24 Great Minnesota Hikes

The Beaten Path

24 Great Minnesota Hikes

by Tom Watson

A welcoming reprieve from literally “pounding the pavement” along hundreds of miles of multi-use trails throughout Minnesota are myriad opportunities to step onto a few well-worn, natural beaten paths around the state this fall.

Northern Minnesota

BORDER ROUTE TRAIL

13-mile loop

Hike from the Caribou Rock Trailhead. The 13-mile Rose Cliffs Loop starts at the Caribou Rock trailhead and consists of the Caribou Rock, Border Route, South Lake, and Moss Lake Trails. Highlights include the dramatic Rose Lake Cliffs, historic Stairway Portage, and several other outstanding overlooks on the Border Chain of Lakes.

KEKEKABIC TRAIL

6.2 miles

Hike 6.2 miles out from the Gunflint Trail Kekekabic trailhead to the Bingshick Lake Campsite and back. Enjoy historic mine sites, views of scenic lakes, and get a glimpse of the Boundary Waters on this well maintained and welltraveled section of the famed “Kek”.

NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL

6.4 miles

A one-way from the South Entrance/ US Hwy. 71 trailhead to the Gartner Farm/540th Ave. trailhead. Enjoy a hike across the quiet side of Itasca and pass through the state park’s old-growth pine forests and past several scenic backcountry lakes.

SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL

2.5 miles

The Oberg Mountain Loop is a popular, moderate hike with nine spectacular overlooks with views of Lake Superior, Oberg Lake and Moose Mountain. Park at the Oberg Mountain Trailhead 2.2 miles north from Highway 61 on Forest Service Road 336 (Onion River Road).

SILVER CREEK TRAIL/ JAY COOKE STATE PARK

3.5 miles

This loop features stunning examples of the beauty in the rocky terrain and the roaring cascades of the St. Louis River in Jay Cooke State Park. Begin at the swinging bridge behind the visitor center. This trail links up with many other adventurous routes within the park and beyond toward Lake Superior.

HIGH FALLS HIKE / TETTEGOUCHE STATE PARK

3 miles

A 3-miler, out and back to Minnesota’s highest waterfall totally within its border. The trail leads out from the visitor center along the scenic Baptism River. Side trip options to Two-Step Falls and the shores of Lake Superior add to the lure of this classic and impressively scenic north country hike.

The view from the Oberg Mountain Lookout on the Superior Hiking Trail.

Jan Lasar photo

Metro Area

AFTON STATE PARK

2 .7 - 5.7 miles

From the 2-mile Prairie Loop Trail to the 5.7-mile Trout Brook Trail, these rugged, multi-terrain trails combine to offer high prairies with distant views of the St. Croix along with steep ravines and hills, each route a classic example of bluff country hiking at its rewarding best.

CARLOS AVERY WILDLIFE AREA

8.7 miles

Although it’s along 8.7 miles of gravel road, the Auto Loop offers a route worth hiking for the landscape and bird viewing opportunities among the dikes and pools within these wetlands. While there are many trails, this loop takes you around the perimeter of the restricted sanctuary portion of the wildlife area

HANREHAN LAKE TRAIL

1.5 - 4.5 miles

The northern trail loops within Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve offer between 1.5 and 4.5 miles of perhaps the most rugged and challenging glacial terrain in the metro area. An entire loop is off limits April-August to protect bird-breeding areas. Trails wind through impressive stands of oaks, too.

HOLLAND LAKE-JENSEN LAKE

2.6 miles

Beginning at the trailhead at Holland Lake in Lebanon Hills Regional Park on Cliff Road, this 2.6-mile hike links up with the trail that follows the entire shoreline of Jensen Lake as it winds through a wooded and lakeside country setting that includes canoe routes and a quaint foot bridge. Several other lakes are accessible via pathways, too.

WOODLAND LOOP

1.6 miles

A short, 1.6-mile loop through the lesser developed and structured northern section of Lake Minnewashta Regional Park features wooded slopes above the lake, with intersecting shorter loops beneath a lush, hardwood canopy along a shady nature trail. A perfect pathway for a short, relaxing jaunt through the woods.

MAZOMANI TRAIL / LOUISVILLE SWAMP

4.5miles

Trails wind through Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge bottomlands - once inhabited by Wahpeton Sioux - passing remnants of pioneer homesteads. Hilly terrain, oak groves, patches of both prairie and the marshlands of Louisville Swamp all within the largest urban refuge in the nation.

MINNEHAHA CREEK TO MISSISSIPPI RIVER TRAIL

2.8 miles

This round trip route from the base of magnificent Minnehaha Falls takes hikers along the less developed side of the creek. Keep to the right as the trail forks and continues on as a well-worn and sometimes wet and rough path paralleling the creek all the way down to the river. Wildflowers abound!

RICHARDSON NATURE CENTER TRAIL / HYLAND PARK RESERVE

2.1 miles

A series of looped trails beginning at the nature center link together to form 2.1 miles of chip and earthen trails through woodlands, over hills and around ponds in this more rustic and hilly section of Hyland Park Reserve - meandering through oaks, prairie and lots of pond wildlife.

Along the Minnehaha Falls Trail.

Tom Watson photo

Central Minnesota

BIG WOODS LOOP/ LAKE MARIA STATE PARK

5.5miles

The Big Woods Loop begins at the park’s Trail Center and winds through the entire NW quarter of this backpacker’s park. Rolling, old growth forest-covered hills (lots of birch and maple) and a smattering of ponds and marshes throughout a very “woodsy” setting. You will be sharing some trail segments with horseback riders.

LOWER CAMPGROUND LOOP/ LAC QUI PARLE STATE PARK

3.1 miles

Follow the meandering bends in the Lac Qui Parle prairie river along 3.1 miles of combined grassy corridors circling out from the lower campground. Quiet strides increase your chances - throughout all seasons - to see lots of deer along these routes that wrap through lush wooded and grassy bottomlands on the Lower Campground Loop.

INTERSTATE STATE PARK

2.75 miles

Starting from either the Potholes Area at Taylors Falls or state park office south on MN 95, trails form an elongated loop that lets you hike the rough and rocky trails above the St. Croix River in one direction and the grassy lane along an old railroad bed in the other, all the while taking in the steep terrain and stunning vistas along this designated National Scenic River.

WOODLAND EDGE-WEDGE HILL TRAIL NETWORK / WILLIAM O’BRIEN STATE PARK

4.6 miles

A great hike beginning at the Interpretive Center in the west section west of the park. Hike through oak savannas, rolling hills, native grasses and prairie wildflowers along a series of connected loop trails winding through a large portion of the western expanses of this popular state park. A promenade along the river trail offers an additional hiking treat.

A late season walk at Lake Maria State Park

Jan Lasar photo

Southern Minnesota

BARN BLUFF TRAIL

1.75 miles

A short, up-and-down/out-and-back 1.75 mile trail that rises 350’ above the town of Red Wing beginning at the trailhead along Hwy 61. Stunning vistas overlooking the city, the surrounding river and bluff country await hikers who approach the long stairway up to the network of trails on the flat, grassy, mesa-like top.

MOUND & UPPER CLIFFLINE TRAIL/ BLUE MOUNDS STATE PARK

4.1 miles

From the north trailhead parking lot in Blue Mounds State Park, these two loops offer both a panoramic view of the grass prairies below and the bison herd range to the west. Spur trails connect the upper and lower bluff trails together letting hikers trek up/down along the rocky wall of these imposing bluffs.

BLUFFSIDE TRAIL/ FRONTENAC STATE PARK

2.7 miles

A loop threaded along the steep slopes of Frontenac State Park, over 450’ above the river offering breath-taking views of Lake Pepin below as well reminders of Minnesota’s native (In Yan Teopa Rock) and a 19th Century rock quarry. Between seasonal residents and flyway migrators, over 250 species of birds frequent this park.

CANNON RIVER WILDERNESS AREA

3.5miles

An out and back trail along the banks and sandstone outcroppings of this truly wild section of the Cannon River whose trailhead is 6.3 miles north of Faribault. Sheer rock walls, lush, bird-filled forests and a wide-stream view of the river from the footbridge all add to the wonderments of this “wilderness” area.

BEAVER & FAWN TRAIL LOOPS/ NERSTRAND BIG WOODS STATE PARK

3.3 miles

Beginning at the parking lot at the Walk-In Sites, start this 3.3-mile series of loops, White Oak Trailhead as it joins ups with the Beaver and Fawn trails for a wonderland trip along creeks, lush glens of maples (wonderful fall colors) and a side trip to a beautiful, hidden, woodland waterfall.

TROUT BROOK / CANNON RIVER TRAILS

1.5 miles

Trout Brook Trail winds alongside this small creek in the northern trail segment within the Miesville Ravine Park Reserve 6 miles south of Miesville. It’s like a “Sleepy Hollow” forest of songbirds, wildflowers and other diverse flora while the more open southern 1.2-mile loop skirts the banks of the Cannon River for a short distance.

Hikers walk on top of Barn Bluff in Red Wing.

Jan Lasar photo

Tom Watson is an accomplished writer, columnist and photographer. His newly revised books Best Tent Camping: Minnesota and 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Minneapolis and Saint Paul are out now and available through AdventureKEEN Publishers.

www.tomoutdoors.com www.adventurewithkeen.com

SILVER CREEK TRAIL 3.5 miles This loop trail features stunning examples of the beauty in the rocky terrain as well as the roaring cascades of the St. Louis River in Jay Cooke State Park. Begin at the swinging bridge behind the visitor center for this trail that links up with many other adventurous routes within the park and beyond, towards Lake Superior.