HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - Minnehaha Falls Lower Glen Trail
OR:
Minnehaha Falls Lower Glen Trail on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

Minnehaha Falls Lower Glen Trail is a popular hiking route in
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
,
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, United States. The trail loop begins and ends at the base of the iconic
Minnehaha Falls Minnehaha Park is a city park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, and home to Minnehaha Falls and the lower reaches of Minnehaha Creek. Officially named Minnehaha Regional Park, it is part of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board syst ...
. Hikers follow natural trails and elevated boardwalks through a sedimentary rock glen carved by
Minnehaha Creek Minnehaha Creek ( dak, Mniȟáȟa Wakpádaŋ) is a 22-mile-long (35 km) tributary of the Mississippi River that flows east from Gray's Bay Dam on Lake Minnetonka through the suburban cities of Minnetonka, Hopkins, Saint Louis Park, and Edin ...
to its confluence with the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
where there is a sandy beach. Portions of the trail loop are rated moderate to challenging in difficulty.


Route description

Minnehaha lower glen is the canyon area downstream from
Minnehaha Falls Minnehaha Park is a city park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, and home to Minnehaha Falls and the lower reaches of Minnehaha Creek. Officially named Minnehaha Regional Park, it is part of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board syst ...
to where
Minnehaha Creek Minnehaha Creek ( dak, Mniȟáȟa Wakpádaŋ) is a 22-mile-long (35 km) tributary of the Mississippi River that flows east from Gray's Bay Dam on Lake Minnetonka through the suburban cities of Minnetonka, Hopkins, Saint Louis Park, and Edin ...
flows to its end at the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
. Main access to the hiking trail loop is via several staircases near
Minnehaha Falls Minnehaha Park is a city park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, and home to Minnehaha Falls and the lower reaches of Minnehaha Creek. Officially named Minnehaha Regional Park, it is part of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board syst ...
that descend to the lower glen floor. After descending staircases into the glen, hikers traverse dirt trails that eventually follow both sides of the creek, with gradual elevation change to the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
. At 686 feet (209 m) above sea level, the confluence area is the lowest point of elevation in Minneapolis. For safety reasons, the park closes staircases in winter. Alternative and year-round access to the hiking trail loop is possible via the Glens Area by Godfrey Parkway or the South Plateau Area by a dog park. The trail on the north side of the creek is mostly rated moderate in difficulty, while the south side trail is considered more challenging. Some sections of the trail have boardwalks over ponds and muddy terrain. There are five numbered pedestrian bridges in the park, with numbers 2-5 in the lower glen, that allow hikers to traverse the creek. Key features and sites on the hike: *Abandoned falls grassy glen area *Black ash swamp *Godfrey Mill ruins *Historic stone bridge and wall structures *Natural wading pool area *Platteville Limestone bluffs *Sandy beachhead *Wildlife


History of the trail

The hiking loop trail is entirely within
Minnehaha Regional Park Minnehaha Park is a city park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, and home to Minnehaha Falls and the lower reaches of Minnehaha Creek. Officially named Minnehaha Regional Park, it is part of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board syst ...
that is managed by
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is an independent park district that owns, maintains, and programs activities in public parks in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It has 500 full-time and 1,300 part-time employees and an $ ...
. The 54-acre lower glen area that hikers traverse was once considered neglected. By 2010, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District spent $7 million toward restoration efforts such as trail improvements, shoreline stabilization, invasive plant removal, boardwalk replacement, and reconstruction of stone wall and bridge structures. In 2014, a heavy rain event threatened improvements to the glen, which were not designed to handle record levels of precipitation.


See also

*
Fort Snelling State Park Fort Snelling State Park is a state park of the U.S. state of Minnesota, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. For many centuries, the area of the modern park has been of importance to the Mdewakanton Dakota people who consi ...
*
Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway The Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway is a linked series of park areas in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, that takes a roughly circular path through the city. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board developed the system over many years. ...
*
Lock and Dam No. 1 Ford Dam, officially known as Lock and Dam No. 1, is on the Upper Mississippi River and is located between Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota just north of the confluence of the Mississippi with the Minnesota River at Mississippi River mile 84 ...
*
Minnehaha Trail Minnehaha Trail is a paved, multi-use trail in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, that connects Minnehaha Regional Park and Fort Snelling State Park – two of the most popular recreation destinations in the Twin Cities metro area. The tra ...
*
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is a and protected corridor along the Mississippi River through the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro in the U.S. state of Minnesota, from the cities of Dayton and Ramsey, to just downstream of H ...
*
Upper Mississippi River The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of St. Louis, Missouri, United States, at the confluence of its main tributary, the Missouri River. History In terms of geologic and hydrographic history, the Upper ...
*
Winchell Trail Winchell Trail is a round trip, pedestrian-only trail in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, that runs along the west side of the Mississippi River between Franklin Avenue South and East 44th Street. Popular with bird watchers and naturalist ...


References


External links


Minnehaha Regional Park mapMinnehaha Park Trails mapMinnehaha Falls and Glen Restoration
{{Coord, 44, 54, 53, N, 93, 12, 28, W, display=title Regional parks in Minnesota Hiking trails in Minnesota Mississippi Gorge Mississippi National River and Recreation Area National Recreation Trails in Minnesota Parks in Minneapolis Protected areas of Hennepin County, Minnesota Works Progress Administration in Minnesota