Take A Day Trip From the Twin Cities To Frontenac State Park

Sep 1

Sep 1 Take A Day Trip From the Twin Cities To Frontenac State Park

If anything good has come out of the COVID pandemic it’s how much people are exploring close to home and utilizing all of the green spaces that we normally take for granted.

I recently spent an afternoon at Frontenac State Park for the first time in all of the years I’ve lived in Minnesota, and I can confirm it is definitely worth a visit!

I took the scenic route down from the Twin Cities, following the byway along the Mississippi River through all the river towns in Wisconsin before crossing back over towards Red Wing. The drive alone is totally worth the trip down!

I’m looking forward to being able to fully enjoy all these small towns have to offer once the pandemic is over, but if your comfort level is higher than mine, there are tons of cool biker bars, quaint shops and riverside restaurants along the way for you to enjoy.

Frontenac State Park is just south of Redwing, MN. Like any State Park, you’ll need to purchase a day pass to enter.

However, if you’re like me and spend a lot of time exploring and camping at State Parks, I recommend getting the year-round pass for only $35. You just place the sticker on your windshield and are good to go! The yearly pass is especially great if there is a long line to get into the park, you won’t need to stop and deal with paying to enter.

The main parking area of the park is just a short drive from the entrance. As soon as you park, you are greeted with the most amazing overlook of Lake Pepin. I saw a number of families there to enjoy the picnic area and views for the day, so if hiking isn’t your thing, this park is still for you!

However, if hiking is your thing, there are a number of different trails that vary in length and difficulty.

The lower bluff trail seemed to be the most advanced/difficult due to the sheer number of stairs and switchbacks down the side of the bluffs. I started to head down that trail before deciding after a few flights of stairs that I really wasn’t up (or prepared) for that much of a climb on a hot day.

After talking with another girl making her way back up the seemingly endless flights of stairs, she recommended I take the Upper Bluff Trail, which is relatively flat and leads you more directly to the park’s most iconic landmark, a natural stone archway called In Yan Teopa.

The hike to In Yan Teopa along the Upper Bluff Trail was beautiful, with a ton of opportunities to stop and check out more overlooks over Lake Pepin along the way. I would classify the trail as easy, however, it is not paved and there are areas where it slopes with many natural roots exposed, so watch your step!

To see the rock formation, you do need to go down at least 1 switchback and 1 set of stairs, so if you (or someone in your group) has limited mobility that is something to note before setting out.

I should also note from my own personal experience (and stupidity) that if you’re trying to take a photo of yourself with a tripod, just be very sure your camera is secure so it doesn’t go tumbling down the cliff! Yeah… I learned that lesson the hard way just so you don’t have to.

I may have destroyed my camera while visiting Frontenac State Park, but I still had an amazing time and definitely plan on making a return visit this fall to see all the vibrant colors over the bluffs!

Hell, maybe I’ll even decide to do the 425 feet of stairs next time just so I can say that I accomplished something during the pandemic of 2020.