Best Waterfalls in Minnesota: 13 Local Favorites & Hidden Gems
By Trent Jonas|Published May 20, 2024
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Trent Jonas
Author
Trent Jonas came to Minnesota to attend college - and never left. He's a Twin Cities-based writer with a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing, a Minnesota Master Naturalist, and the proud father of two adult children. With more than a decade of freelance writing experience under his belt, Trent is often out exploring his favorite topics: Minnesota's woods, lakes, and trails. Rhubarb pie is his weakness, so discovering new diners is also a passion.
Minnesota is home to some wonderfully diverse geography, and thanks to this, you’ll find waterfalls in just about every corner of the state, from the prairies of the west, to the Northwoods, and even right in the Twin Cities metro. Of the many wonderful cascades our state is blessed with, we think these are some of the best waterfalls in Minnesota. We think you will, too.
Thanks to the region’s unique geography, you’ll find most of the tallest waterfalls in the Land of 10,000 Lakes along Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior, which stretches from Duluth to the Canadian border.
1. Pigeon River High Falls
Grand Portage State Park, 9393 E MN-61, Grand Portage, MN 55605, USA
Location: Grand Portage State Park, Grand Portage, Minnesota.
Popularity: This park doubles as a rest stop at the Canadian border, so it can get busy. However, the trail to the waterfall is rarely crowded.
Need To Know: Access to Grand Portage State Park and High Falls of the Pigeon River is free.
At 120 feet, the High Falls of the Pigeon River is the state’s highest waterfall. The river is the national border at this point, so the waterfall is split between Minnesota and Canada, and you may notice that you’re picking up Canadian cell service at certain places along the trail. You can reach the waterfall via a relatively easy, one-mile paved trail. There is some elevation and a few steps to get the overlooks, but overall it is not a challenging hike.
2. Baptism River High Falls
Tettegouche State Park, 5702 MN-61, Silver Bay, MN 55614, USA
Location: Tettegouche State Park, Silver Bay, Minnesota.
Popularity: The park can be very popular year-round, and the parking area for the High Falls trail head is rather small. Weekdays are the best time to visit.
Need To Know: Admission to the state park by car requires a permit, which costs $35 per year or $7 per day.
At 80 feet, the High Falls of the Baptism River in Tettegouche State Park is the tallest waterfall that located completely within Minnesota’s borders. Getting to the falls requires a three-mile, out and back, hike that can be a little challenging thanks to tree roots and rocks on parts of the footpath. The path meets the Superior Hiking Trail and runs along with it for part of the hike. There are overlooks at the falls that allow you to see over the waterfall’s brink. There are also steps down to the river below the falls. Tettegouche is also home to two other waterfalls that you can access without a park permit. Two-Step Falls is accessible via a trail from the visitor center and rest area at Shovel Point, and you can get to the trail head for Illgen Falls at a small parking lot just off of MN Hwy. 1 between Illgen City and Finland.
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3. Caribou Falls
Caribou Falls State Wayside, 7232 MN-61, Silver Bay, MN 55614, USA
Location: Caribou Falls State Wayside, Silver Bay, Minnesota.
Popularity: This wayside can be busy, especially on weekends, as it is also serves as a trailhead for the Superior Hiking Trail.
Need To Know: There is no cost to stop at the wayside or visit the falls.
The height of Caribou Falls is up for some debate, with different sources measuring it anywhere from 30 to 70 feet. If its height is closer to the latter measurement, then Caribou Falls is the third highest among the biggest waterfalls in Minnesota. The hike to the falls is less than a mile (each way), and once you reach the overlook for the waterfall, you’ll also be treated to lovely views of Lake Superior.
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Best Waterfall Hikes In Minnesota
Getting to many of the best waterfalls in Minnesota may require some hiking, but that’s okay by us, because given the beautiful state we live in, the hikes can be almost as beautiful as the waterfalls, themselves. More remote cascades, like those in the Superior National Forest or the Boundary Waters, may require longer treks, but we’re including a trio of waterfall hikes in Minnesota that are short, sweet, and scenic. So, stuff your pack, fire up your free trial of AllTrails Plus, and lets go find some waterfalls.
4. Cascade Falls
Cascade River State Park, West, 3481 MN-61, Lutsen, MN 55612, USA
Location: Cascade River State Park, Grand Marais, Minnesota.
Popularity: This park is popular on weekends year-round, and you can expect to meet others on the trail when you’re hiking.
Need To Know: Admission to the state park by car requires a permit, which costs $35 per year or $7 per day.
From the trailhead in Cascade River State Park - another beautiful North Shore park located between Lutsen and Grand Marais - you can access Cascade Falls via a short (less than a mile), relatively easy hike through the forest. Although there is a series of cascades on the river that are generally referred to as Cascade Falls, the river plunges its way through the park, so just about any stretch you encounter will be fast moving and dramatic until it slows near its mouth at Lake Superior.
5. Devil’s Kettle
Judge C.R. Magney State Park, 4051 MN-61, Grand Marais, MN 55604, USA
Location: Judge C.R. Magney State Park, Grand Marais, Minnesota.
Popularity: This park’s relative remoteness and rugged terrain means you won’t usually find the trails too crowded, but you can expect to meet some other waterfall chasers.
Need To Know: Admission to the state park by car requires a permit, which costs $35 per year or $7 per day.
The hike to Devil’s Kettle is a two-mile, out and back, hike from the trail head in Judge C.R. Magney State Park. The trail can be rugged, and there are some stairs along the way, but the pay off is a unique double waterfall. One side plunges to the Brule River below, wile another disappears into a chasm in the rocks - hence the name. The hike through the beautiful Northwoods is also quite a treat.
6. Winnewissa Falls
Pipestone National Monument, 36 Reservation Ave, Pipestone, MN 56164, USA
Location: Pipestone National Monument, Pipestone, Minnesota.
Popularity: Although occasionally busy during special events, you will not feel crowded on the trail Winnewissa Falls.
Need To Know: There is no fee to visit Pipestone National Monument or Winnewissa Falls.
You can reach Winnewissa Falls via an easy, paved trail across the tallgrass prairie and along the incredible Sioux quartzite rock formations that make this the most improbable of Minnesota waterfalls. In addition to the falls, be sure to spend some time exploring Pipestone National Monument and learning about the area’s fascinating cultural and geological history.
Accessible Waterfalls In Minnesota (No Hiking Required)
We are also fortunate in Minnesota to have several falls that you can get to with just a short walk from a parking lot. These super accessible waterfalls in Minnesota can be found throughout the state – especially in southern Minnesota – but we wanted to highlight three no-hike waterfalls that you can find on the rugged North Shore of Lake Superior, where you may not expect them.
7. Gooseberry River Middle Falls
Gooseberry Falls State Park, 3206 MN-61, Two Harbors, MN 55616, USA
Location: Gooseberry Falls State Park, Two Harbors, Minnesota.
Popularity: Extremely popular, especially during the summer and on weekends.
Need To Know: Admission to the state park by car requires a permit, which costs $35 per year or $7 per day. The waterfalls are accessible without a fee from the visitor center parking lot.
The Middle Falls of the Gooseberry River - commonly called Gooseberry Falls - is the centerpiece of Gooseberry Falls State Park, which is the most visited of the Minnesota State Parks. The falls are somewhat visible from the North Shore Scenic Byway (MN-61), but a short walk (a few hundred feet) from the parking lot, along a paved, accessible trail will get you up close and personal with the waterfall. If you’re up for a little more walking, hit the trail for the beautiful hike down to the Lower Falls, then upstream to Upper Falls and Fifth Falls - three more beautiful waterfalls in the park.
Location: Cross River Wayside, Schroeder, Minnesota.
Popularity: The wayside is rarely crowded.
Need To Know: There is no cost to stop at the wayside or visit the falls.
Cross River Falls is visible from MN Hwy. 61, however, if you really want to enjoy the waterfall, pull into the parking lot on the west side of the bridge. From there you can walk right up to the falls and have a moment of waterfall zen. Pro tip: less than 5 minutes east of the Cross River, you’ll find Temperance River State Park, which also has free wayside parking. If you hike down toward Lake Superior from the wayside, you’ll find a beautiful series of small waterfalls there, as well.
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9. Beaver Falls
Beaver Bay Wayside, 100-198 Lax Lake Rd, Silver Bay, MN 55614, USA
Location: Beaver Bay Wayside, Beaver Bay, Minnesota.
Popularity: The wayside is rarely crowded.
Need To Know: There is no cost to stop at the wayside or visit the falls.
On the west side of the the Beaver River in the small community of Beaver Bay, you’ll find a small wayside with information about the Superior National Forest and the town. Take a few steps toward the river, though, and you’ll be treated to magnificent views of Beaver Falls, where the river takes its final series of plunges on the way down to Lake Superior. No time to stop? Then be sure to look upstream as you cross the MN Hwy. 61 bridge over the Beaver River.
Best Waterfalls Near Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
When folks think of waterfalls in Minnesota, they may tend to think of the rugged terrain and rushing rivers of the state’s northern reaches. But we are also lucky to have a fair number of waterfalls in southern Minnesota – many, in fact, are even in or near the Twin Cities, like this quartet of lovely Minnesota waterfalls.
Location: Minnehaha Falls Regional Park, Minneapolis.
Popularity: This is a very popular park in the heart of Minnesota’s largest city, so expect crowds, especially on warm weather days and evenings.
Need To Know: There is no fee to visit the park or the waterfall, but expect to pay for parking at a meter or in one of the pay lots near the park. Cost varies by time, day, and length of stay.
Along with Gooseberry Falls, Minnehaha Falls is one of the most visited waterfalls in the state, thanks to its relative accessibility and location in a large metro area. The fact that this 50-plus foot waterfall is also picturesque helps a lot, as well. The moods of Minnhaha Falls - particularly dramatic when frozen in the winter and swollen in the spring - make it worth visiting several times a year.
11. Vermillion Falls
Vermillion Falls Park, 215 21st St E, Hastings, MN 55033, USA
Location: Vermillion Falls Park, Hastings, Minnesota.
Popularity: The park can be crowded on weekends and during events.
Need To Know: There are also some fascinating ruins in the park, so be sure to take some time to explore.
Vermillion Falls is located on the river of the same name as it makes its final run toward the Mississippi. The waterfall was once harnessed to power a mill, the ruins of which still stand near it, so this cascade is less wild than others on this list. Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful waterfall that’s located in the southeast corner of the Twin Cities metro.
12. Minneopa Falls
Minneopa State Park, 54497 Gadwall Rd, Mankato, MN 56001, USA
Location: Minneopa State Park, Mankato, Minnesota.
Popularity: This is a very popular park in the city of Mankato. Expect to see others
Need To Know: Admission to the state park by car requires a permit, which costs $35 per year or $7 per day.
Minneopa Falls is located within Minneopa State Park in Mankato. It’s a little over an hour from Twin Cities, depending on traffic, but as the largest waterfall in southern Minnesota, this beautiful double cascade is definitely worth a visit. The waterfalls are easily accessed via a paved walkway, so you can get to them with relative ease. After you’ve enjoyed Minneopa Falls, take some extra time to drive through the park’s bison range - it’s a unique Minnesota experience!
13. Hidden Falls
Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, 9700 170th St E, Nerstrand, MN 55053, USA
Location: Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park, Nerstrand, Minnesota.
Popularity: Replace this text with the correct information.
Need To Know: Admission to the state park by car requires a permit, which costs $35 per year or $7 per day.
Hidden Falls is located within Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park, about an hour south of the Twin Cities. The waterfall is small, but it’s pleasant and really just an excuse for a gorgeous hike through a stand of deciduous forest that’s also home to some incredible wildflowers. We recommend visiting in the spring when the falls are flowing fast and the wildflowers are blooming or the fall, when the foliage is at its peak.
So, there you have it – a baker’s dozen of the best waterfalls in Minnesota. Next time you’re searching for “waterfalls near me” in Minnesota, just check out this list, and you’re likely to find one. Nevertheless, with so many cascades to choose from in the Land of 10000 Lakes, we’re sure we may have missed a favorite or two of yours. Let us know in the comments if you agree with our list, and be sure to tell us what other waterfalls in Minnesota you would include.
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