Absolutely beautiful park. Went jet skiing with my family there and had a great time. They have…read moreplenty of parking and lots of shaded seating to get a break from the sun. The beach part is just gorgeous too. Water is pretty peaceful. On a non windy day like this, it was easy to ride the jet ski around. There was a decent sized separated area to go swimming in, which sd enjoyed. I loved that there was a playground and also a small splash pad nearby. My toddler loved it. Definitely plan to be back some day to explore more of the park, as we were mainly on the water.

Came for a few hours for hiking, which was great! The kids played in the splash pad area for a few…read moreminutes, they almost didn't get to use the splash pad because we couldn't figure out how to get it running, it started going after we started walking away....other than that it is a unique design. The beach was good size but I don't recommend swimming, the water is nasty green and scummy.

Learned about this park from the book titled "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of the Twin Cities." In…read moregeneral, the park was quite nice. Very nice views of the river along part of the path... You can hike for just over 2 miles (part of the original path has closed due to erosion from rainfall). The trails are pretty well-maintained, and I think that is because they are frequently used... We saw several other people there during our visit.

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!

An absolutely lovely early fall experience! I was looking to see some fall leaves, and while I was…read morea bit early coming the final week of September, I was still entranced by the beauty of this place. (For sure going to have to come back again some time in late October for more of the brilliant colors, but I got some!) I hiked a total of 7.6 miles over the course of the afternoon, and I have to say that hiking the majority of this park is possible in one visit if you have the time and stamina. I went up Hidden Falls Trail first to visit the waterfall, which I would say is an absolute must-see if you visit here. It's close and it's stunning. Great for photo ops. From there I kept going northwards along the Fawn Trail to the Hope Trail Loop, then resumed Fawn Trail to Beaver Trail which took me to White Oak Trail. All of these were lovely, traipsing through the lush woods. I found myself stopping frequently to look up and admire the leafy canopy far above my head. If I paused, I could hear the breeze moving through the branches. This place is far enough away from it all that you don't hear any road noise or human city noises, which is wonderful. I chose to go a bit further, crossing the road so I could also try out the trails on the southern end of the park, including Maple Trail Loop, Basswood Trail, and Fox Trail. These lower routes had a different vibe to them... more grasslandy; there were still trees, but there were fewer of them and some were bare/dead. So if you're seeking a bit more sun/less shade, these trails might be preferable. It looked like there was some restoration going on in this area, as I noticed many young saplings that were protected by a giant straw-like device. While many of the northern trails had a gravel path, the southern trails seemed more like mowed grass. Before leaving, I also enjoyed the playground up by the parking lot. There's cute nature play "equipment" made of wood as well as a bunch of swings. These swings are pretty high off the ground... I had no issue with scraping the ground even with my adult-length legs, lol. In this area is also a gazebo with many picnic tables under it, as well as a sink and electrical outlets. This is also where the restrooms are located. They were still open late September! (But I also noticed a pit toilet further up that's likely open year-round.) There are also plenty of additional picnic tables and barbeques, as well as a water fountain, spread out in the grass under the trees in this area, so there's lots of places to select from. I was unfortunately there when the Visitor Center was closed (Tuesday) so I did not get to go inside to check it out. Perhaps next visit I'll be able to go, because I often like to purchase a patch or pin as a memento (and to support the park system). I'd read on the website that the parking lot for this place was small and thus they advised arriving early to ensure a spot. This turned out to not be an issue on a Tuesday. They have camp sites and group camp sites. I didn't check them out on my day hike, but I'll admit to being curious about camping here in the future.

Such a pretty hidden nature spot and honestly worth wandering around. The waterfall itself is…read morereally cool, but what I loved most was exploring all the little details around it--flowers growing by the creek, dripping mossy rock walls, interesting trees, and just the peaceful feeling of being tucked away in the woods. We definitely climbed around and explored more than expected The waterfall is beautiful from different angles, and if you like taking photos, there are a lot of fun spots and textures to capture. Depending on the time of day, the sun makes the water sparkle which looked really pretty. It felt peaceful, relaxing, and like a nice little escape without needing some huge hike. Definitely bring decent shoes if you plan to explore near the water or rocks because it can get slippery. Would absolutely recommend if you enjoy nature, photography, or just finding quiet pretty places.

This is probably not a destination park, but if you find yourself near Hastings with the need to…read moreget out of your car for between 10 and 60 minutes, chances are you'll enjoy Vermillion Falls Park. There's a nice sized parking lot and the falls is literally two minutes away. WIN. If you have teens who like some light hiking and picture taking, they will love this place. The teens I was with happily took pictures of both the falls and the graffiti and I enjoyed the wildflowers. Several picnic tables, and port a potties.

Small park nestled next to a large loud factory. The bike/walking trail is nice. We put a lock on…read morethe love lock fence. We didn't stay long but it was nice to see a park in this small town.

Whitetail Woods is such a great park system tucked near the University of Minnesota agricultural…read moreresearch farm. It's one of my favorite nature spots close to the Twin Cities. Even though it's not far from the metro, once you're out on the trails it really feels like you're deep in nature. It's quiet, peaceful, and you can't hear any city noise. There are plenty of trail options with different lengths and scenery. You'll find trails around the lake, wooded paths, prairie areas, and a mix of paved and natural surfaces. It's also very dog friendly, which is a big plus. They've done a great job with the amenities too. There's a nice play area for kids, restrooms, and well-maintained paths. One of the best things about this park is that it rarely feels overcrowded.

I love this park! Whitetail Woods is a relatively new part of the Metropolitan Parks System, but…read moreit has quickly become a favorite. It is close to the cities, yet when you're walking/hiking/snowshoeing, or whatever, it feels very isolated. Part of that in nature feel is because it is primarily surrounded by federal or state wildlife area and a U of MN researh farm. We first discovered if for snowshoeing and it continues to be one of our favorites for that activity. There's hiking trails you can walk on, or you can explore your own path. The terrain is varied with flat plains, lots of hills, plus swamps. Though we love it best in Winter, it is beautiful for hiking during any season. There's enough variation in terrain that you can get a good workout. Though it has become more popular as people have discovered it, it is still large enough that you do not feel overrun. There are also camper cabins if you would like to stay overnight. Highly recommend as an outdoor escape.

Beautiful trails that take you through prairie or down to the river. You can take a short 15ish…read moreminute walk or challenge yourself for hours. The traverse was pretty easy, nothing too stressful. Walking down to the river gave some nice views and some moments to just sit and enjoy the surroundings. It also didn't seem to have an admission charge, so you could park and walk right in.

Beautiful trails! Animals galore! Fun in every season. Woods, ponds, and even a prairie-- choose…read moreyour own adventure. An important educational asset to area schools, Faribault kids grow up snow-shoeing and exploring the trails and learning about wildlife. DON'T MISS THE TURTLE POND!

Great park with really nice scenic walking routes. Great little bridge to over the water. Very…read moreclean and lots of parking. Definitely a beautiful spot to visit.

A fantastic little 1.1mi loop around a lake in Eagan. This park also features an impressively sized…read moregazebo with picnic tables, fire pit, restrooms (seasonal), grills, trash/recycling, and even concrete cornhole. There is a children's playground as well with a wide variety of features like swings, climbing walls/ropes, diggers, slides, spinners, and more-- you and/or your kiddos are gonna have lots of fun here. The playground is on gravel. There's also a volleyball court with sand, and lots of open grassy space to kick or throw about a ball. Seriously excellent amenities. The trail has inconsistent surfaces-- some of it is paved, other parts are dirt and gravel. Just something to be aware of (it wouldn't work well for skateboarding or rollerblading, for example). There are a couple docks you can fish off of or just sight-see from. A wooden bridge across the lake makes for excellent photographs. There is also a boat ramp (walk to, not drive to). The parking lot is pretty large with many spaces.

Best way to spend my birthday out snowshoeing with friends! The trails here are very scenic with…read moreviews of the Mississippi, and lots of wildlife to boot. Definitely worth the trip especially if you are visiting nearby Red Wing. My only criticism would be that the maps along the trail didn't have a "you are here" marker, but that went away once I figured out each intersection being assigned a letter. Will have to come back in the warmer seasons for a hike and/or camping trip!

Beautiful trails, very nice campsite and gorgeous bathroom/shower facilities! It was our first time…read morevisiting and we enjoyed the family-friendly atmosphere. A very easy and beautiful drive from Rochester, perfect for a weekend getaway!

My top favorite hiking spot in Minnesota. So many different paths you can take and a partially…read moreaccessible route for all ages and disabilities. Rock climbing up here is like no other spot in MN and everyone is always incredibly nice on the trails. Lots of places to stop and I love doing photography up here, photoshoots, and timelapses. You will never regret having a hike here. Being water for the break at the top and you are golden.

We like to make the trek from the twin cities to this park in Red Wing. There is a lot of parking…read moreat the trailhead and once you get going, it isn't too long of a hike up the hill and you are rewarded with really nice views of the town, the surrounding county, the river, as well as being able to see deep into Wisconsin. There is a lot to look at from the northern vantage point. Then, you can head south along a ridgeline and get to the southern vantage point and the views there go on for miles as well. It is definitely kid-friendly, as my 4 year old walked the whole thing and my 2 year old walked a bunch of it, too. Just make sure to take a few breaks and bring some snacks.