5 best outdoor locations for dog photography in Minneapolis St Paul in 2023
As a dog photographer, I get to scout the best locations for dog photography with people in Minneapolis and St Paul.
Though there are a plethora of beautiful parks (Stone Arch Bridge and The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, I’m lookin’ at you.) many parks do not allow dogs, and many others are so busy they make dog photography challenging.
I’m sharing my tried and true, go-to parks for the best dog photography. Bring the family and make it a family photo session just in time for those fall family pictures you’ll need for your holiday cards.
Hidden Falls Regional Park Dog Portrait
Hidden Falls Regional Park. Water, woods and beautiful limestone, this park has it all. Especially gorgeous in the fall, I highly recommend this location. It can be busy, but if you keep your visit to the falls short and explore other areas of the park you’ll usually have it all to yourself. Dogs and humans love the woods with rustic bridges. This park is prone to flooding and is often closed in the spring. Fall through late winter are the best times to visit.
Lebanon Hills Regional Park. Located in Eagan, this park is known for its grassy fields, curving boardwalk, and wooded hills (go figure….) Dogs will love the wide open fields, which make beautiful family photos any time of the year. It’s a popular park though, so visit early in the day or late in the day when crowds are less and light is pretty.
Rice Creek Regional Trail North Access. A favorite of fellow Minnesota photographers, - it’s always swarming with wedding and family portrait photo sessions - the tunnel of trees always makes a fun background for dogs and people. The Shoreview location is super convenient, just a literal minute off of 35W. Bicyclists love the trail system attached to this park, so if your dog reacts to bicycles this might not be the best choice. Black dogs and tall dogs do well here because tall trees and tall grass. The foliage dies back in the winter leaving a lovely tunnel without the summer greens.
Elm Creek Park Reserve. In my backyard here in Maple Grove, and also where I married the love of my life, you’ll see tons of wedding parties here taking advantage of the beautiful textures and open sky for silhouette sunset photos. My super secret local locations in the park are the Bottineau House area and the very last parking lot. Once you park in this lot, walk to the rustic fence. Tall dogs can put their front paws on it, and short dogs can look adorable being held by their human family.
Lyndale Rose Garden. I’ve photographed hundreds of dogs at this Minneapolis park. It’s also across the street from The Peace Garden. I confess I prefer the Peace Garden to the Rose Garden, because there are far more textures in the rocks, and I am a sucker for texture. The rocks also make nice natural perches for smaller dogs to bring them closer to the ever changing flowers. This is a very popular place, and one of the few (only?) flowering gardens in Minnesota that allows dogs. If you like pops of color in your family photos, I highly recommend going here. It’s busy so go in the early morning on a weekday and you’ll likely have the entire park to yourself, save the birds and the occasional gardener.
Sisters enjoy their dog portrait session on the rocks at Minneapolis’ Peace Garden.
