Last time I started on the other end of the trail, I don't recommend it. If you are going in winter…read moretime, bring cleats for your boots, last year I wiped out on the ice, fool me once... This lovely hike runs along the Mississippi River. As you can see from the pictures, there are waterfalls to see. The wild life wasn't as active due to the cold, but we still heard some birds. You've never experienced listening to a woodpecker until you've done so next to a frozen river. It echoed around like crazy. Even though this is an intermediate level trail, you are often close to the parkway so if something goes wrong it's not a long way to get help. In the winter do bring a hiking partner, cleats, warm clothes, snacks, water, and a whistle. I'm so grateful to have so a beautiful hike so close to the city.

This trail in Minneapolis is very easy to get to, there's tons of parking on the street and parking…read morelots, and it's a very easy trail to walk. Today, it was towards the end of peak fall colors season and there were tons of leaves all over and while it was past peak, it was still a very pretty walk. It wasn't super busy, but it was busy enough for you didn't feel unsafe. I believe this trail is about 5 miles round-trip, but you can go halfway or as long as you want to. as I said, it's a very easy trail to walk with slight elevation gains but overall it's the elevation stays about the same and it's very safe and it's pretty well marked.

Three Rivers Park District Trail. Visit the website for the…read moremaps of the West and East corridors and all the different parking places and trail accesses. We parked at the Londonberry Road location and headed east. This is a wonderful urban trail with really long boardwalks over wooded wetlands. Tons of birds and trees and it follows the pretty creek. We rode our road bikes to 35W and back. The boardwalks were way too bumpy for a road bike and the residential areas weren't very pretty. It would be better to walk or run the pretty parts which you can pick out by looking at the map. Definitely worth a trip to discover another Minneapolis nature gem.

Great walking trail in Edina. I came here for my first time today while working in the area. Shaded…read morein areas and plenty of benches.

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 one of my favorite bike trails because of the beautiful views and well maintained…read moreasphalt/concrete paved bike trails. The view is so dreamy! Apparently, this was a "Lovers Lane" back in the 90s before the park was established and people would park their cars here at night to admire the views. They just upgraded the park fall of 2023 with new additions picnic tables, grills and park benches. The bike trails are great too! They were a bit challenging (hilly and steep) for when our kids were in grade school, but now our tween and teen can handle them easily. There's even a free bike repair station at the next trailhead one mile south of this location.

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.

Our annual Fourth of July spot! They normally do fireworks July 3rd so it's nice to come here…read morebefore everyone is busy on the fourth. The area is very nice. We get a nice spot by the lake to set up chairs. Bring bug spray because it can get wild with the mosquitos! There's tons of food trucks and booths but the lines were looooong. There's a waterfall that's nice to take pictures at. Parking can be tricky and traffic can be crazy. Stop by for a walk around the lake if you find yourself in the area.

Had some extra time to spare before an event nearby and it was reasonably nice outside (aka,…read moreforties in March lol), so I decided to take a hike around the lake. You won't manage to escape road noise really because it's surrounded on three sides by fairly busy roadways, but still better than nothing! It's not a long walk around, just about forty-five minutes worth at a leisurely pace. The park actually features two paved trails that run parallel to one another, with the outer ring for bicyclists and other wheeled conveyance usage, and on-foot folk on the inner ring. Dogs do need to be on leash. Occasional benches around the lake, and a cute man-made waterfall. There are a couple of gazebos near the parking lot for if you'd like to have a picnic. The bandshell structure was particularly impressive and neat. There are bathrooms built into the back of it, which were even open during off season, so that was highly appreciated. Water fountain was currently turned off though, unsurprisingly. Parking lot seemed a bit small, but perhaps most folks who visit are from the surrounding office buildings on their lunch break.

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. :)

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!