Hiking Trails & Parks in Minnesota
9,675 mapped hiking and walking trails, plus 226 parks, recreation areas, and campgrounds across Minnesota. Free trail maps for every listing — browse by county or city, or jump straight to the full list.
About Hiking in Minnesota
Minnesota has 9,675 mapped hiking trails and 226 federally managed parks and recreation areas spread across 120 counties. Trail data comes from OpenStreetMap contributors; parks and campgrounds from Recreation.gov.
Trying to narrow down? Browse all trails, all parks, all 120 counties, or pick a county below to see only its options.
Where to Go in Minnesota
A spatially-sampled view of 589 trail and park locations across Minnesota’s counties.
Minnesota Counties
Top 24 counties shown — 120 total indexed.
Trails by Difficulty in Minnesota
Parks & Campgrounds in Minnesota
Longest Trails in Minnesota
Curated Guides for Minnesota
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there hiking trails in Minnesota?
Yes — we have 9,675 mapped hiking and walking trails in Minnesota, sourced from OpenStreetMap. Browse the full list below, with distance, elevation, and difficulty for each.
What is the most difficult hiking trail in Minnesota?
Nerfherder DH near La Crosse is rated expert — the toughest classification among Minnesota's mapped trails.
What is the best hiking trail in Minnesota for families?
Border Route Trail near Grand Marais is one of the best family picks in Minnesota — easy difficulty and 0.1 miles round trip, short enough for kids and first-timers. See the full family hiking guide below for more options.
Is there a trail map for Minnesota?
Each of the 9,675 trails in Minnesota has its own page with an interactive map, GPS coordinates, and a link to view it on OpenStreetMap — no app or account needed.
What parks and recreation areas are in Minnesota?
Minnesota has 226 parks, recreation areas, and federal facilities in our index (55 classified as recreation areas). Each listing includes activities, photos where available, and directions.
Can I go camping in Minnesota?
Yes — 26 of Minnesota's parks have mapped campsites, from first-come sites to Recreation.gov reservations. The largest is Cross Lake Recreation Area with 122 sites. See the full campgrounds guide below for the ranked list.
Hiking guides & rankings for Minnesota
In-depth articles drawing on the trail and park data above.
Photo: Tobias MrzykThe 10 Longest Hiking Trails in Minnesota, Ranked
Minnesota's longest mapped hiking trails, ranked by distance with notes on what makes each route worth the commitment.
Photo: Tobias MrzykMinnesota's 10 Most Punishing Trails by Elevation Gain
Steep is hard. These are the ten Minnesota trails with the most total elevation gain — quad-burners earned by hard climbing.
Photo: Sergei AkulichThe Best Beginner-Friendly Hikes in Minnesota
Ten gentle, well-marked Minnesota trails perfect for first-time hikers, families, or recovery days.
Photo: Tobias MrzykThe 10 Most Challenging Hikes in Minnesota
Minnesota's ten hardest hikes — expert difficulty, big mileage, or serious exposure. Reserved for experienced hikers.
Photo: Diego LozanoThe Best National Parks & Recreation Areas in Minnesota
Federal parks and recreation areas in Minnesota ranked by what they actually offer hikers and campers, not just popularity.
Photo: Joshua EarleBest Waterfall Hikes in Minnesota: 10 Trails to See Falls Up Close
Minnesota's best hikes to named waterfalls — from short family-friendly viewpoints to all-day cascade chasing.