Last Updated on August 14, 2024 by Tami
Minnesota is known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” so it just makes sense there’d be a few waterfalls, too. In fact, there are over one hundred! This is not a guide to all of them, but to 5 waterfalls near the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Why am I highlighting these? Just to prove that even where there’s a Minnesota metropolis, you’re not far from some beautiful waterfalls. And if you ever have a long layover at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, or a business/leisure trip to the Twin Cities, you can add some waterfall chasing to your itinerary!
So, I’ll start with the waterfalls closest to the airport since it’s central to the Twin Cities — and work out from there…
1. Minnehaha Falls, St Paul 4.3 miles
The first of the 5 waterfalls near the Twin Cities is actually very close to the airport — only about 4 miles away! And it’s also one of the most beautiful when there’s an abundance of water. The Minnehaha Falls are located in Minnehaha Regional Park, part of a greenbelt along the Mississippi River. The waters that pour over the falls come from Minnehaha Creek in the Minnehaha Creek Park. And if you’re getting tongue-tied about now, Minnehaha is pronounced like Minnie-ha-ha! The ha-ha part is that sometimes the falls completely dry up, and there could be nothing to see (just kidding!). But it has happened before.
There’s a plaque near the falls that describes the time that President Lyndon B. Johnson came to visit: “On that day in 1964, however, Minneapolis was experiencing a drought. In order to create the beautiful display of the falls pictured here, the city had to open many fire hydrants, upstream and out of sight, to feed water to the creek.”
When I visited last year (Sept 2023), there was only a trickle. Yet, this year in August, Minnehaha Falls was a roaring cascade of water! You won’t need to do any hiking to reach Minnehaha Falls.. They are an easy walk on a paved path from the parking lot
Nearby attraction: Follow the creek downstream from the falls till it pours into the Mississippi River, with a view of the Ford Bridge. The trail is easy to follow and mostly flat. It’s a beautiful trail with lots of trees, a few bridges, and historic markers.
2. St. Anthony Falls, Minneapolis 14 miles
I suggest going to the historic Stone Arch Bridge for a beautiful view of St. Anthony Falls in the midst of downtown Minneapolis. You can view it from the bridge or from Water Power Park at one end of the bridge.
You might take one look at the St. Anthony Falls and assume they are man-made, but you’d only be partially right. There have been natural waterfalls here for hundreds of years, but due to erosion, the falls were constantly moving upstream. Eventually, it would have turned into rapids that would not have been navigable. St. Anthony Falls is now covered with a concrete “blanket” to prevent further erosion. There are locks to allow ships to continue upstream.
Nearby attraction: the historic Stone Arch Bridge, built in 1883. It is recognized as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and is the only arched bridge made of stone on the Mississippi River. It’s also right in the middle of the original ‘Mill City’, where there were several flour mills. Now there are beautiful views of downtown Minneapolis from the bridge.
3. Vermillion Falls, Hastings 25 miles
This is the third of the 5 waterfalls near the Twin Cities. You’ll easily find Vermillion Falls in Vermillion Falls Park in Hastings, MN. The falls are just a short walk from the parking lot. The interesting thing about Vermillion Falls is that it looks like the back wall of the Ardent Mills is part of the falls! As you approach the falls, the sound of the mill’s machinery is loud enough to drown out the sound of the falling water…until you arrive at the falls. Then you can’t hear the mill at all!
Walk the path along the Vermillion River for a spectacular view of the wild ravine below. The River Trail pedestrian bridge over the ravine makes for an even greater vista. You’ll see lots of “love locks” attached to the bridge as well. Be sure to follow the trail a ways on the other side of the bridge. When I went, there were lots of yellow finches, wildflowers, and stately oak trees.
Nearby attraction: The ruins of an 1853 mill can be seen along the Vermillion River downstream from the pedestrian bridge. Follow the trail after crossing the bridge and soon you’ll spot the tops of stone columns that make up part of the ruins. Be very careful as there is some poison ivy in the area, and I’m not sure how stable the ruins are.
4. Fairy Falls, Stillwater 31 miles
A moderate 1.6-mile (out and back) hike leads you to Fairy Falls in the township of Stillwater. You’ll find the trailhead at the intersection of Fairy Falls Rd and Orwell Avenue. There is room to park on the side of Orwell Avenue. About .2 miles into the hike, you’ll come to the top of the falls. Cross the bridge and continue about .7 miles to the base of the falls by following the trail up a ways and then down a ridge, looking for a path on your right that turns back toward the falls. It’s not marked. (Hint: I stopped to gaze at a beautiful gorge on the left of the trail, and that’s about where my husband found the trail off to the right to the base of the falls.) You’ll double back below rock bluffs until you reach Fairy Falls. You can even walk behind the falls! Retrace your path to return to your car. If you search for information about this trail on Alltrails or other sites, it is often referred to as a loop trail, but it’s not!
Nearby attraction: The town of Stillwater is known as the birthplace of Minnesota. It is quaint with many historic buildings along the St. Croix River. Cross the historic lift bridge, visit Art Alley and tour the Washington County Historic Courthouse. Enjoy a meal at old-fashioned Leo’s Grill & Malt Shop or a Detroit-style pizza at Melt Pizza.
5. Willow Falls, WI 34 miles
To access Willow Falls, you’ll need to enter Willow River State Park in Wisconsin ($13 day use fee for non-residents). Willow Falls also requires a hike to reach it, and you have two choices. You can take a shorter hike from the Willow Falls Parking Lot, but it’s much steeper. Or you can leave from the Little Falls Lake beach and nature center parking lot. From there you’ll walk along the lake and through the campground for an easy flat 1.5-mile walk to the falls. This is the trail we took, and it is fairly well-marked.
When you arrive at the falls, you’ll easily see how popular it is. Especially on warm days, it is almost like going to the beach! Lots of swimsuit-clad people wading or even jumping in the river. But you must be careful because the current is pretty strong after a good rain.
A bridge in front of the falls makes for great viewing…and at the other end of the bridge is a staircase to a viewing platform on top of the hill beside the falls.
Nearby attraction: Willow River State Park has a lot to offer besides a beautiful waterfall. Willow River is a class 2 trout stream, and the campground here is very nice. The lake features a sandy swimming beach and canoe rentals, as well as a nature center. Hiking trails and lovely picnic sites are scattered throughout the 2800 acres of rolling countryside. Venture into the nearby town of Hudson, WI on the St. Croix River to discover the most delectable chocolates and ice cream at Knoke’s Chocolates & Nuts.
Any Other Waterfalls Nearby?
After perusing Google Maps, I did find a few more waterfalls you might like to check out:
- Shingle Creek Falls in Webber Park, Minneapolis – This is a brick and cement waterfall that flows down various “steps”. Even though it’s manmade, it is still attractive and the sound of a waterfall is always pleasing.
- Hidden Falls on the east bank of the Mississippi in St. Paul – a waterfall found in Hidden Falls Regional Park. It is a seasonal man-made waterfall in a natural grotto setting.
To be sure, there are a lot of waterfalls outside of the Twin Cities area, especially in northeast Minnesota near Duluth. And the tallest waterfall in Minnesota is High Falls on the Canadian border. But you can enjoy these 5 waterfalls near the Twin Cities without having to travel far from the airport or St. Paul/Minneapolis metropolis. You’ll get the best of both worlds — urban attractions as well as enjoying nature!
If you enjoy visiting waterfalls, you’ll love reading these articles, too:
Four Waterfalls Near Manchester, TN You Have to See
Not Just Two Waterfalls in Twin Falls, Idaho
Montmorency Falls: A Quebec Must-See
Two Waterfalls and a Bridge — Utah Family-Friendly Hikes
I’m sorry it took me so long to discover MN, now I’m hooked!
Me too! I’ve had nothing but great explorations!
Definitely a trip I’d like to take someday!
I know somemone who’d love to host you!