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!

Plenty of trails to pick from, although they can be a bit challenging to navigate by the postings…read more This may have been caused by the number of trails and lack of water in the creek. The park is full of deciduous trees, so they are beautiful in the fall.

Thank you Nicollet County for this awesome park! It is a hidden gem along Highway 169, between St…read more Peter & Mankato. If you blink, you might miss it...but be sure to turn around when it's safe and check out this special spot! We explored the west part of the park (hiking, picnic) but the park extends across 169 and has a boat landing on the Minnesota River (we will check that side out next time!). 628 acres of Nicollet County Park, 10 miles of multi-use trails with equestrian parking & highway underpass, 3 shelters & many picnic areas along the creek, a playground, 2 volleyball courts & a ball diamond. Brown Trout are stocked in Seven Mile Creek by the DNR, but be sure to have your trout stamp! We have had wonderful hikes in this park, meeting horseback riders (at crossroads between equestrian trails & hiking trails), enjoying the space and beauty. Next time you're headed south on 169, check it out!

One of my favorite places to go in the fall. I get lost every time. I'm in here and end up going on…read moredifferent trails every time. I eventually end up finding my way out. All the beautiful maples looks so beautiful in the fall. They have a small parking lot. If it is full, you could always park on the street where the trail entrance is. Be sure to keep an eye on signs so that you're not wandering into peoples private land.

I love these trails. I frequent the area regularly to walk my dog. There are a few muddy areas, but…read morenothing that is impassable. I love the old growth forests, the birds, and the flowers. There's some invasive species creeping in so i usually pull them myself (garlic mustard, tansy, and mullein). The deer enclosure in the middle of the park has a fallen tree that collapsed the fence so I'm sure deer have been able to get in there. Highly recommend this park anytime of year!!

The address is a little mislabeled, it will take you to some public school. Back up, about 0.5…read moremiles away from the underpass, there's a little bridge with a parking lot, that's the trail head. The Trail itself is really wonderful. Deep vegetation, a little too many insects but otherwise great. There's a beautiful creek that runs alongside the trail. The animals you'll see the most are dogs that are being walked. It seems to be a favorite among Bloomington locals.

Beautiful park! I went in the winter and between the snowy creek, bubbling brook, and bird noises…read moreit just can't get much better. Yes it's hard to completely escape the road noise, but a small price for a lovely hike so close to the city.

This park is great in the spring /summer, very pretty in the fall. They also clear some paved paths…read morein the winter for a good walk. There are a couple of lakes, Watzl's Beach and many things to do. They have many paved trails that meander through the woods, ice rink and warming house in the WI ter and all summer sports areas for basketball, tennis, baseball etc. I have taken a lot of pictures over the years, enjoy.

Lovely little park. I walked on it on Labor Day Monday morning and was the only person…read morethere...peaceful (although you can hear highway noise, but that doesn't bother me). Although Google Maps claims it has a parking lot, I didn't find one. Parking seems to be residential on either 44th, 46th, or 48th Place North.

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!

The Landscape Arboretum is another one of the Twin Cities treasures that is overlooked or taken for…read moregranted. It was founded in 1958 and has 1200 acres located in Chaska. It is different experience depending upon the season and what you choose to do. Today I went to their annual pancake breakfast, highlighted with their own maple syrup. They also showed how maple sap is collected (there are plastic tubes running between trees leading to collection bags), to the process of reducing the sap into syrup. They also process Black Walnut and Birch syrup, with tastings of each. At other times, highlights include a three mile drive that loops through the forests, variety of shrubs and plants, sculpture garden, and heads to a farm with a variety of displays. You can also take a narrated shuttle trip. Seasonally, the tulips (40,000 tulip bulbs!), roses, and daffodils are amazing and worth a visit just for that. In addition, there are miles of walking trails, and surprises around every corner. In their library there is even a collection of Nakashima furniture, from a world-famous furniture maker. There is something that will delight every age from toddler to grandparent in this everchanging environment. Tickets are a bit on the expensive side ($20 for 16 and older), but free for under 16 with an adult. If you are going to make multiple visits within a year, you might want to consider membership, which entitles you to unlimited free visits, plus a discount in their gift store. You can apply your paid visit to the cost of an annual membership. Pro-tip: Although they have a cafeteria, it's not their strong suit. I recommend eating before hand, or bring a picnic if the weather is nice and warm.

I was a member of the arboretum many years ago and enjoyed walking here, but on a more recent visit…read moreI noticed (and was reminded of) some significant issues. First of all, for those who do not have a membership or who are from out of town the admission cost is $25 per person (not per car). We had three people in our group so we paid $75 to walk a frozen albeit beautiful landscape, (with some paths not entirely cleared of ice). In the summer it might possibly have been worth that much to spend a day here, when there would have been better access and gardens in bloom. We were "greeted" on our visit by an unpleasant woman at the gate post. She asked if we had been there before and I said a very long time ago. She then informed us of the price per person (and peered into our car...to make sure we weren't hiding anyone?!) and took our money and waved us on. No welcoming utterance or thank you or asking if we had any questions. I asked for a map after she tried to wave us through without any further information and she told us to go to the customer desk because "they have everything" there. We didn't plan on going inside first so that was completely unhelpful. But this woman was done and offered no further help or what we might want to see. There was no one behind us waiting in line so I am not sure why she was so impatient. I thought the park would have the same layout as when we last visited, but it did not. We started walking where we used to walk, only to be stopped by a sign that said walkers were not allowed on the Three Mile Drive (the main route through the park). We turned around and went back towards the beginning of the path, and found out that now there were two options for touring the grounds: the Three Mile Walk (new to us) and the Three Mile Drive. The Three Mile Walk was a rerouted pathway through the park utilizing the sidewalks and attempting to keep walkers away from the road. We walked most of the Three Mile Walk until I ran out of energy (having not eaten breakfast) and we found an old shortcut that we remembered that led back to the visitors center. (Make sure to eat something before walking, as I didn't do!) At the visitors center we discovered the cafe had just closed (it was shortly after 3 pm on a weekday). So we traipsed downstairs to the gift shop and purchased several yummy snacks...and there certainly was a good collection of trail mixes and chocolates.... So I would recommend this park with some reservations. It is a beautiful place to walk but I would not go during the winter unless you decide to become a member. The visitors center also showcases cool artwork, the gift shop is fun to browse, and there is a cafe open during limited hours...but I haven't had good experiences with customer service (outside of the gift shop) and admissions is very pricey without a membership.

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!!