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| Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chanhassen, Minn. |
There’s no better way
to experience autumn colors in the Southwest Twin Cities than a hike.
The brilliant yellows, oranges and red of maples to the scarlet
and russets of oaks...
the crisp, fresh autumn air and the last warm
rays of sunlight before winter arrives...the crunch of fallen leaves and acorns beneath your boots...stopping to enjoy a warm mug of apple cider or a caramel apple pulled from your backpack – it all calls for an afternoon on the trail.
Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails around the Southwest Twin Cities to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (Chanhassen)
Day hikers can enjoy a variety of autumn leaf colors at the famous Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The 1.6-mile Ridge and Oak Trails Loop runs through woodlands at the 1100-acre arboretum. While the University of Minnesota facility is known for its gardens and award-winning tree collection, it also boasts a large natural areas, which the loop takes you through. Throughout the walk, sugar maple, sumac, birch and oak dominate. In Chanhassen, head west on Minn. Hwy. 5. Enter the Arb by turning left/south onto Arboretum Drive. After passing through the gatehouse, turn left/south when the road splits and park in the lot at the road’s end. The trailhead is on the park’s south side.
McKnight Lake (Chaska)
Hikers can enjoy the reflections of autumn colors as heading around tree-lined McKnight Lake. A 1.8-mile round trip trail loops around the lake and, should you wish to walk farther, connects to other trails. From the junction of U.S. Hwy. 212 and Minn. Hwy. 41/North Chestnut Street in Chaska, take the latter north. Turn left/west onto West 82nd Street then left/south onto McKnight Road. Watch for a dirt path going east and park off the side of the road there.
Bryant Lake Regional Park (Eden Prairie)
An oak and maple woods awaits hikers at Bryant Lake Regional Park. A 1.3-mile trail consisting of the park’s two southernmost loops partially runs alongside Bryant Lake. Cottonwoods and ash trees flourish in lower ground. From the junction of Interstate 494 and U.S. Hwy. 212 in Eden Prairie, take the latter northeast. Exit left/northwest onto Shady Oak Road. Turn left/southwest onto Old Shady Oak Road, which naturally becomes Rowland Road. Go left/southwest onto Bryant Lake Regional Access road and enter the park. Take the first left/south and park in the second lot. The trail heads west south of the lot.
Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area (Jordan)
An incredible variety of trees – and hence autumn colors – can be seen at the Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area. The 3.8-mile Lawrence Trail begins by heading through ash, box elder, and oaks, next enters a stand of ironwood and box elder, crosses a highland of burr oak, basswood and ash, then traverses stands of tall aspen and stately oaks. From Jordan, take U.S. Hwy. 169 northeast. Turn left/north onto County Road 57/Park Boulevard then left/north to the park’s trail center.
Lake Minnetonka Regional Park (Lake Minnetonka)
Shady woodlands await hikers at Lake Minnetonka Regional Park. A 1.8-mile trail, most of it unpaved, heads through a thick forest of tall trees. From Chanhassen, take Minn, Hwy. 5 west. Turn right/north onto Rolling Acres Road, a left/west onto Minn. Hwy. 7, then a right/north onto County Road 44. The park entry is on the right/east. Go right/southeast onto Old County Road and park in the first lot. Walk the road northwest then go left/west onto Minnetrista Regional Trail. The woods is on the other side of County Road 44.
Spring Lake Regional Park (Prior Lake)
Hikers can head through a forest of yellow, orange and red maple and olive-colored basswood at Spring Lake Regional Park. A 1.54-mile paved lollipop trail includes part of the Spring Lake Regional Trail. From Minn. Hwy. 13 in Prior Lake, take Eagle Creek Avenue NE northwest. Turn left/west onto 154th Street then left/south onto Stemmer Ridge Road, and lastly left/southeast onto Skuya Drive NW into the park. Use the lot on the road’s left/north side and take the path east then south on the regional trail.
Murphy-Henrehan Park Reserve (Savage)
A canopy of maple and oak leaves await hikers at Murphy-Henrehan Park Reserve. The 1.8-mile Knob Trail loops through the woodlands as well as past Henhrehan Lake and a pond. From Minn. Hwy. 13 and Egan Drive on the Prior Lake-Savage border, take the latter east. Turn right/south onto County Road 27/Dakota Avenue then left/east onto 154th Street, and right/south onto Murphy Lake Boulevard. Once in the park, take the first left/east and park. The trail leaves from the lot’s southeast corner.
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (Shakopee)
A wetlands may not seem like the best place to see fall colors, but often the uplands of such areas make for excellent autumn hikes. One such spot is the Louisville Swamp area of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. A 4.8-mile round trip hike on a segment of the State Corridor Trail – the trail includes part of the Little Prairie Loop and a connector trail – heads through large cottonwoods, ash, willows and maples along the Minnesota River. From Shakopee, take U.S. Hwy. 169 south. Exit right/west onto Red Rock Drive. Turn left/west onto 145th Street. The road ends at the parking lot for the trailhead. From the parking lot, take the Little Prairie Loop west, go north on the connector trail to the State Corridor Trail, then once at the trail go east. Turn back at at the boundary for the Carver Rapids Unit, which is managed by the Minnesota DNR.
Gale Woods Farm (Victoria/Minnetrista)
Autumn colors and a harvest vibe abound at Gale Woods Farm near Minnetrista. A 2.1-mile limestone trail rambles through the park’s rolling hills and past two lakes and a working farm featuring sheep, pigs, cows and more. From Victoria, take Minn. Hwy. 7 west. Turn right/north onto County Road 44 then left/west onto County Road 110. Go left/northeast onto County road 11 Extended into the Three Rivers park.
Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails around the Southwest Twin Cities to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (Chanhassen)
Day hikers can enjoy a variety of autumn leaf colors at the famous Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The 1.6-mile Ridge and Oak Trails Loop runs through woodlands at the 1100-acre arboretum. While the University of Minnesota facility is known for its gardens and award-winning tree collection, it also boasts a large natural areas, which the loop takes you through. Throughout the walk, sugar maple, sumac, birch and oak dominate. In Chanhassen, head west on Minn. Hwy. 5. Enter the Arb by turning left/south onto Arboretum Drive. After passing through the gatehouse, turn left/south when the road splits and park in the lot at the road’s end. The trailhead is on the park’s south side.
McKnight Lake (Chaska)
Hikers can enjoy the reflections of autumn colors as heading around tree-lined McKnight Lake. A 1.8-mile round trip trail loops around the lake and, should you wish to walk farther, connects to other trails. From the junction of U.S. Hwy. 212 and Minn. Hwy. 41/North Chestnut Street in Chaska, take the latter north. Turn left/west onto West 82nd Street then left/south onto McKnight Road. Watch for a dirt path going east and park off the side of the road there.
Bryant Lake Regional Park (Eden Prairie)
An oak and maple woods awaits hikers at Bryant Lake Regional Park. A 1.3-mile trail consisting of the park’s two southernmost loops partially runs alongside Bryant Lake. Cottonwoods and ash trees flourish in lower ground. From the junction of Interstate 494 and U.S. Hwy. 212 in Eden Prairie, take the latter northeast. Exit left/northwest onto Shady Oak Road. Turn left/southwest onto Old Shady Oak Road, which naturally becomes Rowland Road. Go left/southwest onto Bryant Lake Regional Access road and enter the park. Take the first left/south and park in the second lot. The trail heads west south of the lot.
Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area (Jordan)
An incredible variety of trees – and hence autumn colors – can be seen at the Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area. The 3.8-mile Lawrence Trail begins by heading through ash, box elder, and oaks, next enters a stand of ironwood and box elder, crosses a highland of burr oak, basswood and ash, then traverses stands of tall aspen and stately oaks. From Jordan, take U.S. Hwy. 169 northeast. Turn left/north onto County Road 57/Park Boulevard then left/north to the park’s trail center.
Lake Minnetonka Regional Park (Lake Minnetonka)
Shady woodlands await hikers at Lake Minnetonka Regional Park. A 1.8-mile trail, most of it unpaved, heads through a thick forest of tall trees. From Chanhassen, take Minn, Hwy. 5 west. Turn right/north onto Rolling Acres Road, a left/west onto Minn. Hwy. 7, then a right/north onto County Road 44. The park entry is on the right/east. Go right/southeast onto Old County Road and park in the first lot. Walk the road northwest then go left/west onto Minnetrista Regional Trail. The woods is on the other side of County Road 44.
Spring Lake Regional Park (Prior Lake)
Hikers can head through a forest of yellow, orange and red maple and olive-colored basswood at Spring Lake Regional Park. A 1.54-mile paved lollipop trail includes part of the Spring Lake Regional Trail. From Minn. Hwy. 13 in Prior Lake, take Eagle Creek Avenue NE northwest. Turn left/west onto 154th Street then left/south onto Stemmer Ridge Road, and lastly left/southeast onto Skuya Drive NW into the park. Use the lot on the road’s left/north side and take the path east then south on the regional trail.
Murphy-Henrehan Park Reserve (Savage)
A canopy of maple and oak leaves await hikers at Murphy-Henrehan Park Reserve. The 1.8-mile Knob Trail loops through the woodlands as well as past Henhrehan Lake and a pond. From Minn. Hwy. 13 and Egan Drive on the Prior Lake-Savage border, take the latter east. Turn right/south onto County Road 27/Dakota Avenue then left/east onto 154th Street, and right/south onto Murphy Lake Boulevard. Once in the park, take the first left/east and park. The trail leaves from the lot’s southeast corner.
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (Shakopee)
A wetlands may not seem like the best place to see fall colors, but often the uplands of such areas make for excellent autumn hikes. One such spot is the Louisville Swamp area of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. A 4.8-mile round trip hike on a segment of the State Corridor Trail – the trail includes part of the Little Prairie Loop and a connector trail – heads through large cottonwoods, ash, willows and maples along the Minnesota River. From Shakopee, take U.S. Hwy. 169 south. Exit right/west onto Red Rock Drive. Turn left/west onto 145th Street. The road ends at the parking lot for the trailhead. From the parking lot, take the Little Prairie Loop west, go north on the connector trail to the State Corridor Trail, then once at the trail go east. Turn back at at the boundary for the Carver Rapids Unit, which is managed by the Minnesota DNR.
Gale Woods Farm (Victoria/Minnetrista)
Autumn colors and a harvest vibe abound at Gale Woods Farm near Minnetrista. A 2.1-mile limestone trail rambles through the park’s rolling hills and past two lakes and a working farm featuring sheep, pigs, cows and more. From Victoria, take Minn. Hwy. 7 west. Turn right/north onto County Road 44 then left/west onto County Road 110. Go left/northeast onto County road 11 Extended into the Three Rivers park.
