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.

Parking, cleanliness, presentation was 5 stars. However, the condition of some of the animals had…read moreme a little concerned. The bear we saw was pacing and panting back and forth. I'm not a zookeeper by any means, but considering the heat and kids screaming, maybe stress and hot! The same was for the mountain lion. He actually was pawing at his enclosure door to get out of the sun, but seemed unable to do so. Other animals were even seen pawing at empty bowls, which again, assuming this to be for water. I grew up on a farm, not a zookeeper, but the animals looked very uncomfortable.

This was unexpected. Like, really unexpected. We drove here after camping at a state park nearby,…read moreand the roads made us think we were headed towards someone's backyard and we might be the only ones there. We could not have been more wrong! Buses full of field trip kids! So many granny nannies! Plenty of older kids, including a few groups of teenagers! This is a legit nature center, quality playground, and perfectly nice little zoo. I don't know what it's like to live down here, but apparently the locals love this place. That said, it wasn't too crowded at all, and the bathrooms were clean. Parking was easy. We stayed for about an hour, but plenty of people looked like they had packed lunches and intended to stay all day.

As a previous campground host, this was THE # 1 place I recommended people check out while here…read more It's only a 5 minute drive up. It is SPECTACULAR. I cannot imagine why anyone would give it less than 5 stars. While there are only swings here ( marked down by a previous viewer for this reason) there is lots of grassy area for kids to run around far away from the cliffs. Be aware, there are no guardrails at the viewing point... so watch kiddos closely . Enjoy the views of the Minnesota bluffs across the water as you gaze upon the Mississippi river down below and the Alma dam to your right ! You might get lucky and see a barge coming through. There is a steep hiking trail @ the north end of 2nd St in Alma to start your way up. Otherwise, you drive up from the far South end of town. Well marked. Don't miss this "beautiful view"!

Buena vista park is nice little place with a terrific view of the Mississippi, the Alma lock and…read moredam and a lot of interesting scenery in between. There are some nice stair and benches, plus a restroom (that I did not go into, so no idea if it is a flush one or not) by the parking lot. Not any barriers between you and the bluff, but it isnt too bad as far as the fear factor. We had a nice little visit and the photo ops are GREAT!! It was an easy enough drive up to the park from Alma as well. Nice little place

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.

Very nice place for a quick hike of different distances and levels of difficulty…read more Plentiful parking spots on the streets if need it. We'll pave and well navigate with signs, directions, and directions. We hike the Midland Trail and the South for an easy to moderate hike. We went the west outlook point. Well designed trails and stairs for everyone to come and enjoy. Overall yes, would come by if in the area for a nice breezy hike. The overall view point from the top overlooking downtown red wing is spectacular. Pictures cannot do justice to.

Nice trail system and great views from all around the city, well maintained and safe as far as I…read morecan tell, bikers tend to speed by fast so beware!

Wonderful bike, walking, horse trail that takes you from oronoco to pine island if you wish, mostly…read morelined with trees with some open sunny spots--typically very remote and quite every time I have explored the trail. I don't often see more than a few small critters or other folks.

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!

We visited the electrical campsites for a weekend in August. We appreciated the proximity to the…read morecities/Mississippi River, and the number of trees surrounding the campsites. The sites were very close together in the first loop and not particularly spacious. There are several walking paths with lookouts close to the campgrounds. I would not consider those paths friendly to all - they are uneven, narrow, and there is no railing. Full disclosure, it was rainy during our stay so we didn't get to fully experience the park.

This review is about the park area only not the Mystery Cave which is further down the road…read more Start with the unfortunate news, the walking bridge to the historic town of Forestville was closed. I did read about that in the state's info about the park ahead of time. I picked up a map at the office and was told there is a stone walking bridge at marker 8. More bad news on the trail. The field and location maps show markers on the trail but the numbers didn't correspond with the ground signs as many were missing. I just couldn't find the temporary bridge, or marker 8, but took a decent hike on the other trails. The park isn't as scenic as others but there is a variety of trails from easy to difficult, which is what I like. Some steep hills will test your true endurance. Driving out about another 1/2 mile I see more trails I missed, lo leads to marker 8.

We started on the Hiking Club Trail and took an extra loop up to the lookout trail. Well worth the…read moreextra 2m or so round trip to see a view of the valley. Trail was well marked, wide and well groomed. It took us over the creek with stepping stones to keep our feet dry. There were some bigger hills so be prepared for a climb. Much of the hiking trail is shared with horses so be prepared to watch where you step. It was also covered with soft gravel which was hard to walk in at times. This is a huge area and we saw lot of people and activity. A bridge was out so we didn't get to see the old Forestville town as we would have to detour an extra 20 minutes. Very happy we stopped here. We enjoyed the hike very much.

Outside the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center, you will find over 500 acres of prairie, forest, and…read morewetlands. Inside, offers hands-on learning. You can learn about owls, hawks, snakes, turtles, and more. You can find each of these live animals inside. Most have a write-up near their exhibits to teach you more about them. If you are lucky you can visit the center when the snake is taken out of its cage and have the opportunity to hold it or see it up close. There are plenty of interactive displays inside and several places where little ones can play. Whether outdoors or indoors this is the perfect way to spend a day.

Our family stopped here before some baseball games to kill time. I like a hike in the woods, but…read moreothers no. The review is for the nature center. They have a live snake, turtle, frog, hawk and owl and information on soil, nature etc. A worker let people take turns holding a snake. We weren't here very long. They have reasonable canoe and kayak rentals for three hours. If we had more time that would have been fun. The visitor center was free.

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!