The best time of year to hike to discover the Hidden Falls is in the spring just after a heavy rainfall and all the snow is done melting. This park has 6.7 miles of paved paths and more unpaved trails. It is a real gem in the city of St Paul that you have to explore.
Location to discover the Hidden Falls
Stairs off of the Parkway Waterfall Sign
The Hidden falls is conveniently located directly off of Mississippi River Boulevard Parkway in St Paul. There is a free parking lot close to the stone stairs if your lucky enough to get a spot. There are multiple trails that lead down to the waterfall, but the stairs are by far the easiest.
North Gate Parking lots
There is also an abundance of parking lots located down in to the North and South gate. This will take you further away from the waterfall to enjoy more of a hike in to see it.
Trails leading you to discover the Hidden Falls from the North Gate Parking Lot
Pavilion Bridge next to the Mississippi River Small Beach Wide open Trail Mouse home in the woods Top of the waterfall View From the top of the waterfall Hidden Falls
Hiking directly to the waterfall upon arrival? From the North Gate parking lot you will see the large pavilion. There are mulitple trails behind it. Any of these trails will send you on the right path to the Hidden Falls. To insure you are going the right way, the river should be on your left hand side.
You will come across many small beaches off of the river. On a hot day bring your swim suit to cool off with a swim or simply dip your feet in.
Cross the bridge and stay along the Mississippi river for a short distance. There will be a trail to the right to take. It tends to be a little more narrow and rugged, but still a mild hike. This path will lead you along a stream to the waterfall after you pass the cute mouse house.
Once you arrive, many people choose to jump in. Remember that its very slimy and slippery. Water shoes are recommended. Therefore, if you wear Keen hiking sandals it allows you to hike and trek through water without swapping out your shoes.
Affiliate Disclosure: As an amazon Associate I receive compensation from purchases made on this website. I may earn through advertisements, recommending products, or providing links.
We recommend:
Other Trails/Paths
Minnehaha dog park
There is a great path along the Mississippi River to the left of the pavilion. This path continues until it finally leads to the river road. we enjoy walking all the way until it meets up and then walking the river road back to check out the beautiful houses.
Outlook on Mississippi River Boulevard
The upper portion of the river road has some great outlooks with gorgeous skyline views. The separate bike path makes this is an excellent place to bike too.
Want another waterfall hike in the Twin Cities? Check out Minnehaha Falls and more trails in the Twin Cities.
More necessities on your hike to discover Hidden Falls:
Wander with us on our latest adventures:
oh my goodness this is so neat- i love going on hikes and finding incredible water falls like this 🙂
That looks like an awesome place for a date!
The place looks so beautiful. It looks like the sole reason why it is so amazing is because it is lesser known. Thanks for sharing.
This looks like a fun hike to get to the gorgeous falls. We love hiking and just being in nature.
Great pics! Sounds like a nice place. Thank for sharing.
This is excellent! I’ll be doing a midwest road trip in just a couple weeks and am looking for awesome stuff to do just like this! Thanks.
Oh my gosh this place looks PERFECT! I would love to explore here!
This place looks so dreamy! Cant wait to be here!
This looks like a fabulous hike. I know my family would enjoy this. The falls are so pretty!
I love waterfalls and would hike anywhere to see them! But my favorite thing about this hike was the mouse house!
What an amazing escape from reality!! I would love to explore this area and create history in my brain about it all!
Love discovering such hidden gems! Pictures are beautiful 🙂
i especially love these types of places..this place looks so stunning and mesmerizing…loved these pictures..wanna visit there once..Thanks for sharing…
I love a good place for a hike. This would be such a rewarding hike, especially to see a gorgeous waterfall. Great share.
This looks like a good place to visit.
I love to hike and hiking on in a place like this would be a dream come through.
Most places like this are very far from where I stay which makes it impossible to get there.
This is a cool hike. I love that it leads to water.
That looks like a great place to visit someday. I really love to hike and this hidden falls sounds great to visit.
What a beautiful area and great place for a hike! Looks like a nice place for kids too.
It is so fun to do this hidden falls or lagoon after a hike. This is so amazing. I have done this few times.
What a beautiful place to hike. I would love to explore this great hike especially for the waterfalls.
This looks like a great place! We need to go out chasing waterfalls and being in between all that green so bad! Can’t wait for the travel ban to be lifted and for this to all be over for good.
This place looks gorgeous! I’d love to go somewhere like this on a sunny day for a hike and a picnic.
This is really such a nice place for hiking! Showing this to a friend near the area.
That hike looks amazing. Photos are so good.
I love hiking and waterfalls. It looks so neat and fun…
This place is absolutely gorgeous!! My family and I love hiking in nature. I like the idea of taking our bathing suits and jump in the water.
Beautiful pictures. The greatness of nature is breathtaking. It’s been a long while since I’ve been hiking. I’d love to go on one soon.
Such a beautiful place! Nature can be really amazing!
Wow, I didn’t know about that. It seems like a hidden gem in the US. I would love to explore it!
Your pics are amazing. This place is beautiful and looks like a great place to hike and have an adventure. I love the discovery of the hidden rivers.
This place is something I really want to visit. Those photos are so attractive and inviting for me.
That is such a beautiful place. There’s something about discovering to hidden treasures! It makes them more magical!
This place is amazing. Looks like a lot of fun guys.