Minnesota is known for being the land of lakes, with almost 10,000 glorious lakes and 140 waterfalls which are an ultimate source of attraction for nature enthusiasts. People come from far and wide to enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, and camping. If you also want to take a step back and marvel at the gorgeous waterfalls of Minnesota, the following places are all the affirmation you need.
There are various waterfalls in Minnesota where along with taking in all the serenity of the environment, you can enjoy activities like biking, hiking, skiing, fishing, camping, and many more. Based on whatever pleases you the best, you can pick the waterfall you want to visit the most from the list below.
Lastly, if you have the wanderlust to experience similar attractions in the USA, don’t forget to check out our recent guides on Connecticut, Colorado, and Ohio waterfalls.
Mesmerizing Waterfalls in Minnesota you must visit
Following is the list of the most stunning waterfalls in Minnesota you have to visit; if you don’t want to miss out on their breathtaking sceneries and hike trails.
The High falls, as the name suggests, are magnificent. To enjoy the view and the hike alongside these falls, you take a drive to the scenic Minnesota Highway and travel all the way to the US-Canadian borders, where the Grand Portage State Park is located. Although you can enjoy several views of this waterfall from Minnesota, for the closest view, you will have to travel across the border and enjoy one of the most gorgeous sceneries this fall has to offer!
You can also hike up to this 120ft tall fall and submit yourself to the enchanting views of this breathtaking fall. As soon as you enter the park, there is a deck where you can stand and enjoy the peaceful views of the flowing Pigeon River. From the deck, there is a paved path that guides you throughout your hike. The hike takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
During your hike, you get to see nature at its best. The hiking trail offers different angles of this waterfall. This hike is really fun and adventurous, filled with views that do the work of nature therapy. The hiking path to these falls is very well-made and wheelchair friendly too, and the views on the sides of the trails are out of this world. You can enjoy a picnic with your family and friends too.
You cannot camp inside the state park, and also, there are no lodgings available, but you can always rent rooms or hotels in the State. There are various eateries available nearby. The waterfalls are busy on the weekends, but you can always enjoy a time of solitude among this wilderness and beautiful views on the weekdays.
Gooseberry waterfalls are a series of three waterfalls Upper, Middle, and lower falls, which make their way to the gooseberry river, which further falls into Lake Superior. These waterfalls are stunning but what makes them better than the other falls is the convenience of the hike trails. The trails are very nicely built, which makes it easier for people to do this hike and enjoy the gorgeous views of these waterfalls in closer proximity.
As soon as you reach the parking lot of the Gooseberry Falls State Park, there is a Tourist center from where you can gather information about the various tracks that can lead you to these gorgeous wonders. The best trail is the one, however, that takes you first to the Upper falls and then, as you come down, you can enjoy the incredible sceneries of the middle and lower falls. After reaching the top of the hike, you can absorb the staggering views of the upper waterfalls, and then, you can go further down on the stair path that leads you to the other two falls.
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The front view of the middle and the lower falls has to be the most photogenic site you will behold in the whole of your hike. After reaching the lower waterfall, the path will take you further down to the west side of the Gooseberry River. The hike to these phenomenal sites is not a difficult one as the trails are nicely paved, and the whole track is a beauty in itself. You can bike to the top too.
You can also enjoy camping in this natural beauty as there are various camping sites in this park. There are many picnic spots too where you can enjoy yourself with your loved ones. Various motels, restaurants, and souvenir shops are also here within this park where you can wake up to these healing views and absorb the lovely sites around. This place is pretty crowded because of the hype around it, and yes, the hype is all worth it!
If you don’t want to go away from the city and still want to enjoy the solitude of nature and serenity, this is the one for you. These falls are 53 feet and take about 19 minutes to complete a hike and enjoy the marvelous views of the falls nearby. Minnehaha Falls are located inside Minnehaha Park which is located at the intersection of Hiawatha Avenue and Minnehaha Parkway, very close to the city.
You can enjoy a hike or a bike tour of these waterfalls. There are also free guided tours that can take you to the falls and also tell you about the location of the place, its history, and everything. However, the trail is easy to go on your own, as the path is marked by the plants on each side that takes you to the top. As soon as you park your car, you can see the pools and swings for children. The trail starts from there that takes you to these falls. This hike is not very difficult as the path is nice, however, take plenty of water with you to keep yourself hydrated.
As soon as you reach the top, you can see the tranquilizing scenery. This fall has to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls ever. The clean water with the native plants around, and all the nature is so calming and relaxing. The same path that takes you to the top takes you back to the ground.
There is so much more than you can enjoy around, apart from the waterfalls, as there are a lot of historical landmarks and sites there. An eatery is there within the park where you can have food and enjoy with your family and friend at the picnic spots. The place is also kids friendly, with various fun things to do for kids. One thing you need to remember before planning your trip is that the stair path is closed during the winter, so it’s best to plan your visit in the summer. Besides everything, you must visit these falls for the absolute wonder they are!
This waterfall is in Hastings, Minnesota. It is an urban waterfall that used to be a hotspot for tourists back in the day, as the remains of the trails suggest. You can still, however, appreciate the splendid views of the waterfalls. There are also the ruins of The Ramsey Mill nearby which makes this place gorgeous and spooky at the same time.
After parking your car in the parking area, there is a small walk that takes you to the place, from where you can overlook the waterfalls. There are also trails for bikes and hiking, but since they are not maintained, you can just see whatever is remaining from the past. However, if you want to go to the top, you can still make your way up there.
There is another one of the Vermillion falls in Minnesota near Crane Lake which is smaller but much more happening than the other one. Here you can park your car and follow the trail. There is a hiking trail and a biking trail which is very well-paved. The sceneries are spectacular. You can enjoy boat riding, and fishing here as well. There are camping sites here too.
If you want to enjoy a historic site seeing along with the astonishing views of nature, then pick the Vermillion Falls in Hastings, and if you want a more adventurous trip, then Vermillion Falls near Crane Lake should be the stop for you. However, you need to keep in mind that the water current here is high, so you need to be careful with yourself, especially your children.
St. Anthony is a great historic and heritage site. Being the only naturally occurring major waterfall of the Upper Mississippi River it used to light up the whole of the city. On the hiking trail to these falls, you can spot various Flour Milling factories that used to be the major source of the economy back in the day. There are guided tours that take you to these falls and provide you with information on all the historic sites you will cross during the hike.
The hiking trail is nice and paved which makes it easier to complete. You can complete this 2.7 km hike in about 40 minutes. The falls are dazzling, and the sceneries around the hike are gorgeous too. Various signs and marks on your way tell you about the history and importance of the place. You can also see the historic Stone Arch Bridge, the Upper St. Anthony Falls Dam, the Lower St. Anthony Falls Dam, and the remains of the mill that are now developed into a museum.
You can also walk over the Stone Arch Bridge which is a wonder in itself, and be entertained by the spectacular views of the falls from the bridge as it will give you a completely different angle of the falls. The bridge with the view of the falls also makes up for an aesthetic photo shoot location.
There are also many parks around which provide a great view of the falls. One can also enjoy food from around the places and markets. Last but not least, the hiking trail is wheelchair and stroller friendly, so you can enjoy these wonderful views and knowledge with your loved ones. Above all, these falls are worth visiting for their splendid beauty and their historical perspective.
Winnewissa Falls are in the Pipestone National monument, which is of great importance for various communities for religious purposes. The park has pipestone quarries that are still active to this day and are carved into various shapes by the communities for religious festivities.
As soon as you enter this monument, there are many sites to behold like the pink quartzite that rises from the prairie as you walk further on the trail you can hear the sounds of the rushing waters of the fall. There is a bridge above the falls from where you can get a good look at the waterfall. The waterfall is about 20 feet, and the hike is pretty easy. The fall is stunning and a site to behold.
The best view is from the bottom, but you can hike your way up to the top to enjoy a different view of the outstanding fall. The hiking trail is not just paved and easy to walk on but is also really beautiful. The way up to the top and again to the bottom is full of breathtaking scenery. These waterfalls are also termed the ‘Scared Waterfalls’ for being religiously important for Native American communities.
Apart from the falls, there is so much more to see at this place. Wherever you look, you will fall in love with the beauty of the scenery. The mist of the fall with the extraordinary greenery and nature around makes for a site you will not get over any time soon.
The devil’s kettle waterfalls along the Brule River are incredibly beautiful when it comes to the scenery around them. You can hike up to these waterfalls as well. The hiking trail is paved and moderately tough as it has a lot of stairs. These waterfalls are in Judge C.R. Magney State Park.
The trail starts as soon as you get out of the parking lot and enter the area. You can see a paved path that leads you toward the waterfalls. The waterfalls are absolutely gorgeous. This waterfall follows along the Brule River and divides into two streams at the Devil’s kettle, out of which the right stream falls into the river, and the left stream seems to disappear. The disappearance of this stream has been one of the reasons why this waterfall is so famous.
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One might think that the water might still be falling and you just can’t see it, for those of you, you can drop a pencil or something, and it will not produce any sound as if it has disappeared into the void, just like the water. People have all sorts of questions as to where this stream goes. According to geologists, there is as much water below the waterfalls as it is above. So the water via the underground channel reaches back to the stream of the river.
The waterfall is a piece of art along with all of its mystery. One must visit this waterfall for its stunning scenery and cool natural phenomenon. As a side note, bring water with you as there are a lot of stairs, and you will thank me later!
Things to consider before going to a waterfall
- Stay behind the railings — If you are going to a waterfall and find yourself hiking towards the top of the waterfall, there might be railings on either side of the trail. Do not go close to them or put your weight on them, also while taking pictures on the bridges, do not try to do any tricks as they are for your safety.
- Take the signs on the boards seriously — While on the hike to the waterfalls, keep a close look at the signs, as they tell you about the things that you need to be conscious of like; the water current is high, the path is steep, etc.
- Check the weather — Before planning your trip, check the weather. The path can be too steep if it has been raining, and it can be difficult for you to reach the top, or it could be too snowy. So just check the weather beforehand.
- Location — If you do not know the path of the hike, take a guided tour or use a GPS to track the right path or else you can be lost.
- Stay hydrated — While prepping for going on the hike, make sure to take water bottles with you. No matter how easy or short the hike might be, make sure to keep yourself hydrated as much as possible.
How Do We Pick Our Recommendations
Minnesota is home to around 140 waterfalls, which was enough information to convince us to pack our bags and visit as many of them as possible. While enjoying our tour of these breathtaking wonders, worth mentioning thing is that; the places around the waterfalls will also add to your experience, be it the eateries or the parks that provide you with a different view of the falls, you will be in for a treat. I, along with my team, visited all of these stunning places and made this list of the most mesmerizing waterfalls in Minnesota. This list is based on the serenity of the environment and how accommodating the place was for the visitors. We have also asked other people for their experiences, and have kept that under consideration while making this list too.
Mesmerising Waterfalls in Minnesota You Must Visit - FAQs
Minnesota has about 140 named waterfalls.
High falls Minnesota is not a very easy hike rather, it is a moderately challenging hike.
St Anthony falls is about 15 to 20 feet high.
The High Falls of the Pigeon River is the biggest waterfall in Minnesota.
Yes, you can, but you need to beware of the water currents.
