“Historic Waterfall that Freezes Periodically!”
Minnehaha Creek is a tributary of the Mississippi River located in Hennepin County, Minnesota that extends from Lake Minnetonka in the west and flows east for 22 miles (35 km) through several suburbs west of Minneapolis and then through south Minneapolis. Including Lake Minnetonka, the watershed for the creek covers 181 square miles (470 km2). The creek might have been unremarkable except for the 53-foot (16 m) Minnehaha Falls located near the creek's confluence with the Mississippi. The site is not far from Fort Snelling, one of the earliest white settlements in the region. The falls are now located in Minnehaha Park. While the name is often translated as "Laughing Water", the correct translation is "curling water" or "waterfall". The name comes from the Dakota language elements mni, meaning water, and ȟaȟa, meaning waterfall. Thus the expression "Minnehaha Falls" translates as "Waterfall Falls". The "Laughing Water" translation comes from Mary Eastman's book Dacotah, published in 1849. On the Fort map of 1823, the falls were named Brown's Falls. The Dakota called Minnehaha Creek, "Wakpa Cistinna", meaning "Little River".
Beautiful waterfall and the trails are relatively easy to walk.
This is a must do if you are in the are. The waterfall is stunning, and there are tons of great little trails, bridges, and stairways, so you can see the falls from every angle, or just rent a bike or walk around.
Beautiful little hike up to the falls. Went June 2014 and loved it! Now after seeing pictures of it in the winter I would love to go back when it is frozen as well.
Gorgeous no matter what time of year. Went this past winter (2013) and it was frozen solid. Incredible sight to see.
Minnehaha Falls is a 193-acre park that features plenty of fun hiking trails. However, the best attraction in the massive park is easily the Minnehaha Falls, which is a staggering waterfall at 53-feet tall.
If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, Minnehaha Falls is a great place to kick back and relax.
We think a visit here is one of the best things to do in Minnesota!
Better than expected, huge park area with bike rentals and a playground, live concert and restaurant.
So much stuff to see here! Beautiful park!
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