The One Extraordinary Hike Under 5 Miles Everyone In Minnesota Should Take

Tucked away in tiny Sandstone, Minnesota, is a beautiful state park often overlooked by travelers headed up north. While it’s true that northern Minnesota has tons to do and see, there’s no need to rush into the deep wilderness to get a glimpse of Mother Nature. A short ¾-mile hike through Banning State Park will give you your fix - not to mention an awesome view of a waterfall.

You’ll walk along a short path through a dense stand of trees.

If you’re lucky, you may see some wildlife. White-tailed deer, foxes and countless birds roam the area. Oh, and so do giant spiders.

Soon, you’ll meet the Kettle River, a designated wild and scenic river, at the end of the trail.

Sometimes the waters are calm. You can wade into the river.

Other times, you’ll find rapids. Maybe just stick to the riverbank.

You can climb on rocky cliffs that jut out over the water.

You can also hop from rock to rock to explore the water, but be careful.

Climb up the rocky shoreline to look over the river from above.

Make sure you peek into a kettle, one of the river’s famous natural potholes.

Not convinced yet? After you check out the stunning view at the end of this trail, you can explore Banning's other 17 miles of hiking trails. It'll be the perfect way to spend time outside, not to mention see a beautiful rushing waterfall. Are you ready to check this hike off your bucket list?