Hiking near the Twin Cities: 8 day trip hikes

Good hiking near the Twin Cities can be easy to find if you know where to look. And you’ve found the right spot!

We’ve lived in the Twin Cities for over 10 years and LOVE it. But sometimes we like to get out and get into nature! We love hiking around the state, especially taking day trips for hikes that close enough to do in a day.

Recommended hiking gear

Make sure to grab these hiking essentials!

Minnehaha Falls

Starting with the closest, Minnehaha Falls is perfect if you’re looking to get out in nature but don’t have all day to spare. See the majestic falls and take the trail around the river. This is an easy walk, and you’re able to make it as long or short as you want, with multiple turn around points.

Stillwater

There’s two hikes we love in Stillwater (only 30 mins from Minneapolis): Fairy Falls and Arcola Bluffs day use area. Fairy Falls is about a 2 minute walk to the falls, but you can spend much more time walking around the creek. It’s not an easy walk though, and requires some climbing. The Arcola Bluffs day use area leads you to the Arcola High Bridge. See my post on How to spend a fall day in Stillwater MN for all the details – don’t, worry the hikes can be done anytime of the year!

Taylor’s Falls Interstate State Park

Taylor’s Falls is about 50 minutes Northeast of Minneapolis. Located right on the St. Croix river, Interstate State Park is a state park that covers both the Minnesota and Wisconsin side of the river. Climb around on the bluffs, get awesome views of the river, and find some glacial pot holes – so cool!

Nerstrand – Big Woods State Park & Nature Preserve

Nerstrand – Big Woods State Park is located near Northfield MN, about 1 hour south of Minneapolis. This state park isn’t huge, but has nice wide paths and a great waterfall at the end of the trail! We even found a nice secluded spot right on the river to enjoy a brew 🙂

St. Cloud Quarry Park

St. Cloud’s Quarry Park is the most underrated hiking and exploring spots in Minnesota. A little over an hour from Minneapolis, it was once a site for granite mining and now is a great spot for hiking, swimming, scuba diving, rock climbing, and cross country skiing! See my full guide to exploring the park here!

Banning State Park

Banning State Park is about 1.5 hours north of Minneapolis. Perfect for a day trip! Here you can find so many things that make Minnesota so beautiful! The river, multiple waterfalls, sandstone bluffs, and glacial pot holes! This is a large state park and offers many different trails and routes. One of our favorites!

Saint Croix State Park

Saint Croix State Park is right on the Saint Croix River, not too far from Banning State Park. It’s 1.5 hours north of the Twin Cities and is MASSIVE. We spent the entire day here hiking, climbing up the fire tower, hanging out on the beach, and kayaking on Clayton Lake. Great views and very few people! There’s also great camping on site that we’ve done in years past.

Cuyuna Lakes

Cuyuna is known for mountain biking and is located 2 hours north of Minneapolis. The Cuyuna area is known for its mountain bike trails, but offers some great hiking too! If you’re looking for an easy, paved trail with views of the lakes, take the Cuyuna Lakes State Trail. If you want something more challenging and off the beaten path, take the Dragline Trail around Portsmount Mine Lake. This trail took us about 2 hours round trip and was so pretty! See more details here!

Winona

Winona is a little over 2 hours south of Minneapolis. It’s one of the most beautiful places in the state. Known for its bluffs, it offers lots of hiking options. Our favorite is the hike up to Sugar Loaf Bluff and over to Garvin Heights. This hike is about 2.5 miles and is relatively flat with a few steep inclines.