MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL

In Minneapolis, the falls at Minnehaha Regional Park cascade 50 feet as the creek rushes toward the Mississippi River. The falls anchor this popular park, where you can hike, rent a bike, catch a concert or kick back on the patio at the seasonal Sea Salt Eatery and its new side hustle The Sandwich Room.

St. Anthony Falls along the mighty Mississippi River has attracted people for thousands of years for its religious significance to the Dakota people, its economic importance to the area, and its beauty. For one of the best viewing points, walk across the iconic Stone Arch Bridge and stop at the nearby visitor center. In St. Paul, the smaller, more secluded Hidden Falls is tucked away in a Hidden Falls Regional Park, a popular spot for locals. 

In nearby Hastings, Vermillion Falls Park offers a spectacular 35-foot Vermillion Falls. The park is popular for picnics, exploring, and of course the falls. After your visit, explore the charming downtown area to find restaurants, antique shops, a brewery, and more. 

NORTHEAST MINNESOTA

You have to go north — to the Canadian border — to see Minnesota’s highest waterfall as it plummets 120 feet down the Pigeon River at Grand Portage State Park. Fur traders used the Snake River in the late 1700s-early 1800s, and it’s quickly apparent why they carried their large canoes around this daunting waterfall, which can double in size during the spring.   

Follow Lake Superior’s shoreline about 30 miles southwest to see Minnesota’s most unusual waterfalls: Devil’s Kettle on the Brule River. Visitors can park or camp at Judge C.R. Magney State Park north of Grand Marais and hike to the waterfalls where the water splits. One side tumbles 50 feet into a pool that flows to Lake Superior, and the other plunges underground and disappears. Where that water went was a mystery to onlookers and geologists alike, until 2017 when DNR scientists were able to confirm that the water resurfaces somewhere downstream. 

In Lake County, there are more than 12 waterfalls, the most of any county in Minnesota. Find Beaver River Falls in Beaver Bay alongside a wayside stop on Lax Lake Road. Follow the pedestrian path to catch the cascades as they flow into Lake Superior. The wayside stop also has a picnic area and restrooms.

In Silver Bay, get to the Caribou Falls Wayside by taking a half-mile hike along the Superior Hiking Trail near the Caribou River. Steps will lead you down to the stars and is a hidden gem among locals and parking is available. At George H. Crosby Manitou State Park, enjoy the cascades of the Manitou River after a gorgeous and rugged hike, the hike to the falls is about 1 mile one way and the park has minimal facilities. 

On a 60-mile stretch of the North Shore Scenic Drive between Lutsen and Two Harbors, you can find gentle Cascade Falls at Cascade River State Park, marvel at dramatic gorges and massive potholes carved out at Temperance River State Park, admire Cross River Falls right on the highway at Schroeder, hike back to High Falls or Illgen Falls at Tettegouche State Park, or explore the multiple vantage points of Gooseberry Falls State Park. 

The Waterfalls Walk within the park is a shorter route that highlights the middle and upper falls, and can be ADA accessible if you use the ADA trail segment instead of the stairs. The Falls View Loop is a non-ADA accessible and longer route that features the Middle, Upper, and Lower Falls. Known for its iconic lighthouse, Split Rock Lighthouse State Park has Split Rock Falls, a beautiful 20-foot waterfall along a section of the Superior Hiking Trail. 

In Duluth, Lester River Falls and Amity Falls are in Lester Park with short hikes. Congdon Park located along the Tischer Creek offers great hiking trails and views of a waterfall. In Grand Marais, bike or walk along the Gitchi Gami State Trail to see Fall River Falls, with views of the river mouth in Lake Superior.  

Elsewhere in the region, the Kettle River in Sandstone — a hot spot for whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and ice climbing in winter — is home to Big Spring Falls, and Wolf Creek Falls within Banning State Park. Hidden waterfalls can be found in Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, both of which border Canada and can only be accessed by water. Near Ely, Kawishi Falls is in the Superior National Forest after a one-mile loop trail through the woods. 

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA 

About 140 miles southeast of the Twin Cities, almost to the Iowa border, you can find an unusual twist on the typical waterfall on the outskirts of Harmony. The catch? You must head underground on a Niagara Cave tour to see the almost 60-foot-high waterfall. It’s one of the unique features of this cave that was once popular for underground weddings and still boasts a small chapel among its natural features. 

In Nerstrand, about one hour south of Minneapolis is Hidden Falls at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. Walk along a one-half mile trail to get to the waterfall and at the trailhead is a picnic area and parking lot. Located in Cannon Falls, the town’s namesake waterfall is near downtown Cannon Falls along the paved Cannon Valley Trail. 

Southern Minnesota’s largest waterfall can be found at Minneopa State Park. Its gentle creek burbles through the hardwood forest until it falls like a curtain across two terraces in a mossy gorge west of Mankato. On the other side of the Minnesota River, about 8 miles away, Minnemishinona Falls cascades into a narrow ravine along the scenic Judson Bottom Road. 

If you continue along the Minnesota River Valley heading west, take a quick side trip to see the namesake of Redwood Falls. It’s tucked into 219-acre Ramsey Park, the state’s largest municipal park and a popular spot for camping, hiking and visiting a small zoo with buffalo, deer, prairie dogs and waterfowl.  An unexpected waterfall also can be found in far southwest Minnesota, known more for prairie and farms than waterways. That makes the pretty waterfall at Pipestone National Monument a surprise when walking among pink quartzite rocks and learning about the area’s continued spiritual significance to American Indians. 

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

• A vehicle permit is required to enter Minnesota state parks. Save time by ordering one online before you arrive at the park. 

• For comfort and safety on the trail, be sure everyone has appropriate footwear (tennis shoes, not flip-flops). 

• Bring a water bottle for each hiker as well as plenty of sunscreen, bug spray and snacks. 

• Pick up a paper map at the park office or load a GeoPDF map before you leave (don’t rely on your phone to navigate because cell and Internet service may not be available in the woods). 

• The accessible trails at Minnesota state parks are stroller friendly as well as wheelchair friendly. 

• Some Minnesota state parks have all-terrain electric wheelchairs for use on unpaved trails. 

• If your dog will be hiking with you, keep it on a leash and clean up after it. 

• Don't pick wildflowers or otherwise disturb the landscape. "Take only photos, leave only footprints."