A 53-foot urban-park waterfall where Minnehaha Creek drops over Platteville limestone into a sandstone amphitheater on its way to the Mississippi.
Looking for Minnehaha Falls in Georgia? That's a separate 100-foot cascade in Rabun County, near Lake Rabun.
Minnehaha Falls is a free, year-round 53-foot waterfall in Minnehaha Regional Park, south Minneapolis. The park is open 6am to 10pm daily. The main lot is paid ($1.25/hr, $9 daily); free street parking is available west of Hiawatha Avenue.
Flow peaks in late April and May. The falls usually freezes into a 53-foot ice column in late January and early February, with running water continuing underneath.
| Height | 53 ft | USGS · 3DEP |
| Type | Plunge (single tier) | USGS |
| Caprock | Platteville limestone | MGS |
| Location | Minneapolis, MN, USA | MPRB |
| Elevation | 805 ft | NED |
| Water source | Minnehaha Creek | USGS |
| County | Hennepin | GIS |
| Operated by | Minneapolis Park & Rec Board | MPRB |
From the waterfall he named her, / Minnehaha, Laughing Water.— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Song of Hiawatha, 1855
Spring
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Summer
Photo: Juliabohemian / CC
Fall
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Winter
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Two rock layers exposed by glacial drainage about 12,000 years ago do all the work. The hard Platteville limestone caps the falls and resists erosion. Below it, the soft St. Peter sandstone erodes readily where spray and turbulence undercut the cliff. That's how the amphitheater forms.
Same setup as St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi 8 miles north. Minnehaha has retreated about 600 feet from its original location since glaciation. The plunge pool is roughly 6 feet deep at center.
Spring melt running hot through the gauge — 41 cfs at noon. Mist visible from the parking lot. The stairs are still slick from morning rain. Sat on the lower deck for an hour and watched two pileated woodpeckers work the dead cottonwood on the south wall. Sea Salt opens Memorial Day; line will start the same day.
Late April through mid-May for peak flow. Late January through mid-February for the frozen ice column.
Not behind the falling water itself, but you can stand close to the curtain at the base in low flow. In winter, walk under sections of the ice column with traction.
Yes, in the Minnehaha Falls Pavilion (1905). Open year-round, though hours vary off-season. Accessible.
Yes, especially in peak flow (late April–May) or frozen (late January–February). One of the few major American waterfalls inside a major city, walking distance from light rail.