Welcome back to trip two of 2026! Today we’re talking about Minneopa State Park! This place is so cool and I wish I knew about it when I was living closer! I definitely would’ve visited on several occasions.
Minneopa State Park Information
Minneopa State Park is located in Mankato, MN and is the third state park. It’s name comes from the Dakota language, meaning water falling twice. You know what that means? Waterfalls. The waterfalls are on the creek that runs through the park. You know what else you can see here? Bison. Yep, bison. There’s also a historic mill to check out! Lots to see and do here!
Activities
If you’re looking to hike, there are 4.5 miles of trails to explore! Biking more your speed? There’s a 0.2 mile paved trail to ride on. During the winter months, you can snowshoe anywhere in the park!
If you’re looking for wildlife, you’re in luck. Since the park is a mixture of floodplain, woodland, and prairie there’s a variety of species to see. White-tailed deer, coyotes, snakes, beaver, waterfowl, squirrels, woodpeckers, wild turkeys, and ring-necked pheasants are around. You could also see a wide variety of song birds and migratory species. American Bald Eagles are common sites!
Camping here? Minneopa has 61 drive-in sites, 6 electric sites, a group camp, and camper cabin.
Other offerings at Minneopa State Park
Minneopa also offers a ranger station, visitor center, historic site, picnic area, picnic shelter, volleyball, horse shoes, equipment rentals, and firewood sales.
Within 10 miles of the park, there are groceries, restaurants, and a gold course if you need them!
All of this info came from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website, so credit where credit is due. Click here to view the original source.
Accessibility of Minneopa State Park
Parking
I went to both sides of this park.
- Bison drive side: you can park by the gate if you want to start the trail on that end. Otherwise, if you go by the mill (at the end of the bison drive), there is a small lot with plenty of parking.
- Waterfalls side: there is a large, paved lot with tons of parking in the picnic area.
Bathrooms
Vault toilets are located throughout the park.
Getting to the trail
Minneopa Falls Trail is located off the picnic area. All you need to do is park and follow the trail. Now, part of the trail is closed, but the paved waterfalls area is open.
Trail Information
Minneopa Falls Trail is an out and back style trail that’s 0.5 miles in length with 49 feet of elevation. This was the last trail before I went home. I was pretty tired, so I’m glad it was short and sweet. I did forget to set my tracker, so I don’t have my numbers, but the AllTrails ones seemed right. This trail is paved, even, and well-maintained, which was good for me and my old lady lungs. No stairs, steep inclines, or anything like that. It’s wide enough for wheels and other mobility devices and there’s several benches if you want or need to rest.
The waterfalls are beautiful and for me, calming. It wasn’t too busy either, which was nice.
My rating
This trail would fall into the easy category of my rating scale. It’s short, evenly graded, even terrain, and plenty of places to rest. Checks pretty much every box!
Bison Drive at Minneopa State Park
The entrance for this is clearly marked from the road. It’s easy to find and there’s a radio station you can listen to while you drive the road that gives you information. The concept is cool and I don’t see it often. I tried it, but couldn’t get it to come in clearly. Not sure if it’s a me problem or an AM radio problem, but definitely try it out!
Now, this road is quite bumpy. Not only is it gravel, it’s well worn. I had no problems dodging the dips and bumps, but as a native Minnesotan it’s an acquired skill. You will be going slow enough that it shouldn’t hurt your car, just something to be mindful of.
While I didn’t get to see the buffalo up close and personal, I enjoyed the experience and talking with the volunteers. They spend time up by the mill, which is located off the turn around spot. The informational signs and interactive exhibit are cool. The volunteers even showed me where the mulberries were and I enjoyed my first ever fresh mulberry! They’re good.
Accessibility of the Bison Drive
The view from the ridge was near breathtaking. Not sure why, just was. From here, and with the help of binoculars shared by the volunteers, I got to see the herd of bison. It was pretty cool. They’re also very helpful and filled with fun facts.
I talked about what I do here at Adventures of Seleana and one of them shared that the trails along the fences could be accessible with a power chair. I didn’t check it out myself, but from what I could see of the trail, it looked true. By the mill, there are stairs coming up from the trail, so that entrance wouldn’t be. However, coming from the parking lot absolutely is. All of that being said, the bison drive in general is accessible as you stay in your vehicle the entire time.
Have you been here? Want to go? Comment below! I’d love to hear from you!
Be safe out there! REMEMBER YOUR MAPS AND PASSPORT STAMPS!! Seeyalaterbye <3
Also, if you feel called to help a sista out with her travels, check this out!
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