Crosby Lake park is named after Thomas Crosby, an English immigrant who, in 1858 staked out 160 acres in the valley southwest of the present day junction of Shepard Road and Interstate 35-E. It borders the Mississippi River. Thomas Crosby used the property as a farm. Today, Crosby Farm includes Upper Lake and Crosby Lake which provide mostly pan fish and northern pike. There is a Nature Center at Crosby and a picnic shelter. There are 6.7 miles of paved trails throughout Crosby Farm-Hidden Falls park traversing a beautiful natural setting. Trails run along shady, wooded bottomlands next to the Mississippi River, along the marshes of Crosby Lake and Upper Lake, past scenic picnic areas and connecting to the Mississippi River Boulevard. There are 13.9 kilometers of cross-country skiing trails. Watergate Marina is between Crosby and Hidden Falls units of the park and provides various facilities along with a boat ramp. This park provides an excellent setting for nature study, boating and cross county skiing.