2023 10 21 - Fort Snelling State Park - Minneapolis MN

Picture: High water lines.

Today we didn't decide when or where to go until later in the morning and then we still had a couple of things to do before leaving town. By the time we actually headed in the direction of a park it was afternoon.

We had talked about going up to Little Falls as that is the closest park that we have not been to. But that is about a two hour drive, each way. So we'd be driving four hours for a one hour walk and then be near dark when we got home.

So we decided to hit a close park even though it is the weekend. One of the main trails at Fort Snelling is closed so we thought there might be a few less people there.

We get to Fort Snelling and there is a line to get permits and we get the last parking spot where we wanted to park. There are two non-paved lots near there and also other lots near the lake that were not full.

Park path is being re-done. Right at the visitors center there is a paved path that comes down from the above ground level. My guess is it is about a mile decline as it comes down from the area near the fort of Fort Snelling above. So bikers can / could coast and or gain some speed. Right now they have changed where the paved area is but across the grass is the shortest way. I'm guessing as soon as they take down the construction fence, that will be the new path.

... until they put up some barriers or move the info stand or porta potty in the way.

They have also redone the area up to the visitors center. I'd have to look at old pictures to see how it used to be but the incline is less steep now.

With the paved path closed, we head out from the far end of the parking lot. Not sure when we first started coming here but a lot has changed. The first part of the path has been raised a few feet above the mud floor. I think the bridge used to be wood, it is now concrete. And the path around the island used to be right near the river and often single file. Not the path is 20 plus foot from the river and 10 feet wide. The point where the MN river and the MS river meet used to be sandy. Now there are sunflowers and other weeds growing 10 foot high. The large red triangle at the point used to be barely visible. Vines growing over it and the weeds blocking it.

Picture: Fall on the Mississippi River

I think the largest incline on the island trail is going over the bridge. Other than that the parking lot and path are just a few feet above river level.

Across the Mississippi River there is a Crosby Farm Regional Park. We have never been on that side but today there were a lot of people there also. Looking at a map, there are mostly parks up and down both the MN and MS rivers.

River level this time of year. The picture at the top shows where the high river has been.

1965 is the top of the post. Because of the angle of this picture and the age of the post (and my mind) I can't see the what the other two years are.

Often when we go to a park, we can walk the whole hour without seeing anyone. On weekends we usually see a dozen or so. Today? We saw more people in the first five minutes than we usually do the whole hour. And I don't think there was any time that we couldn't see anyone and most times be could see people both coming and going.

Looking on line, Fort Snelling is the 2nd most visited park. Gooseberry is first with 780,000 while Fort Snelling only had 700,000.

Requires a $ Park Pass. There is a bike path that comes down from Minnehaha Falls, not sure what passes are required there, if any.