Minnehaha Falls Hike
Waterfall · about 53 ft high | Minnesota
2.1 mi loop
Minnehaha Falls Hike at a Glance
The Minnehaha Falls hike via the Minnehaha Falls Lower Glen Trail is 2.1 mi loop.
| Falls height | About 53 ft |
|---|---|
| Elevation at the falls | ≈ 810 ft |
| Trail | Minnehaha Falls Lower Glen Trail |
| Distance | 2.1 mi loop |
Your time: about 40 min of moving time at Naismith pace (3 mph plus 1 hour per 2,000 ft climbed); about 55 min at a relaxed pace. A 160 lb hiker with a daypack burns roughly 400 kcal. No elevation gain is published for this route, so climbing time isn’t included.
Adjust for your pace and breaks →Route line not shown. The 2.1 mi distance for this hike is verified (en.wikipedia.org), but we don't yet have a trail track we trust, so the map shows only the destination. Carry an official map.
About Minnehaha Falls
Minnehaha Falls is a waterfall in Minnesota, about 53 feet high, on land managed by Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (Minnehaha Regional Park). Its height is from nps.gov.
The Hike
The hike to the falls follows the Minnehaha Falls Lower Glen Trail: 2.1 miles as a loop, from Base of Minnehaha Falls, Minnehaha Regional Park. Distance from en.wikipedia.org.
Before You Go
- A staircase descends into the gorge below the falls for a view from below. (nps.gov)
- Rock around waterfalls is slick when wet; stay on the trail and back from the edge.
- Check Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (Minnehaha Regional Park) for current conditions, closures and parking before you go.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the hike to Minnehaha Falls?
The Minnehaha Falls Lower Glen Trail to Minnehaha Falls is 2.1 miles as a loop.
Where does the Minnehaha Falls hike start?
It starts from Base of Minnehaha Falls, Minnehaha Regional Park.
How tall is Minnehaha Falls?
Minnehaha Falls is about 53 feet high.
Safety Information
Current Hazards
- Slippery wet rock near the falls
- Fast, high water after rain or snowmelt
- Check weather before departure
Turn-Around Time
3:00 PM
Plan to reach the falls by this time so you are back before dark.
Essential Gear Checklist
* Critical items - do not hike without these
Emergency Contacts
Emergency / Search & Rescue
911Point Forecast
NWS Point Forecast →In most of the US, backcountry search and rescue is dispatched through 911 — tell the operator you have a hiker emergency and your GPS coordinates.
Downloads
Sources for The Minnehaha Falls Guide
Where the trail data, elevation and route line on this page come from.
- Verified against
- en.wikipedia.org
- Distance
- en.wikipedia.org
- Falls height
- nps.gov
- Falls location
- gowaterfalling.com
- Elevation
- ≈ Copernicus GLO-90 elevation model at the falls coordinates (via Open-Meteo)
Conditions change. Check the land manager for closures, fees and weather before you go.