10 Easy Hikes Near the Twin Cities You Can Totally Do
The pandemic has left a lot of us looking for things to do outdoors. I’ve been hitting the trails a lot, but sometimes I’m just not up for a difficult hike. So after spending the majority of 2020 wandering around outside, I’ve compiled a list of what I think are the easiest hikes that nearly everyone can do.
So even if you don’t consider yourself a “hiker,” you can definitely lace up your boots, grab a water bottle and have a low-key stroll along any of these beautiful trails.
1. Riverside Trail at William O’Brien State Park
There are a number of trails at William O’Brien State Park, however the Riverside trail is arguably the easiest because it’s a simple looping trail that’s easy to follow and has amazing views of the river.
Just under 2 miles long, this flat trail follows alongside the St. Croix before looping around towards Lake Alice and back to the parking lot.
Up for a longer hike? Just make your way back towards the visitor center and take the hiking club trail that’s just over 5 miles long.
2. Pike Island at Fort Snelling State Park
Fort Snelling State Park is one of my favorites and most frequently visited parks on this list as it’s so close to my house. There are about 10 miles of trails throughout the park, but our favorite is the 3 mile Pike Island loop.
Fun Fact: Pike island is surrounded by 2 rivers, the Mississippi and the Minnesota, and they meet at the point of the island!
We always see tons of deer, beaver, muskrats and countless species of birds at Fort Snelling. It really does feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere even though you’re about 10 minutes away from MSP Airport!
*Note, in spring, parts of the trail can be flooded, some times cutting off access to the island completely. If that’s the case, the rest of the park is still beautiful and full of flat, easy hiking trails!
3. River Terrace Loop at Wild River State Park
We recently spent a beautiful fall day checking out Wild River State Park. From the parking lot, we walked down the Nevers Dam Trail to the Old Nevers Dam Site lookout platform. From there, we turned left and took a leisurely walk along the River Terrace loop, soaking in all the fall foliage before heading back up to the car.
In total, we walked just over 2 miles, with only a slight hill at the beginning and end. It really was a perfect afternoon stroll!
4. Mazomani Trail to Jab’s Farm in Shakopee
We recently discovered the Mazomani Trail and the very cool abandoned Jab’s Farmstead buildings down in Shakoppee, MN, and it was one of my favorite hikes so far. There are some slight slopes up and down hill as you make your way down to the valley floor, but nothing that will leave you huffing and puffing for air.
The entrance to the trail head is just past the parking lot to the Renaissance Fair (if you’re IN the Renaissance Fair parking lot, you haven’t driven far enough down the road.) There are two trail heads, the Mazomani Trail and the Louisville Swamp Trail. Walk towards the left-hand side of the parking lot to do the Mazomani Trail (there are plenty of signs so it should be easy to figure out what trail you’re on if you get turned around!)
The entire trail is about a 4 mile loop, but if you just wanted to see the Farm, it’s only a mile from the trail head.
*Note, you do have to cross a small stream to get to the farm. If there has been heavy rain, you may not be able to easily access the trail without going the long way around.
5. North River Trail at Afton State Park
Afton State Park is one of the largest near the Twin Cities with a number of amazing trails to keep you coming back for more. But, if you’re short on time or only are able to visit once, I recommend the North River Trail to make the most of your visit!
Park your car the farthest away from the entrance, (back by the picnic tables) to be closest to the start of the North River Trail. Once you get down the set of stairs, the trail flattens out and you have amazing views of the St. Croix. You can either follow the loop (which in total is just over 3 miles) around the prairie, or once you reach the barrier of the park, turn around and walk back along the river the way you came for a shorter stroll.
There are plenty of opportunities to make your way along the beach, so if the weather is on your side, pack a blanket and hang out for awhile by the water to really make the most of your day.
6. Arcola Trail - Stillwater
The Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area is a beautifully wooded trail that really makes you feel like you’re out in the middle of nowhere, not just a few minutes outside of the charming river town of Stillwater.
Although there are more hills to climb up and down on this hike than others on my list, the trail down to the river is very short and worth the bit of effort it’ll take to get back up to your car.
7. Old Cedar Avenue Bridge at the MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge
The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is a beautiful, expansive park with a variety of trails that go through woods, prairie and wetlands. The entirety of the trail is just over 7 miles long, but as it doesn’t loop and instead follows along one side of the river, you can walk for as long as you feel comfortable and then turn around and head back.
You really can’t go wrong either starting at the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge or parking at the other end of the park near the visitor center. But if you only have time for one, the bridge is definitely worth checking out at least once!
Walk across the bridge and check out amazing views of the marshy landscape and keep an eye out for all the beautiful species of water fowl.
8. Winchell Trail in Minneapolis
I first read about the Winchell trail a little over a year ago and it’s become one of my favorite hidden gems in the city. The trail is just over 5 miles long and sits below the more well-known West Ave. Parkway above.
I have yet to do the entire trail, in fact the section I frequent the most spanning from the Lake Street Bridge to the old train bridge and back is only about a mile total. I do plan to do the entire trail someday, but as we’re keeping this list low-key, you can really pick any section you like and have a leisurely stroll along the river, stopping at many of the beaches and cool bridges along the way.
*Note, in spring, sections of the trail may be flooded!
9. Lebanon Hills Regional Park
Lebanon Hills is a beautiful wooded park about 30 minutes South of Minneapolis. With over 20 miles of looping trails, you can’t go wrong with any of them! I have to admit I have not walked the entirety of the trail system at Lebanon Hills, but the few times I’ve been there I’ve enjoyed taking an easy stroll along the flat, wide trails that loop around several small lakes throughout the park.
We typically start at the Visitor center and make our way around Schultze Lake (about a mile long loop) and go from there.
10. Quaking Bog Loop at Theodore Wirth Park
Theodore Wirth Park is something that I fully admit I take for granted and don’t visit nearly often enough considering it’s proximity to the city. While you may not completely escape the noise of the nearby freeway, the Quaking Bog loop is still totally worth adding to your list of hikes to do!
The pathways along the loop crisscross somewhat randomly, making it feel longer of a hike than it actually is. The bog boardwalk itself will only take you about 5 minutes to complete, but if you happen to visit on a day with few other visitors like we did, you can stay and enjoy it as long as you like!
*Note, the Quaking Bog Loop is intersected by mountain biking trails. Just make sure that path you’re on is for walking!
There you have it, 10 easy hikes that you can totally do! Do you have any other easy hikes I should add to my list? Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time, Happy Exploring!
Karen
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