Hidden Falls Park

We enjoyed our quick stop here to see Hidden Falls. The falls are a little hard to find as the trail just starts in a clearing between two groups of trees beyond the picnic shelter and restrooms. The trail also isn’t marked very well, so we walked up the stairs (which are quite impressive in their own right). The better course to the falls is not up the stairs. It’s a nice peaceful place at the falls. We enjoyed this park a little more than Minnehaha because it was so much quieter and less crowded.

I drove about 30 min from my hometown to see the Hidden Falls waterfall. After visiting I can easily say It was worth the drive! I first stopped at the Hidden Falls regional park first and hiked 15 min down a trail I believed would take me straight to the waterfall; however it just led me all the way down to the end of the river. I turned back around following the river back and then found the correct trail I was searching for (walk directly past the womens restroom).
The area was quite small, but surprisingly very secluded and fascinating! I loved the touch of limestone rocks and fire pits scattered throughout the waterfall. It was fun climbing from one side of the waterfall to the other. Lots of fun photo ops. It’s definitely a St. Paul gem!

Perfect location to fish. Lots of space to park, lots of open area to fish!
Perfect to bring your dog to roam around, and theres a trail nearby.
Caught a couple fish only there for an hour. About 8 inches in left. Guys next to us were catching larger fish.
Perfect place to grill out and spend the day fishing.
Great place to unwind away from the city. Lots of birds of all kinds there — nature at its finest!

It is easy to understand why this park is so quiet. Hidden Falls would be a destination place and not a drive past, ‘oh I wonder what that is let’s drop in’ type of place because it’s off the main stream of traffic. Mississippi Blvd is a shady study of quietness in an urban wilderness setting. There is a narrow entrance to the park and a north and south parking lot. The old river lazily flows after it’s disturbance from the Ford Dam. The only sounds are of the happiest dogs in the state romping in and out of the water on the other side of the river from the Minnehaha Off-​Leash area.
I hiked southward and the path is less shady with some strange clearings into grassy areas that look as though there was once a plan for more park development that never happened. There are occasional bikers and joggers but that’s about it for any type of crowd. Hiking northward the paved path ends as you wind through a thicker than expected forest. There are some side trails and drops to the river bank if interested.
Now to find the falls. There are no markers just a historical explanation of the parks beginnings and improvements. From the North parking lot look toward the outbuilding and a grassy area which will lead to another path to the falls. The falls is nothing more than a trickle over a series of slight drops. The stone built fence and walls are in excellent shape considering it was competed during the depths of the 1930’s depression from the WPA.
Indeed another natural treasure in St.Paul. I actually hope it doesn’t get widely discovered.

My dogs loved going through this park to the the unleashed dog park. Seeing all the dogs and exploring. I’ll keep coming back for the views and letting my pups explore and play.

Gorgeous park, really easy to get to and offers a beautiful tucked-​back trail to get to the Hidden Falls, plus there’s a beach on the shore of the mighty Mississippi! :) I’ve been here in the winter and spring so far and it has a gorgeous trail that meanders along the riverbank too. Definitely stop by to take in the sunset on the riverbank sometime too– and take some beautiful pictures while you’re at it!

Hidden Falls is a nice park in St. Paul, often overlooked due to its proximity to the ever-​popular Minnehaha area. While the falls isn’t nearly as spectacular as Minnehaha, Hidden Falls Park provides a somewhat more peaceful recreation area tucked away behind the Ford plant on the St. Paul side of the Mississippi.
I admit, for years I had no idea this park existed. The entrance is a sharp offshoot of the river road on the St. Paul side of the river just behind the Ford plant. There are several small parking lots as you decent a small hill, and ample parking for trailers. There is a nice boat launch/​ramp, grill/​bbq areas, a pavilion with restrooms, plenty of green space for picnics, and several miles of trails along the river. There is a small waterfalls too, although it isn’t as majestic as Minnehaha or Willow River (some may prefer the small, more quiet falls though).
There arent a lot of bells and whistles with this park, but it certainly is a great place to spend a quiet afternoon. I recently visited to view some autumn foliage. There isn’t much to complain about, however. Although, one thing I would do is add more signage or trail maps. The trails predominantly run along the river, so keep that in mind if you park in the main lot – youll have to backtrack to your car. The access to the falls isn’t very well-​marked either.
Overall, I definitely recommend a trip to the park if you are looking for a peaceful get-​a-​way for a walk or picnic. You can’t ask for much more than the beautiful scenery of the Mississippi River when the weather is cooperative.

Beautiful peaceful oasis in the city. Lovely shaded area on a hot day and not crowded. Nice place for a mellow walk by the river with a cool view of Fort Snelling.

Great park! We stopped in here on the great family research quest since my husband had family at Camp Coldwater. He had been here in the Spring when it was flooded and wanted to show me the park. So one 80 billion degree day this July we stopped in here.
It was wonderful to see a park getting used by so many people! There were people grilling out, swimming, boating, sitting under trees and reading. They have nice paved paths for walking and exercising on. We wandered down the path and admired the rock formations in the cliff’s and these amazing huge trees. Wild Blackberries were growing along the path.
It was just a little oasis in the city and it made me really happy to be there. We are assuredly coming back — and I would love to bring Emma (Super Dog!) to explore the trails.