Best Hikes Near Minneapolis
5 summit hikes within 100 miles of Minneapolis, Minnesota — sorted by straight-line distance. The closest is Minnehaha Falls, about 5 miles away. Every trail links to a full guide with maps, elevation profiles and parking info.
Hiking near Minneapolis at a glance
Distances are straight-line miles from Minneapolis to each summit, so driving distance is longer. 1 trail is within 25 miles, 2 trails are within 50 miles, 4 trails are within 75 miles, and the farthest listed, Wolf Creek Falls, is about 83 miles out. The trails fall in Minnesota (4), Wisconsin (1).
This page lists 5 summit hikes within 100 miles of Minneapolis from the Summit Seeker trail database, across 2 states. Summit elevations run from 810 ft (Minnehaha Falls) to 1,140 ft (Hidden Falls (Nerstrand)).
4 of the 5 routes have a distance we can quote from a published source. The shortest is Minneopa Falls at 0.8 mi; the longest is Wolf Creek Falls at 4 mi. Together the quoted routes add up to 7.9 miles of hiking. By their own ratings they break down as 1 easy. 1 of the routes has not been verified against the summit yet, so that page quotes no distance or time.
2 of the 5 guides name a specific trailhead or parking area; the others give the summit location and route line only.
Figures are as recorded in each trail's own data and are planning estimates (≈ marks a figure estimated from the mapped track); confirm conditions and route length with the land manager before you go.
Every trail, with distance from Minneapolis and route facts
| Trail | From Minneapolis | Summit | Route | Distance | Gain | Time | Difficulty | Trailhead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnehaha Falls | 5 mi | 810 ft | Minnehaha Falls Lower Glen Trail | 2.1 mi loop | — | — | — | — |
| Hidden Falls (Nerstrand) | 44 mi | 1,140 ft | Hidden Falls Trail | 1 mi round trip | 98 ft | — | Easy | Picnic area parking lot |
| Minneopa Falls | 70 mi | 880 ft | Minneopa Falls Access Trail | 0.8 mi round trip | — | — | — | Minneopa Falls parking area |
| Hanke Hill | 72 mi | 1,119 ft | — | Not verified | — | — | — | — |
| Wolf Creek Falls | 83 mi | 1,050 ft | Wolf Creek Falls Loop | 4 mi loop | — | — | — | — |
Route notes
- Hidden Falls (Nerstrand) (44 mi from Minneapolis) — 1 mi round trip via the Hidden Falls Trail from Picnic area parking lot, 98 ft of elevation gain, rated Easy.
- Wolf Creek Falls (83 mi from Minneapolis) — a 4-mile loop via the Wolf Creek Falls Loop.
- Minneopa Falls (70 mi from Minneapolis) — 0.8 mi round trip via the Minneopa Falls Access Trail from Minneopa Falls parking area.
- Minnehaha Falls (5 mi from Minneapolis) — a 2.1-mile loop via the Minnehaha Falls Lower Glen Trail.
Not yet verified against the summit, so no distance or time is quoted: Hanke Hill (72 mi).
Minnehaha Falls
