My Favorite Outdoor Spots in the Twin Cities for the Solo Adventurer
I’ve lived in Minneapolis for 15 years and in that time I’ve done my best to really take advantage of all this city has to offer. I sometimes feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface, and on bad days I feel like I’ve seen and done it all. To be honest, that’s a huge reason why I even started this blog! It’s so easy to take for granted where you live, and to get stuck in a rut. I wanted to have a creative outlet that would push me to get out of my daily routine and share my adventures with you!
Now more than ever, I feel it’s so important to take advantage of the outdoor spaces we have right in our backyard (while we still can!) So I’ve compiled a list of my favorite places in the Twin Cities you can explore all while practicing #socialdistancing long after the Corona Virus scare is over.
*Please continue to follow CDC and WHO recommendations to not put yourself or others at risk during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Practice social distancing, wear a mask, wash your hands and only go into public spaces when necessary. If the parks are full, please save your outing for another day/time.
Coldwater Spring
Literally everyone in Minneapolis knows about Minnehaha Falls, but did you know that Coldwater Spring is just behind the falls, and arguably even better?
There are miles of trail that goes through restored prairie land and wooded trails that lead down to the Mississippi River. There isn’t a waterfall, but there is a freakin’ castle! Like, what?!
How to Get There:
Drive South of Minnehaha Park and Minnehaha Dog Park. The nearest main intersection is Hwy 55 and 54th St. There is a small parking lot located off of Minnehaha Park Drive S. Once parked, If you keep walking south, you’ll clearly see the trail and soon see the castle! It’s very near the parking lot.
There are also metered parking spots on Minnehaha Park Dr. if the parking lot is full.
For an entire day of adventuring, you could start at Minnehaha Falls and walk all the way to Fort Snelling Park, there are trails that connect all 3 parks!
It goes without saying that you can enjoy this (and all the spaces on my list) year-round! It’s equally as beautiful covered in snow as it is covered in spring flowers.
Coldwater Spring in Winter
Hidden Falls Regional Park
Across the river from Coldwater Spring on the St. Paul side you can find Hidden Falls Regional Park
It has a very similar vibe as Minnehaha and Coldwater with miles of trails that cut through the woods and follow along the Mississippi River, it just has a much smaller waterfall.
The park is very large, and despite the name, is actually not so hidden. If you really want to explore this park solo, I would recommend going mid week, very early, or when the weather is not ideal to avoid the majority of the crowds.
In Spring, expect muddy trails! (See how muddy my boots are in the photo above?) Leave those cute white tennies at home, girl.
How to Get to the Falls:
There are several trails inside Hidden Falls Regional Park, non of which are clearly marked from what I’ve seen. The easiest way to get to the waterfall is to park on the North side of the parking lot, nearest the bathroom building. Walk North-East behind the building and it’s a very short walk to the falls.
You can also get to the falls from the Mississippi River BLVD above the Falls. There are a set of stone steps you can walk down straight to the falls.
Note: If you walk along the river trail, you won’t find it!
Walker Sculpture Garden
The sculpture garden at Walker Art Center is open year round and self-guided tours are encouraged. Take a leisurely stroll through the grounds, get some excellent views of the city and take a photo with the iconic Cherry and Spoon.
The trails are wide and it’s very easy to spread out here!
Silverwood Park
While the Walker Art Center is definitely the most well know for art in the city, it’s not the only place you can enjoy outdoor sculptures. Just North of the city is Silverwood Park, a park that is a “unique natural destination devoted to supporting the practice, appreciation and awareness of creative interactions between people and the natural environment.”
The paved trail follows along a large portion of the lake and back into the woods, with cool sculptures you can check out all along the way.
Wood Lake Nature Center
I only discovered Wood Lake Nature Center in the last couple of years. It really feels like a hidden gem! Tucked away in between two major highways just south of Minneapolis, you would never know that this marshy landscape was hiding in plain sight for you to enjoy.
The trails weave through woods, prairie, and marshlands and are brimming with wildlife! You really get a ton of variety considering the park isn’t that large.
The Midtown Greenway
The Midtown Greenway is an old railroad that the city took back and converted into a paved trail that spans for miles below the busy streets above. In other words, it’s a cyclist’s highway and a great (and safer) way to commute East to West.
Technically the Greenway is just over 5 miles long, but it connects to other bike trails and gets you pretty far out into the suburbs if you’re so inclined to keep going. I used to commute to Hopkins and back on my bike via all these trails.
In the summer, the Greenway can get pretty packed with a mix of hard-core cyclists, daily commuters and families with small children. The bridges are usually home to clusters of homeless people who pass the time by passing beers back and forth. It really is the epitome of city living.
But on cooler days and off-hours, the greenway is actually very peaceful. I like strolling along, listening to music and checking out the murals that pop up from time to time. There are the occasional community gardens you can stop and have a rest if you need to, and it’s easy to climb a set of stairs and get back up to a major intersecting street.
However, a word of caution to you all: I do NOT recommend walking or biking the greenway alone at night, especially in the summer. The number of violent muggings drastically increases in the summer as people take the opportunity to steal bikes - Even while you’re riding them!
I don’t mean to deter you from checking out the Greenway, but you should be aware of your surroundings at all times! I live near the Greenway so I’ve learned from word of mouth and community postings about random attacks on the trail at night. As a frequent user of the trail, I also see the homeless erect tents and tarps all along the trail as soon as the weather warms up. The city and community have taken steps to help protect the public, but violence can still happen. I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t tell you to proceed with caution. If you choose to take the greenway alone at night, keep an eye on the bridges, don’t stop if someone is trying to talk to you, and know there are emergency phones every 1/2 mile or so.
Read more about Greenway Saftey Here:
Winchell Trail
I only recently learned about the Winchell Trail from a magazine article and finally decided it was time I go check it out for myself! The trail runs along the Mississippi River on the Minneapolis side, just below the West River Parkway. It spans for several miles from E. 27th Street down to Minnehaha Park! I haven’t had a chance to walk the entire thing, but I certainly plan to give it a go!
Most people stick to the parkway above, so the Winchell Trail really feels like a hidden gem in the heart of the city! It’s a very wooded trail and as you walk it really feels like you’ve escaped the city!
How to Get There:
There are a couple of ways to get to the trail. I live closer to the north end of the trail, so I put the Minneapolis Rowing Club in my GPS and parked my car under the Lake Street Bridge. The road down to the rowing club was blocked off for vehicles, but you can walk past the barricade and down towards the river until you see the trail.
You could also start at Minnehaha Park and walk North parallel to West River Parkway until you find the trail. The trail may not be clearly marked, but if you’re walking along the river, you’re probably on it!
*Note - In Spring, parts of the trail may get flooded!
Along the trail, there are a couple of beaches you can stop and enjoy. As a long-time Minneapolis resident, finding a quiet beach in the heart of the city is almost unheard of! I don’t recommend trying to swim in the river, but White Sands Beach may be a nice place to just lay out a towel and soak up some sun!
Witch’s Hat
The Witch’s Hat Water Tower in Prospect Park is a unique landmark that seems to get over-looked on a lot of the lists I’ve seen about the Twin Cities. Maybe people either don’t know about it, or don’t think it’s worth mentioning. I, however, think it’s super cool and totally worth a visit!
Set atop a steep hill, the tower jets out just above the trees and can be seen for miles. I find my eye is always drawn towards it it when I’m driving East on 94. Unfortunately, you can’t go up inside the tower, but park is lovely and has some spectacular views of downtown Minneapolis!
Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
Inside Theodore Wirth Park, the largest park in Minneapolis, there is a small section dedicated to wildflowers and pollinators. I first learned about Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden from a friend who volunteered there. My husband and I joined in one year to help pull garlic mustard, which is an invasive species.
The wildflower garden is very peaceful and great for a leisurely stroll. They have an entire boardwalk dedicated to Lady Slippers, which is Minnesota’s state flower!
There you have it! Some of my favorite outdoor spots in the Twin Cities you can explore solo. This list by no means is everything, but it’s a good start for exploring whether you live here or are planning a future visit!
Live in Minneapolis or St. Paul? Let me know your favorite outdoor places in the comments below!
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