It’s not as splashy and well-known as Minnehaha Falls, its close neighbor across the river, but the Hidden Falls in St. Paul have their own charm. Take a short hike through the woods to find the secret, spring-fed waterfall that hides just below Mississippi River Blvd. There is plenty of grassy space and areas to picnic in Hidden Falls Regional Park, plus you can get down close to the river on a quiet sandy beach. Enjoy the trails year round for seasonal views. It is a great park to visit for a low key family fun day. There is a restroom building and off-street parking is available. Note that the park sometimes floods in the spring and at that time Hidden Falls closes. In 2017, Saint Paul introduced 37+ goats to area parks to help reduce invasive buckthorn overgrowth. Hidden Falls was one of the first parks to participate. This program proved successful and goats are periodically brought in to help manage and restore natural areas throughout the city. Other municipalities have also started using goats in parks. Watch St. Paul’s social media posts to know when you might get a glimpse of these working goats.. The City of St. Paul has recently completed and adopted the Master Plan for this Park in 2019, which will guide park improvements, natural resources management, and make recommendations for changes within or adjacent to the park. Some of the upcoming improvements will be to add a nature play area and more restrooms, upgrade the utilities for cultural events like the Halloween Spectacular, to protect and restore natural resources, and to improve the trails (walking, skiing & biking) and connect them to other trails. They may add a river learning center. They are also considering a pump track for bicycles, but this idea isn’t even ranked, so don’t hold your breath. Print the park map to see both the bike and dirt walking trails as well as the location of other park amenities.Related Articles:
7 Ideas for Family Fun at Hidden Falls Park
Goats at Hidden Falls Regional Park
Improvements to Hidden Falls Regional Park
Hidden Falls Regional Park & Trails Map
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