November 17, 2016: Minnehaha Park/Fort Snelling Park Trail (South Minneapolis)

Join the hiking group for a hike through Minnehaha Park, past the famous falls, and on the scenic trail along the Mississippi River connecting Minnehaha Park and Fort Snelling State Park, in south Minneapolis. Minnehaha Park is 193 acres in area, with a 53-foot waterfall, limestone bluffs and river overlooks, and contains oak, elm, silver maple, basswood, hackberry and cottonwood trees as well as native and prairie woodland wild flowers.

Before Minnehaha was a park, it was a train stop with as many as 39 train trips a day arriving at the “Princess” Station. In 1889, the State of Minnesota loaned the City of Minneapolis $100,000 to purchase the acreage from its private owners and create a park. Fort St. Anthony, later named Fort Snelling, was built in the years 1820-24. The site for the fort was selected in 1819 by the 5th Infantry Regiment under Colonel Henry Leavenworth. The fort was intended to police the American fur trade in this portion of the Louisiana Purchase territory and to limit the influence of the British Hudson's Bay Company, which then administered central and western Canada. Colonel Leavenworth originally named the post Fort St. Anthony, but General Winfield Scott visited the fort in 1824 and recommended that its name be changed to Fort Snelling in honor of Colonel Josiah Snelling, who built the permanent fort and also commanded the fort. The name was changed in 1825.

Directions: From Hiawatha Avenue/MN Highway 55, south of downtown Minneapolis, proceed to 46th Street and turn east and immediately past the Holiday Gas Station, turn south onto the strip mall access road. Continue along the strip mall access road to the south end of the mall. The group will meet just north of the Bridgeman Embers restaurant. The trail to Minnehaha Park is about ½ block south.

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This page was last modified on October 23, 2016.