Top 5 Skateparks Of MN

5. Burnsville Skate Plaza

Coming in at number 5 is the Burnsville Skate plaza, redone in the Summer of 2016, this park has received some major improvements since the former times of metal ramps. This park has everything an adequate, well-rounded skatepark needs. Let’s start off with the pros, there is a wide array of features to skate, catering to all skaters desires. For transition skaters, this is one of the only free bowls in the Twin Cities, and its clover shape provides the opportunity for diverse lines. This spot has an easy-going flow in the street segment, the quarter pipes are strategically placed throughout, to keep your lines flowing. Also, this space has a wide assortment of rails, ledges, stairs, and banks, to keep you entertained and skating something different, each time you go. Now, there are some cons, the transition of this bowl is disproportionate: the shallow end is very steep while the deep end is quite mellow.  Finally, when the plaza is busy it’s easy to collide with other skaters, a result of many of the skating lanes placed perpendicular to each other, so keep your head up and look out for others in the park.

4. Maple Grove Skatepark

Finished in 2013, Maple Grove Skatepark has many different features for skaters to choose from and get down on. This park has one of the best flows in the area, with a wide variety of quarter pipes, banks, stairs, rails, and ledges this place can be skated in many different ways. This place makes it easy for newer skaters to progress, there are all different sizes of rails and ledges so when you learn something on the small one you can take it to the bigger one. Like every other this park does have a few downfalls, it can be difficult to skate when it’s busy, because of the cross traffic. There tend to be a fair amount of scooter kids here in the evenings, so just keep your head up and do your best to avoid them.

3. Front Street Skatepark

Front is located in St. Paul, MN, and the grand opening of the new park was on October 30th, 2014. There used to be a park there that consisted of mostly wood ramps, but that has since been relocated to Arlington Ackwright Park, and the new concrete plaza is now in its place. Now the park has great flow and progression in the features. There are small rails and bigger rails, which make it a perfect environment to learn on the small ones and take the tricks to the bigger ones, same with stair sets and ledges, which keeps this park interesting. It’s very easy to get speed from the hips on one end or from the quarter pipes on the other side. Front has a solid local scene of rippers that spend much of their time there. The only thing you gotta look out for is the latchkey kids running around breaking glass or stealing, but this park is usually a blast, so if you haven’t checked it out I would suggest doing so.

2. 3rd Lair

3rd Lair is located in Golden Valley, MN, 3rd Lair first went into business in February 1997. Since then, they have gained a golden reputation for being one of the finest indoor/outdoor skateparks in the area. With an ever-changing setup, this place is a “proving grounds” for new generations to learn some tricks and push one another. The whole park was recently redone in Birchwood, so it’s no longer dusty and slippery from the Skatelite®. This place has anything and everything you would want to skate: a peanut bowl with a 9 ft deep end, 10 ft vert ramp, ledges, hubbas, flat bars, handrails, stair sets, banks, quarter pipes, and a mini ramp room with a spine in the middle. 3rd has become a successful breeding ground for skaters, and the more you skate there, the more you learn. They also have a fully stocked shop, with the finest of skate stuff. The only downfall to 3rd would be the occasional copious amount of scooter kids, who flock there on weekends.

1. Ojibway Skate Plaza

Opened in late 2012, Ojibway Skate Plaza was one of the first street style plazas to hit the cities. Coming in at my personal number 4, Ojibway has plenty of features to keep skaters entertained and also able to push their limits. There are ledges of all different sizes, so you can learn a trick on one of the short ones and bring it to the taller ledges when you’re ready. This place has plenty of space in-between objects, so skaters have options when weaving through the park and tackling different obstacles. The surface of this park is incredibly smooth, and with just a couple of pushes, you’ll have plenty of speed to skate whatever you’d like. Finally, there is a water fountain at the bathrooms, which can be very crucial on those extra hot days, an underrated feature. Cons of this park are pretty limited, but it does have some. If you shoot your board out on slams, then you may spend a lot of your session chasing it down, because of the length of this park.  Keep your eyes peeled this summer, for a little addition, and maintenance to this park.

Calvin G.