Love that they turned the old swing bridge into a park. I remember my grandparents driving across…read morewhen I was a child. I was always excited to pay the man in the booth the toll fee. The light show at night is pretty cool .

A very scenic and historical park that's not too well known. Easy parking and there are heated…read morerestrooms. If you like to read about where you are there are a few interpretation points. Catch some great views of the ol' Mississippi and look for the climb up lookout point. If dad gets bored with the whole thing he could head over to the ah 'gentlemen's' club at the corner of the highway turn.

Great park and many spots to explore! I stopped in with a friend for a quick hike and we walked…read moredown by the water and enjoyed some snacks by the river. It's nice that we have this park so close to the cities!

I've enjoyed all seasons at this state park: in the winter, I've snow showed, in the spring/fall…read moreI've hiked, and in the summer I've enjoyed the beach. I've been to all 69 state parks in MN, and this one is my favorite near the metro area. There is something for everyone, although the hike to the beach includes a steep incline which can be a bother if you are carrying lots of gear (chairs, umbrella, water toys, etc).

This is a fabulous park in St Paul. It's easily accessible by bike trail. This is a perfect spot to…read moreenjoy some green space, with a view of the Mississippi River. I'd love to bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic here.

We did an Urban Sketching event at this park. We were there to sketch the paper machete Mexican…read moresculptures. So colorful and lively. I was surprised at how many people were walking about enjoying this artwork. I parked off the island and walked over the bridge. Didn't realize there was parking right on the island. Either way, the walk was not an issue and the parking limit was 4 hours off the island so plenty of time. Definitely worth a trip to check out this outdoor exhibit.

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.

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.

While driving in the area, looking for a business, we discovered this water front street and park…read more The name itself intrigued me as I love history, a quick google search, and I knew it was a place I had to return to and spend some time walking around. A gorgeous Sunday morning couldn't have been better to return. Early morning, hardly anyone around or cars on the bridge. Park and walk at my own slow pace, walking up and down the nooks and crannies of the beautiful Mississippi river, which, by the way, I had never actually spent actual time at before. It was peaceful, relaxing, and beautiful. There is something to be said about history and beauty still wrapping themselves together. It can be a 5 minute walk or a 2 hour walk... all enjoyable.

Great place to bike or run along the river! Has shaded spots on the trail too! Dog friendly…read more Enjoyed the designated lanes for walkers separate from bikers

This is a small pocket park that sits adjacent to the Smith Avenue Bridge high atop the bluffs. It…read moregets its name for its view that its visitors get of the Minnesota State Capitol. It also provides stunning views of the Cathedral of Saint Paul, the Mississippi River, and downtown Saint Paul. There is free street parking in front of it and within a reasonable walking distance. This park is not for those with a fear of heights because you are high above the water. I have seen this park spelled with an "a" and with an "o". The correct spelling is Capitol, with an "o", as in the Minnesota State Capitol. Outside of the breathtaking view the park does not have much to offer. There are some benches in the area to sit on. There are however, some shady characters that hang around the area and use a little opening on the side of the overlook to walk underneath the bridge. This is a nice spot that overlooks downtown St Paul and the Mississippi River. You can get some good pictures from here. It is in relatively decent shape, even though it is in an area that seems to be neglected. This place is definitely worth a peek if you are in the area. I would not make a special trip for it or anything.

It's not much in the way of a park, small and without grass. However, it delivers what it promises…read morein the name. You do get great panoramas of St. Paul. There is also a car/pedestrian bridge directly next to it, so you can add depth and variety to your photos of the skyline.

I was in the area the other day and decided to take advantage of the nice spring weather. I wasn't…read moreexpecting a $7 day fee to enter, but I decided to consider it a donation to the parks system, fed it my debit card and got a ticket to put on my dash. There were three parking lots to choose from, but I drove all the way down to the third and last one by the park office and playground. Decided to do the approximately six mile loop on the dirt path trails (also used for skiing when there's snow on the ground). It was nice hiking through the various groupings of pine trees. I could still hear the freeway noise, but it was mostly in the background. The prettiest part was definitely at the beginning beside the lake though (but perhaps in other seasons, like fall, it might be even prettier). Some mild elevation change, nothing too challenging by any means. There was also the option to walk on a paved path with many benches if you do need something less strenuous or you aren't hiking. The playground was really cute with relatively new equipment. Lots of climbing options, slides, and one large swing (very comfy to lean back in and admire the lake). There were picnic tables around along with barbecues and trash/recycling bins. There's a dock for fishing off of, and another (at the second parking lot) for canoe/kayak launching (which I'll have to come back and try when I have some free time this summer). There were two port-a-potties available for when the park office isn't open. The park office has many a toilet, all singletons so non-gendered, which was lovely. They were clean and well-stocked. The park office didn't have much going for it from what I could glean, but there was space in the lobby to sit and relax if desired, as well as a large backroom that seemed like it was probably for classes and such. It wasn't very busy while I was there; likely because the weather was predicting a storm, but I lucked out and it never came the two hours I was there. I came across a couple that had their dogs off leash, which the park rules state you're supposed to keep your dogs leashed... People, man.

A beauty hidden gem in the southeast metro that I would recommend if you are looking for a close to…read morehome walk/bike with some varied terrain. We hiked this the first week of March and we both wish we would have worn spikes or brought poles- if you get off the main trail, there is some really great up and down. I did not have my cross country skis with me but the trails looked amazing and are groomed for both skate and classic! Highly recommend if you need to get outdoors and want some up and down!