With that I bring you the first in a series of field trip reports of various sights around the Twin Cities. In this report you get to hear all about a unique place that one wouldn't think existed in a metropolitan setting, Minnehaha Park and Minnehaha Falls.
The park and falls are about a fifteen to twenty minute drive south of downtown Minneapolis. The falls are part of Minnehaha Creek which flows through the southern part of the city. Along the creek is Minnehaha Parkway which is a very scenic drive along which nice homes are located amongst numerous trees and small parks. My Mom would go ice skating along the creek in the winter when she was a kid. Here is a description from Wikipedia:
Minnehaha Creek is a short tributary of the Mississippi River located in Hennepin County, Minnesota that extends from Lake Minnetonka in the west and flows east for 22 miles (35 km). Including Lake Minnetonka, the watershed for the creek covers 181 square miles (469 km²). Much of the stream flows through southern Minneapolis. The creek might have been unremarkable except for the 53 foot (16 m) Minnehaha Falls located near its confluence with the Mississippi. The site is not far from Fort Snelling, one of the earliest white settlements in the region.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was partly inspired by pictures of the falls to write to his famous epic poem, THE SONG OF HIAWATHA.
When I was a kid living in California, I would make trips back here to Minnesota to visit family. My Grandma would always make a trip to the falls with me every time I came back. So, the falls will occupy a fond place in my memories. So, with a free evening and nothing to do I made another trip to this oasis in the middle of the Twin Cities.
It was a great evening to visit. It wasn't too hot and there weren't many bugs out. There was a live band playing in the park cranking out some classic rock tunes. After checking out the falls, I decided to do something I hadn't done there before. I hiked the trail along the creek after the falls that goes down to where the creek meets the Mississippi River. The hike was longer than I expected and after a while I was alone on the path. It didn't really feel like I was in Minneapolis, but rather lost in the woods somewhere. Eventually I reached the Mississippi and observed a paddle boat passing by and people fishing along the shore. After the hike back to the park, I got an ice cream and sat down to listen to the band finish its set. I really enjoyed it. It was also nice to be back at Minnehaha Park.
Here more pictures I took. Enjoy.
Hiawatha & Minnehaha
Minnehaha Falls
The Band
Minnehaha Creek
Hiking along the creek
Where the creek meets the Mississippi, looking north at Lock & Dam #1.
Are ya feelin' hip yet?
