Updated July 2026
Minnehaha Falls
A 53-foot urban waterfall where Minnehaha Creek plunges over a limestone ledge in Minneapolis, immortalized in Longfellow's 'The Song of Hiawatha.' A short loop with a staircase descends into the glen and along the creek toward the Mississippi River.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (Minnehaha Regional Park) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Graded lakes within 25 miles
- DHiawatha Lake · Hennepin County · 1.3 mi
- CNokomis Lake · Hennepin County · 1.6 mi
- FTaft Lake · Hennepin County · 2.4 mi
- FSnelling Lake · Hennepin County · 2.6 mi
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Frequently Asked Questions
Minnehaha Falls drops about 53 feet. That makes it the 395th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 42% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Minnehaha Falls Loop reaches it about 0.9 miles (loop) with roughly 108 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Minneapolis. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (Minnehaha Regional Park) for closures and current conditions.
spring. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Minnesota waterfalls
- Caribou Falls · 35 ft
- Cascade Falls (Cascade River) · 30 ft
- Devil's Kettle Falls · 50 ft
- Gooseberry Falls (Lower Falls) · 60 ft
- Gooseberry Falls (Middle Falls) · 25 ft
- Hidden Falls (Temperance River)
- High Falls of the Baptism River · 63 ft
- Illgen Falls · 40 ft
Sources
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