discover Mendota Heights

Golf, urban green spaces, Oheyawahe, and trails define different facets of the destination.

Golf and seasonal activities

The Mendota Heights Par 3 Golf Course is a 9-hole golf course with a par of 27. More than 20,000 rounds of golf are played there each year. Dozens of programs, lessons, and events are also held, including the Trick-or-Teeing event every fall.

The city’s ice rinks in Mendota Heights are open during the winter months, weather permitting. Parks and Recreation and Public Works flood, clear, and maintain the rinks. This makes a difference for your travel dates: Trick-or-Teeing takes place every fall, while the ice rinks are a weather-dependent option during the winter months.

Oheyawahe and its significance

Oheyawahe is considered sacred by the Dakota. The area was inhabited by the Dakota and other Indigenous peoples long before the founding of Fort Snelling in 1820, and it remains an important place for the Dakota community and other Indigenous people today.

The name Oheyawahe can be translated as “a sacred place, often visited; the place people go for burials.” Oheyawahe overlooks the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. Birdwatching is a popular activity at Pilot Knob.

Parks and trails in Mendota Heights

Mendota Heights has 17 public parks and additional open spaces, including Oheyawahe/Pilot Knob; together, they cover more than 295 acres. The 112-acre Oheyawahe/Pilot Knob site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. It includes 27 acres of public land.

The Big Rivers Regional Trail is accessible via the Big Rivers Trailhead in Mendota Heights. The nearly level, paved trail follows a disused railroad corridor. Regionally, the trail runs along the northern edge of Dakota County from Eagan to Lilydale and offers views of the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers.

The River to River Greenway also runs through Mendota Heights. A 1.4-mile section was upgraded to meet Dakota County Greenway standards, making it safer and easier to travel. The Greenway as a whole is nearly 8 miles long and connects points along the Mississippi River from Lilydale to South St. Paul. The difference matters when planning a route: the Big Rivers Regional Trail is defined by its trailhead, paved surface, and nearly level route, while the improvements to the River to River Greenway apply to a specific section.

Additional trails in the surrounding area

Eagan borders Mendota Heights to the north. Eagan’s trail network includes 161 miles of sidewalks and trails through residential areas, parks, and the city, which can be used for walking, biking, jogging, and walking dogs. This makes it possible to distinguish local trail options from those in the neighboring city.

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