Editing Northfield, Minnesota (section)

==Parks and recreation==
[[Image:Bridge-No-8096.jpg|thumb|right|Bridge No. 8096 over Spring Creek, which runs through the [[Carleton College Cowling Arboretum]]]]The city owns 35 parks consisting of over {{convert|400|acre|km2}} of land.<ref name="Nfld_Parks">{{cite web|title=Parks |work=Streets, Parks and Facilities Division |publisher=City of Northfield |year=2008 |url=http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/parksandrec/parks |access-date=July 8, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421214025/http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/parksandrec/parks |archive-date=April 21, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>  Three of these parks have picnic shelters.<ref name="Nfld_Parks" />

The [[Carleton College Cowling Arboretum]] is a well-established [[arboretum]] and nature preserve of {{Cvt|800|acres|km2}} adjacent to and owned by [[Carleton College]]. It offers extensive trails for walking in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter.

St. Olaf College also owns around {{convert|430|acre}} called the St. Olaf Natural Lands.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://wp.stolaf.edu/naturallands/|title=Natural Lands - St. Olaf College|publisher=[[St. Olaf College]] |accessdate=April 21, 2024 |date=2024}}</ref> Of that, {{Cvt|150|acres|km2}} is restored prairie with 10 species of native grasses, and 25-40 species of wildflowers,<ref>{{cite web|title=Prairies|url=https://wp.stolaf.edu/naturallands/prairies/|access-date=August 30, 2017|archive-date=August 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831000735/https://wp.stolaf.edu/naturallands/prairies/|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{Cvt|15|acres|km2}} of [[Big Woods|big woods]] habitat,<ref>{{cite web|title=Forest|url=https://wp.stolaf.edu/naturallands/woodlands/|access-date=August 30, 2017|archive-date=August 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831000952/https://wp.stolaf.edu/naturallands/woodlands/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and up to {{Cvt|9|acres|km2}} of surface wetlands.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wetlands|url=https://wp.stolaf.edu/naturallands/wetlands/|access-date=August 30, 2017}}</ref> The St. Olaf Natural Lands are open to the public all year long and visitors are welcome to walk the trails and explore the Natural Lands.<ref>{{cite web|title=Map of St. Olaf Natural Lands trails and features|url=https://wp.stolaf.edu/naturallands/files/2023/06/St-Olaf-Natural-Lands-20230401-1.pdf|access-date=April 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=St. Olaf Natural Lands Visitor Information and Rules|url=https://wp.stolaf.edu/naturallands/visitor-information-and-rules/|access-date=April 21, 2024}}</ref>

The [[Mill Towns Trail|Mill Towns State Trail]] was built in 1998 as a joint effort of the cities of Northfield and [[Dundas, Minnesota|Dundas]].