Willow River State Park is about 45 minutes from most parts of the Twin Cities. The park has 13 miles of hiking trails, and is perfect for all sorts of outdoor adventures: hiking, camping, enjoying the beautiful waterfall, and watching the sunset. There are also ski trails open in the winter!
The park is open year-round from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. A vehicle registration sticker is required to park here. You can get this from the office when it’s open, or you can self-register at the parking lots. This was $28 for WI plates and $38 for out-of-state plates in September 2019, but I recommend checking the DNR website for the latest costs.
The waterfall is a downhill hike from the parking lot. The trail is a bit long and pretty steep, which can be strenuous for some.
While this beautiful waterfall may feel like the main reason to visit this park, there is a trail across a bridge and to the left of the falls that leads to wooden stairs, eventually taking you to the most incredible view.
The trail out is a steep uphill hike, so make sure to save some energy for that!
I loved this park, and I think it’s the perfect way to spend a weekend or day off. After working up an appetite, stop at the lakefront in Hudson for food at San Pedro Cafe (historic venue with Caribbean + wood-fired pizza) or Pedro’s del Este (cute patio, Latin).
Helpful links:
DNR website
Park Conditions
Google Maps Location
P.s. If you feel inclined to help preserve nature, consider packing out any empty plastic bottles you see lying around. Sadly, we saw way too many of those, so we collected them as we walked and recycled them later. And if you don’t already, considering practicing the principles of “Leave No Trace” whenever you’re enjoying the beautiful outdoors!
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