 Gary Carlson |
 Watland |
 Rich Hansen |
 David Berens |
Located just 12 miles south of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro areas in Dakota County, Apple Valley itself is a relatively small business and residential community of only 17.5 square miles. Today, the city is 75% developed.
This state-of-the-art
facility contains the largest collection of animals in Minnesota and attracts
approximately 1.2 million visitors each year. In addition to the impressive
animal exhibits, the Zoo also offers recreational activities such as IMAX
movies, cross country skiing, and nationally-touring concerts in it's outdoor
theater.
Valleywood is located at 4851 West 125th Street. For more information, call
(612) 423-2171.
Outdoor activities include: summer and winter hiking, cross country skiing, horseback riding, mountain
biking, canoeing, fishing, snowmobiling and more. There are also fire pits, picnic shelters and a warming house
at Schulze Lake Beach.
Apple Valley residents enjoy an extensive park program which consist of numerous parks, community
centers, sports arenas and athletic complexes. With 60 miles of trails connecting the area's many
parks, most neighborhoods are located no further than a half mile from a park.
Apple Valley belongs in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
School District #196. More than
26,000 students are enrolled in the districts 18 elementary, five middle and three high schools, as
well as the alternative learning center: a place which offers students who have dropped out
of high school the opportunity to earn a diploma. Apple Valley students may also enroll in the School
of Environmental Studies located at the Minnesota Zoo.
District 196 has been honored with many state and national championships including
six state and 1 national speech champion, as well as state champions in teh
Math League, Math Postal League, Knowledge Master, Science Olympiad and Odyssey
of the Mind. In athletics, students from District 196 have earned three state
shampionship trophies and the Minnesota High School Swimmer of the Year. For
more information, contact the district's main office at 14445 Diamond Path W.,
Rosemount, phone 651-423-7700
.
