Minnehaha Falls

By most standards, at 53 feet, Minnehaha Falls is a small waterfall. But what it lacks in height it makes up for in its fantastic setting, its natural beauty, and its accessibility. It has been a popular tourist destination since the 1800s when riverboat tours of the upper Mississippi became fashionable.

Made famous in Longfellow’s epic poem (he never actually visited) the falls are the main feature of the Minnehaha Park, which is run by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

When President Barack Obama visited in 2014, it was almost exactly 50 years since the first presidential visit by President Lyndon B Johnson.

When Johnson visited, however, the city was forced into desperate measures to provide him with the usual spectacle. The Twin Cities area was in the grip of a drought and the creek was reduced to a trickle. The city responded by opening numerous fire hydrants within the catchment so that the president could see the falls in their full glory. An information board by the falls recounts the event. There is also a nice informative metal plaque provided by the Minnesota Geological Society.