Minnehaha  Regional Park

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The park was named Minnehaha, which means 'laughing waters', for the falls

Minnehaha Park Trails map .pdf file

Location: Minnehaha Falls, which is overseen by the city of Minneapolis, is located at 4801 Minnehaha Avenue South in Minneapolis.

To get there from Interstate 94, take the Cedar Avenue exit and head south (away) from downtown. Turn left onto Hiawatha Avenue and follow it south until you see a park entrance on the left

The park is  large and runs along Hiawatha Ave. in Minneapolis. The park expands  to the edge of the Mississippi River. Included in part of the park is the Old Veterans Home. Minnehaha Park extends further south and connects up with the state park;  Fort Snelling State Park.

The park contains four outdoor picnic sites and a picnic shelter with cooking and restroom facilities and playground for the kids. Paved trails offer visitors the opportunity to see the park on bike or foot. Visitors can also walk along the Minnehaha Creek and follow it as it makes its way to the Mississippi River.  With in the park there are several native gardens. On the west side of the park you can visit the home of the settler of that area the Longfellow House. There is no over night camping facilities here with Minnehaha Park being owned by the city of Minneapolis and is in the city proper.

There is plenty of parking available but it does fill fast during the summer months. There is a main parking lot that the city does require you to pay for a sticker. The sticker price is not bad though. The pricing was fifty cents for 1-2 hours of parking. Parking is available along the streets next to the park. If you choose to go to another part of the park there maybe off street parking there as well.

If you follow Minnehaha Parkway going east you will drive by Lock and Dam 1 . Pretty exciting to see the river traffic go through the lock and dam system to get to the upper and lower Mississippi.

Across from Minnehaha Park you can see the Mississippi Gorge and of course the river. If you are close to the lock and dam 1 and look across the river you will also be able to see St Paul and the Ford truck plant  .  On the west side of the park, across Hiawatha Ave, you will notice the new light rail transit system with the trams running about every 15 minutes.

The park is open year round but, the stairway to Minnehaha Falls will be closed due to snow and ice. You can  see the falls from ground level.

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on the little fox above