Best Hikes and Walks in Minnesota

Minnesotans know fall is peak adventure time—and the best season to explore the state on foot. From adventures on the North Shore to accessible walks here in town, we've rounded up some of the most memorable treks in the area.

Walks Along the Mississippi River

The right way to experience Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes is on a boat or beach. The best way to see the Mississippi? Walk it.

Itasca State Park

What better place to start than the headwaters? Park at the headwaters center, then take the one-mile trek along the small stream (it really is the Mississippi!) to Lake Itasca. The river is so shallow you can walk across it.

Minnehaha Regional Park

It’s a local landmark thanks to the 53-foot waterfall. But don’t ignore its riverside trails. There’s cheap parking at park headquarters. From there, walk along Minnehaha Creek for .9 miles, then sit back and watch the creek flow into the Mighty Miss.

Hidden Falls Regional Park

Hidden Falls is a Mississippi oasis in St. Paul. Enter at the northern entrance (Magoffin Avenue) and park near the boat launch. Follow the trail to the park’s south entrance (Prior Avenue) for a one-mile walk or keep on the path to Two Rivers Outlook.

Boom Island, St. Anthony Main, Mill Ruins Park

Park at Boom Island and walk along the river to St. Anthony Main. For a 1.8-mile jaunt, cross the river on the Stone Arch Bridge—already one of the most scenic walks in the city—and finish your tour at Mill City Museum.

Red Wing Riverfront Trail

The shortest walk on the list at .5 miles, this trail offers a paved path near downtown Red Wing, with easy access to food and shops. Park at Bay Point Park and stroll to Levee Park, where benches invite you to take in the view.

Lake City River Walk

For a longer small-town walk, drive down to Lake City, where the Mississippi grows so wide it becomes a lake. Park at Roschen Park and walk the two-and-a-half-mile trail hugging the banks of Lake Pepin. Yes, the sailboats look lovely—but check out the chop. No one ever got seasick on shore. —Les Poling

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Minnesota Hilltop Hikes

Minnesota may not be known for its mountains, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a spectacular view from the heights. Here are a few places where you can hike above it all for a look around.

Sibley State Park Observation Tower

3.3 miles; 200 feet of elevation gain

Starting from the visitor’s center, take the Mt. Tom Trail to this historic stone overlook, built in the mid-1930s by the Veterans ConservationCorps. The top presents a 360-degree panorama of the hills you just climbed.

Frontenac State Park

2.7 miles; 425 feet of elevation gain

Start at the main overlook, then head down along the wooded Bluffside Trail, where eagles perch in the trees. At In-Yan-Teopa rock (“rock with an opening”), you’ll start your climb back up.

Day Hill

1.5 miles; 200 feet of elevation gain

From the trailhead near the cart-in campsites at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, head southwest. Then veer right toward the stone chimney of an old house on top of the hill. It won’t take you all day, but this walk will take you to one of Minnesota’s greatest views.

He Mni Can/Barn Bluff

2.27 miles; 340 feet of elevation gain

The trailhead of this towering dome on the south side of Red Wing is getting a makeover. But the timeless view from the west overlook needs no update. From the bottom, walk west along the south side of the hill. Turn up the stairs to the top, then head west until you reach the precipice. Barn Bluff now goes by its Dakota name, meaning “Hill Water Wood.” —Frank Bures

Superior National Forest

Between 1 and 15 miles; up to 1,440 feet of elevation gain

The Pincushion Mountain Trails vary in length—there are loops up to 15 miles-long—and are approved by dogs and babies alike. The peak of the imposing bald monolith offers an expansive vista of landscape below. In the near distance, luminous maple trees line the ridges that rise above Lake Superior. 

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Easy Walks in Minnesota's Four Corners

Minnesota sits at the convergence of four major ecosystems. You could sample each of them on a long day’s hike—with about 1,500 miles of driving in between.

NW: Lake Bronson State Park

Aspen parklands (1.75 miles)

Lake Bronson sits on the border of the Tallgrass Aspen Parkland, and the Aspen Parkland interpretive loop takes you on a gentle stroll through this prairie forest. It also presents one of the few places in the state where you may see wild elk.

SW: Blue Mounds State Park

Prairie (3.8 miles)

The Mound Trail starts just past the bison-viewing platform and runs through one of the last remnants of the tallgrass prairie that once covered vast swaths of the state. There is a fence, but don’t tease the bison!

NE: Grand Portage State Park

Northwoods (4.5 miles)

Among the most beautiful hikes in the state, the Middle Falls Trail takes you along the Pigeon River. The “High” and “Middle” falls here forced the voyageurs to haul their boats full of beaver pelts across the “Grand Portage.”

SE: Great River Bluffs State Park

Eastern woodland (1.25 miles)

Sitting on the bluffs along the Mississippi, the King’s Bluff Nature Trail winds north through goat prairie and hillside forest. From the overlook, you can see the vast river system below and the exotic land beyond—namely, Wisconsin.  —Frank Bures

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Twin Cities Book Walks

Mapping the iconic spots of local literary history is no easy task. Luckily, someone already dug into the stacks. In 2002, Brad Zellar wrote “John Berryman Leapt Here,” covering literary landmarks from Thoreau’s stay at a Lake Calhoun boarding house to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s childhood home (481 Laurel Ave., St. Paul). In keeping with the time-honored tradition of walking in another writer’s shoes (and cribbing from their notes), we revisited Zellar’s work—and added updates—to plan a pair of Twin Cities book walks.

Minneapolis

(approximately 7 miles)

Begin at 3124 West Calhoun Blvd. #405, where Robert Penn Warren lived (and published All the King’s Men) while teaching at the U of M. Walk along Lake of the Isles to Louise Erdrich’s Birchbark Books (2115 W. 21st St.); it boasts an outstanding collection of Native writing, plus recommendations from the owner herself. Then trek through Kenwood to Sinclair Lewis’s Lowry Hill home (1500 Mount Curve Ave.), where the Nobel laureate moved in 1942.

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Stop at the Walker Art Center (725 Vineland Place), which hosted appearances from giants like Jorge Luis Borges, Toni Morrison, and Joseph Brodsky in the 1980s. Next, head downtown to The Brass Rail Lounge (422 Hennepin Ave.); the dive bar was a frequent hangout for Pulitzer-winning poet and professor John Berryman. From there, it’s a one-mile walk to Open Book (1011 Washington Ave. S.), a bibliophile’s paradise with The Loft Literary Center, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, and Milkweed Editions.

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Pay respects to Berryman at the site of his tragic leap, the Washington Avenue Bridge. Then cross the river to the U of M. Visit Sinclair Lewis’s former office at 301 Folwell Hall (9 SE Pleasant St.). Mosey through Dinkytown, where bookstores like Rusoff and Co. Books (1302 SE 4th St.), original site of The Loft and now a barbershop, maintained a vibrant literary community. Finish at Murphy Hall, where the U of M’s literary magazine, The Ivory Tower, helped writers like Robert Pirsig and Patricia Hampl launch their careers.

St. Paul

(approximately 6.5 miles)

Start at Macalester (1600 Grand Ave.), the workplace of Man Booker Prize winner Marlon James and almamater of Minneapolis poet Bao Phi. Then head north on Snelling toward Central High School (275 Lexington Pkwy. N.), which counts local poet and National Book Award finalist Danez Smith as a graduate.

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Next up: F. Scott Fitzgerald. Check out the houses at 499, 509, and 514 Holly Ave. for a glimpse of Fitzgerald’s childhood homes. From there, it’s four blocks to 599 Summit Ave., the house where he completed This Side of Paradise in 1919. Then why not stroll through Summit Overlook Park toward W.A. Frost (374 Selby Ave.). Fitzgerald frequented W.A. Frost—now a popular American bistro—for cigarettes and coffee until he finally finished Paradise and left Minnesota for good.

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Just six blocks northwest stands Penumbra Theatre (270 N. Kent St.), the iconic African American theater company where August Wilson staged some of his first works after moving to St. Paul in 1978. Conclude your walk by following Marshall Ave. from Penumbra to downtown St. Paul: Before winning Pulitzers as a playwright, Wilson wrote scripts for the old Science Museum (then located at 30 E. 10th St.). Nowadays, this spot belongs to the History Theatre, where contemporary playwrights may be auditioning for a future spot on our tour. —Les Poling

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Accessible Trails for All

Thanks to Minnesota’s great park systems, those with mobility challenges don’t need an all-terrain wheelchair to get someplace wild. Here are a few accessible trails through beautiful areas.

Crosby Farm Regional Park

1.8 miles; paved loop

Start at the trailhead below Shepard Road, past Watergate Marina. Head toward the river, then loop back around Upper Lake, where you can sometimes see beavers swimming. When you’re almost around the lake, turn right and head back to the trailhead.

Cannon Valley Trail

10.4 miles out and back; paved

Park at the Welch Station Access and hop on the trail going east along the Cannon River, through bottomlands rich with bird life. Turn around when the trail goes under Highway 61, or earlier for a shorter jaunt. (Beware of speeding cyclists.)

Root River State Trail

9 miles out and back; paved

At the Root River Trail Center in Lanesboro, head east along the Root River, through the Driftless blufflands, then turn back at the town of Whalan.

Gitchi-Gami State Trail

8.6 miles out and back; paved

Hop on this paved trail at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. Go south along Lake Superior’s North Shore until you come to the Iona’s Beach parking lot, then turn around. —Frank Bures

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Stairs Worth the Climb

Unbeknownst to most local flatlanders, St. Paul has over 60 public staircases, leftovers from the days when you couldn’t necessarily rely on a car (or a horse-drawn carriage) to take you to the top of Ramsey Hill. Nowadays, these stairs provide a unique means to tour the city—and get your steps in. Ditch the StairMaster, hit the Fitbit, and head to these Minnesota staircases.

Walnut Street

St. Paul

It’s the most famous staircase in all of St. Paul. The Walnut Street steps (170 of ’em) connect Summit and Irvine avenues, passing the James J. Hill House and offering walkers a spectacular view of the city.

Science Museum

St. Paul

When you’re done walking the musical stairs inside the museum, head outdoors for a 145-step staircase (Shepard Road up to Exchange Street). The climb culminates in a gorgeous lookout over the river.

East Bank

Minneapolis

This 147-step staircase starts at the East Bank’s Franklin Avenue Bridge, weaves through the riverside forest, and deposits you near the trails that run along the Mississippi.

Minnehaha Falls

Minneapolis

Park by Sea Salt (eating optional) and descend the Minnehaha Falls north stairway (102 steps). After returning to the top, cross the Minnehaha Creek bridge, amble around the Pergola Garden, and head down the south stairway (111 steps), which ends on the banks of the creek. —Les Poling

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Rigorous Hikes for the Adventurer 

These hikes are dotted with tricky obstacles and some unmarked territory, but the discoveries you'll make along the way are worth the adventure.  

North Country Trail

An epic 4,600-mile voyage across Minnesota and the northlands of the United States, the North Country Trail could make the Appalachian Trail look like a day hike. The longest (and most popular) section lies in Minnesota's Arrowhead, where the North Country route piggybacks on the Superior Hiking Trail (along the North Shore) and the Border Route and Kekekabic trails (through the Boundary Waters). A great place to start is Highway 6. From there the North Country Trail climbs west into hills and pine. You may run into deadfalls, but you're repaid with long views beneath the crowns of mature trees. 

Winchell Trail

A curious boulder sits near the western terminus of the Franklin Avenue Bridge, bearing a brass plaque with the name Newton Horace Winchell. The intermittently paved three-mile footpath that starts here is the Winchell Trail, and it travels through a wild stretch of relatively untouched forest, descending into the Mississippi River gorge. After you've completed the scramble downhill, the river begins to bend south at the so-called White Sands Beach. Here you get a wide-open, panoramic view of the gorge.