Vermillion Falls is in Hastings, MN just southeast of Minneapolis/St. Paul. For this year’s bucket list, we had hikes and waterfalls listed as some of the top things to do this summer! During this year of COVID, we have been looking for lots of outdoor activities to get us out of the house while staying safe!
Vermillion Falls Park is just off of Highway 61, that runs through Hastings. The view of the falls from the upper viewing area is quite easy to access. There is a paved trail that goes to the overlook. There is a rock wall that looks a little like a part of a castle, so if you have a prince or princess, they might especially like this part! 🙂
The waterfall is right next to the Ardent Mills facility. The mill was originally built in 1853 as the first all-roller mill facility in the United States. The 35-foot waterfall powered the mill.
If you’re looking for a place to have a picnic, there are picnic tables and a shelter in an area with nice trees and shade by the parking lot.
If you’d like to add in a hike, take the path away from the falls. We took the dirt trail and hiked down to the bottom of the falls. The trail is dirt and steep in some places. Wear good shoes! You can see the limestone cliffs that the river runs along, walk along the river, and see lots of vegetation. If you’re an adventurous seven-year old (or any-year old!), you’ll find lots of places to climb around and have a fun time!
We love getting out to see nature and let the kids run. Seeing what we can find (logs covered in moss, honeysuckle blooming, or beautiful limestone cliffs) are just a fun part of the adventure of going for a hike and connecting with the world around us.
When you make the hike to the bottom of the falls, this is the view you’ll see… you have to climb up onto a ledge and lean over to get the view of the falls from below.
Getting out in nature is one of the ways our family likes to spend time together. Sometimes the kids might resist the idea of getting out there a little bit, but once we are going and seeing what beautiful things the world has to show us, they all settle in and have a great time! They enjoy finding things to show us and sharing in learning about what we see!
We hope the adventures of Chaos Caravan might inspire you to go out and explore the world around you too! If you’re in the areas that we are in, check out the places we’ve seen! If you’re looking for a little adventure near you, I love to just go to google maps and search “parks” and see what comes up! Have a great time exploring your area! Comment below some of your favorite places! We are always looking for new things to check out! Go have an adventure!
