Trying to be more intentional about exploring parks around Minneapolis this year, and Hidden Falls…read moreseemed like the perfect place to start. We usually default to Minnehaha Falls across the river, but I'd never actually explored this side--which looks to be really sprawling with new townhomes and modular single family homes. We parked near the dam and walked along the trail to reach the stairs leading down to Hidden Falls. Heads up: the walk down is a little precarious since there's no railing for most of the stairs, but it's not very steep and the trek itself is pretty short. The falls themselves were a bit disappointing at the moment--more of a trickle than a waterfall--but it is early in the season. That said, the forested park area it winds through was really nice, and made the visit worth it regardless. I can already tell this place is probably stunning in the summer when everything is green and flowing! Even with the lower water level, it was a great way to explore somewhere new and great to see there were so many people already exploring the park with it being chilly still!

Beautiful park near the city. Grabbed some take out and found an empty picnic table in the middle…read moreof the day - lots of parking! Watched a few boats launch, saw some geese, enjoyed watching people along the shore. Picnic tables near the water at the North Entrance. Check it out!

I'm going to have to return to this park again when I have a bit more time to explore. I stopped by…read morefor a quick hike and was a bit stymied when my GPS took me an unnecessary two miles over to the west entrance (past the unrelated marina) when I'd been intending to use the east one. The west entrance has a good-sized free parking lot nearby the gazebo. This structure has picnic tables, fire pit, water fountain, and restrooms (however, the latter two are seasonal... in November the fountain was shut off and the restrooms were locked, which kind of sucked for me who was in need of both... thus why I made my stay somewhat short). The trails for the most part are all paved, unless you take the unofficial ones beaten down along the riverway (which seem to be most utilized by fishers from what I could glean). So that's great for bicyclists or people pushing baby strollers or rollerbladers, but wasn't exactly the vibe I was looking for. Depends on what your desires are recreationally. There was one lake area under restoration that was therefore inaccessible for now; always nice to see when resources are being invested to keep our parks nice. Lots of trees, plenty of shade, even when most of the trees have lost their leaves in preparation for winter. I think I'll come back when some snow has fallen, because I'm sure it would probably be quite gorgeous.

Love this park! Beautiful sand trails by the river and also paved trails. Highly recommend checking…read moreit out. There are many places to park along the road, but I love the parking lot by the picnic shelter, too!

Nice park near the cities! I stopped in after some rain so it was a little wet and muddy out as…read moremany of the paths are dirt, which is nice when it's dry. There are a lot of different places to explore, including the historic fort, at different experience levels so it's a great spot for families of all abilities. Their visitor center is also nice and informative!

A Gem: Fort Snelling State Park…read more Rating: I visited Fort Snelling State Park on Memorial Day and I was blown away. Not what you'd expect from the name I know, but this is no ordinary park - it's better. From the moment I walked in I was struck by the natural beauty of the park. If you love the outdoors this is the place for you with plenty of hiking and exploring to be had. The staff do a great job of keeping the park clean and up to date. One of the highlights of my visit was the bike trail. I brought my bike and it was a great decision. The trail is well maintained and has great views of the surrounding area. Plus the park is close to several other trails so it's a great place to start a longer ride. I'm already planning on coming back to use this park as my starting point for future bike adventures. Overall I highly recommend Fort Snelling State Park to anyone looking for a beautiful outdoor experience. Whether you're a seasoned hiker, casual biker or just someone who loves the great outdoors this park has something for everyone. From the natural beauty to the location and trails Fort Snelling State Park is a gem that needs to be found.

The refuge is a great place to explore nature. There are many trails to hike both short and long…read more The Visitor's Center has a wonderful display and activities. There is also a viewing area where there are bird feeders. A favorite is the turkeys that stop by! The staff here are helful and friendly. They also plan community events that are always fun and educational.

Hooray, I finally came here when the visitor center was open! I've been a couple of times in the…read morepast just to do some hiking on the trails, but I'd never gotten to see the inside as the hours are somewhat narrow being just Wednesday through Sunday. It looked really grandiose from the outside, so I'm unsurprised the inside was quite modern and comfortable. It's comprised of many available seating areas where you can sit and relax (I especially recommend the seating facing the bird feeders, though there's also a cozy fireplace), or simply wander and explore the exhibits they have up with information on them about the history of the refuge, the work its done and is doing, and the animals that inhabit it. This is important work! I'm so glad they're doing it. Unsurprisingly there is a gift shop with expected trinkets such as stickers, pins, patches, plushies, postcards, jewelry, hankerchiefs, and lots of books. So if you'd like to support the refuge and get a little something for yourself, that's a great way to do it. There is additionally an art gallery with revolving local Minnesota artists that take inspiration from nature, an auditorium playing a looped track, and plenty of space for kids to play (including corn hole and giant puzzles). There is a conference room (downstairs) and a community room (upstairs), and considerable office space (not open to the public, obviously). Two water bottle refill stations. Clean bathrooms (separated by gender, but there's also a bonus unisex, accessible one). These folks do LOTS of events throughout the year, most of them completely free to attend (some require RSVP, others don't), so I recommend keeping an eye out for something that interests you. Plenty of free parking is available on site. There are picnic tables around the visitor center, as well as an outlook with binoculars. If you go down along the left side the visitor center, it will take you to the trails if you're here to do some hiking. :)

Great shorter hike with some steep slick parts but we had a heavy rain last night and still very…read moredoable. One thing I'd mention that I hadn't read much about was that the poison ivy was pervasive, jutting into the path even in areas that we wouldn't have considered the paths to be overgrown. We opted to stay on the paved path until we got to the most direct path down to the falls. I used the map and route marked on Daytripper28.com's website. Enjoy!

Pretty cool place! I'm not the kind of person to say 'the air was pregnant with humidity' often,…read morebut that is the impression I got here. Lots of dragonflies dancing about here, some nice views of the Mississippi as well.

White Sand Beach is a true hidden gem of a beach in the cities, especially for those who like to…read moresit back and take in the beauty of the Mississippi River that flows by the beach + nice hiking/walking trail before you find yourself at the beach and enjoying the spectacular views and soft natural sandstone sand! Bear in mind there is quite a few old firewood chips scattered all over the beach. A little annoying how they are scattered everywhere, but luckily it's not a huge issue, but just don't be surprised or disappointed when go. Seems like it's a popular spot for locals to host intimate bonfires, which I love this spot for a fun summer night bonfire with friends. Just make sure to "Leave No Trace" practice by cleaning up all bonfires and throwing away left over trash. Love that there's a few trash bins down by the beach! Overall great place to check out!!

It's a bit confusing where to park... I know Apple maps randomly took me to the boat ramp parking…read moreafter passing by two other perfectly good small parking lots that connected to the trail. Which, since I wanted to just hike around in the autumn sunshine, I turned my car around and went back to. There was a port-a-john in the lot I parked in, which I appreciated. A little ways walk I also located a large gazebo-like structure with picnic tables. Didn't seem to have restrooms and the water fountain had already been turned off for the cold season. The trail is paved all the way around, which I suppose is nice for bicyclists, but not what I'd prefer as a hiker as it is hard on the feet and doesn't feel very nature-y. I also thought that in late October, this spot would be gorgeous, but for whatever reason all the trees had either already shed their leaves or were just kind of a sickly yellow color. Oh well. It was neat hiking along the river on either side; plus I got to watch a train go over the tresses on the north end. Not a super long walk, maybe an hour's worth if you go all the way around. Oh, there's also a small fenced-off section serving as a "dog park" but it didn't look very appealing or well-maintained... Also, people who drive their cars through here seem to want to speed above the limit... which is like weird because why not cruise and enjoy the scenery? Plus, the trail crosses the road in numerous places, so if you're speeding, you're more liable to hit someone. =/ It just doesn't feel well designed.

When my boys were little they attended a fossil camp that visited Lilydale for fossil hunting. The…read moreboys are teenagers and they still fossil hunt. Nice paved parking lot, wide walking path. We follow the path and walk up the big hill. Near the top of the hill to the left is the premiere location for fossils. Usually the boys hunt while the rest of us continue up the path taking in the nature. Great little get away during Covid.

We visited Minnehaha park for the beautiful waterfall, and were pleasantly surprised by the…read morewonderful bluegrass festival that took place in the pavilion! We enjoyed this thoroughly. The set up was wonderful, and the performers were great. Lots of coupons available as well. There was lots of seating available and food vendors, and of course the staple sea salt eatery. The line was so long we were unable to sacrifice the bluegrass time to get a bite. Love this park! So fun to enjoy in all seasons.

Beautiful park right in the heart of Minneapolis. Go look at the majestic falls and walk along the…read moretrails that loop around the park. A great summer activity. I do think some of the graffiti/vandalism could be better addressed in certain main areas, but overall a complete must-see!

Today was my first day hiking, and what a fabulous experience it was…read more Even the people who were walking their dogs had the most well trained dogs! It was 88 degrees today but there were so many beautiful trees that provided a nice shade. Be careful because some of the trails are very thin, with no ledge.

I'd give this place six stars if I could. If you're searching for a different or better America,…read moreI'd say stop here. The nature is an A+! The trails can go on for a bit and you feel like you're in a state park.

We stayed in the covered wagon for two nights! This was such a fun unique experience…read more All the staff are very pleasant, the resort has a lot to offer from tubing, kayaking, swimming, splash pad, park, basketball hoop, volleyball net, dog park, golf carts and so much more! We enjoyed having a camp fire, the dog park and the golf carts rental! They also offered free bingo with popcorn and root beer floats! The wagon was such a cozy unique stay! Plenty of sleeping space. There is a mini fridge and Keurig. We definitely would visit again!

Overall it's a nice little campground near home. We stayed in a covered wagon and out was a very…read morehot weekend. The AC kept the place pretty cool but the fridge did not keep things cold. We even turned it down to the lowest setting but still didn't help. It was great they had a pool and splash pad but they didn't open until 10 and while the sign said closed at 8, the online policy you sign said it closed at dusk. We went just after 8 and were told it was closed. We pointed out the policy and was told they had to update the website. It was disappointing and not a great impression. The camping spaces are very close together and for the price to stay in the wagon ($175/night) you have to bring basically everything to cook and stay. Overall it's fine for a little getaway and we live close but I probably won't come back.