It’s hard not to get discouraged this time of year. We’ve had-it-up-to-here with cold, blustery weather—we are more than ready for sunshine, flowers, and temps in the 70s (patio weather!). But before we can get to patios, barbeques, and May flowers, we have to get through a lineup of cold, grey April showers. If you don’t own an umbrella, now would be the perfect time to buy one, because rain is in the forecast for the next two weeks. It’s not all bad, though, the sound of raindrops splashing on rooftops and running into gutters means it’s waterfall season in Minnesota.
One of these waterfalls is Minnehaha Falls, a 53-foot waterfall in Minnehaha Park, located at the intersection of Minnehaha Avenue, Minnehaha Parkway and Godfrey Ave (just east of Highway 55/Hiawatha avenue) in Minneapolis. The waterfall itself is formed by Minnehaha Creek, which flows to the Mississippi River from Lake Minnetonka, and is so pretty that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow immortalized the falls as the “laughing water” in his 1855 The Song of Hiawatha poem.
Once we’ve turned the corner on this cold snap, you can make an afternoon of checking out the waterfall. Cruise by on your bike; rent a Surrey for the entire family; hike or run among the oak, elm, silver maple, basswood, hackberry and cottonwood trees near the area; enjoy ice cream, seafood, or wine and beer at the popular Sea Salt Seafood Eatery [officially opened for the 2016 season April 1]; or admire the scenery before a concert at Minnehaha Regional Park (*the full calendar will be updated in May).
If you plan on taking waterfall photos, there are tricks to getting good shots. According to the Washington Trails Association, you should switch out of “auto,” use a tripod, go when the sun is low or overcast, and practice, practice, practice.
Another spot to get some waterfall photos is along the North Shore. For information about where to find these beautiful waterfalls, visit northshorevisitor.com.
