Lebanon Hills Regional Park Family Photos

Smiling one-year-old sitting in pine needles at Lebanon Hills Regional Park, photographed naturally during an outdoor family photo session.

Lebanon Hills Regional Park, located in Eagan, Minnesota, is one of my favorite places to photograph children. The space is quiet and expansive, with trails, water, and open areas that encourage movement and curiosity. It’s a setting where children can explore at their own pace and moments unfold naturally, without being rushed or directed.

The images here were made during different visits to the park, with kids at different ages, but the approach stays the same every time: focus on them first, let them move freely, and allow family moments to happen naturally around them.

A Place That Gives Kids Room to Move

ne-year-old bending over to play with pine cones and sticks on the forest floor at Lebanon Hills Regional Park, photographed naturally in soft light.

Lebanon Hills works so well for kids because nothing feels confined. The trails are wide, the scenery changes gradually, and there’s space to walk, run, pause, and notice the small details along the way.

That freedom makes it easier to photograph kids as they really are, curious, expressive, and constantly in motion, without interrupting their rhythm.

Natural Variety Without Distraction

Young child running and splashing through shallow lake water at Lebanon Hills Regional Park during a natural outdoor family photo session.

One of the strengths of Lebanon Hills Regional Park is the range it offers in a single session. Lakes and shoreline paths, boardwalks stretching over the water, rolling hills, pine forest, long grasses, and open areas that catch soft evening light all exist within a short walk.

This variety keeps sessions visually rich while still feeling cohesive. The environment adds texture and atmosphere without ever pulling focus away from the kids.

Focusing on Kids While Families Stay Close

Smiling toddler sitting in tall grass at Lebanon Hills Regional Park, photographed naturally with soft light and shallow depth of field.

Most of the images made here center on the kids themselves, their expressions, movement, and connection to the space. Parents are always nearby, stepping in naturally when it adds to the moment, but never pulling attention away from the kids.

This balance allows family photos to feel relaxed and honest, grounded in real interaction rather than posing.

Kids at Lebanon Hills Regional Park

One-year-old holding sticks and smiling while standing barefoot in pine needles at Lebanon Hills Regional Park, photographed naturally in soft outdoor light.

One-year-old walking a small dog on a leash along a wooded trail, captured mid-step with autumn leaves and trees framing the path.

One-year-old smiling and looking up at the camera while standing in grass, captured in natural light.

One-year-old sitting on a forest path holding a stick, looking upward as soft light filters through the trees.

One-year-old walking confidently down a wooded path, smiling as light filters through the trees in a black and white photograph.

Adult throwing a laughing one-year-old into the air above tall grass, captured in a high-key black and white photograph.

One-year-old wearing a hooded jacket, standing in tall grass and looking directly toward the camera in a black and white photograph.

One-year-old holding a long piece of grass while standing in tall prairie grass, smiling and looking upward in a black and white photograph.

One-year-old standing at the edge of a calm lake, reflected in the water with autumn trees and grasses surrounding the shoreline.

Close-up portrait of a toddler with bright blue eyes, looking up toward the camera with a soft smile.

Young boy standing on a narrow dirt path, looking up toward the camera while wearing a white button-up shirt and flip-flops.

Two young siblings sitting side by side on a grassy hillside, smiling silly and naturally toward the camera.

Young boy playing in beach sand, digging and building a small moat at the water’s edge

Young child jumping and playing in wet beach sand and shallow water, splashing and building a small moat along the shoreline of Schulze Beach

Young boy splashing and playing in shallow water inside a sand moat at the beach.

One-year-old boy standing barefoot in wet beach sand, muddy legs and hands, wearing a white shirt and shorts, playing near shallow water at Schulze Lake beach.

One-year-old girl in a light green dress walking along the sandy shoreline of a lake, soft evening light behind her, water and people playing in the background.

Young toddler in a light green dress walking barefoot on a sandy beach near the water, swinging her arms playfully toward the camera with a smile as the sun sets behind her.

Mother holding hands with her two young children as they walk barefoot along the sandy shoreline of a lake, seen from behind, with calm water and trees in the background on a warm summer evening.

Family Photos at Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Lebanon Hills Regional Park is an ideal choice for families who want photos that feel natural, unforced, and rooted in the outdoors. The space allows sessions to unfold at an easy pace, and it reflects the same approach that runs throughout my family and lifestyle photography.

If you’re drawn to this setting and want an experience that centers your kids while still making room for family moments, please reach out.

Minneapolis wedding photographer Jackson Tyler Eddy

Jackson Tyler Eddy is a Minneapolis wedding photographer with 17+ years behind the camera, hundreds of weddings photographed, and a place in The Knot Hall of Fame. His landscape work has been featured by National Geographic in its Daily Dozen, and that same artist's eye carries into every wedding he photographs. Available for weddings throughout Minnesota and destinations worldwide.

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