Two miles past the main entrance to Kinnickinnic State Park is their little known Hidden Falls trail. I like the fact that it is lightly traveled. It feels "untouched" yet the park maintains the turf on this trail. You may encounter an occasional downed tree limb, but nothing that will hamper your enjoyment of this wonderful woodsy walk.
To get to this trail, stay on Country Road F and drive past the signs telling you to turn onto 820th Avenue. Keep driving down into the valley and around the curved bridge that crosses the Kinnickinnic by the Anglers Lot. Eventually you will see a sign on your right for 770th Avenue. Follow this road about 1/2 mile and on your right you will see a little dirt parking lot with State Park signage. If you park in this lot, you will be expected to have a state park sticker but the secret is that you don't have to park in this lot. You can park along the side of this country road and that is perfectly fine!
Notice in the picture a trail cut into the prairie leading to the first pine grove? This trail is open to hiking and snow shoe. In the main park, a lot of the trails are off limits in winter due to skiing but this gem is open to hikers all year round.
TRAIL MAP:
HIKING GUIDE:
This trail when followed in the entire loop and back is just shy of 3 miles (2.9). It's a perfect winter hike or when you just want a nice walk that can be completed in under an hour. The first quarter mile is a nice easy walk through the prairie into the pine grove. The first thing you will notice upon entering the grove is how soft the ground is. Years of accumulated pine needles make a lovely soft cushion under foot. The trees are dense and the sun is immediately dampened under the branches. The trail is narrow so you need to walk single file with others. It meanders through the trees as the trail transitions from pine to hardwood and back again. The trail is mostly flat with a few small hills and terrain variance. I know it's tempting to just watch your feet as you walk the narrow path, but take your time to look around. The simple beauty of this place might just take your breath away!
Keep your eyes open for mushrooms and flowers. This is a haven for both, spring through fall.
Halfway through the hike you will come to a lookout. This is where the falls are located. In the spring and winter, when the trees are free of leaves, you can see the flowing water of the Kinnickinnic River and the small falls. If you want to get a closer look, it is a steep hike down a ravine (which I haven't done but some of my friends have).
This is where I took one of my all time favorite pictures. This picture is printed on a large canvas on my family room wall. The first time I hiked this trail, it felt magical. I think I may have called it "a fairy home" or something like that. I simply love this trail. Pictures do not do it justice.
After the falls, the trail continues to meander through the trees on a narrow path. You will encounter a couple steeper hills but they shouldn't be too challenging. Eventually you will come out of a pine grove back onto the prairie and hike a half mile until you reenter the trees. More meandering trail through the pine trees. Pay attention to where the foot traffic has been. It can be easy to step off the trail in here. Finally you reemerge onto the prairie for the final leg back to the parking lot.
This is a wonderful trail to take your dog for a walk. Please note, it needs to be on a leash and you need to clean up after it! Surprisingly, other than birds, I usually don't see other wildlife like deer and rabbits on this trail. Perhaps it's timing on my part, but usually I hike this trail in the late afternoon and evening when deer are most actively moving around.
Make the 30 minute drive from the cities for this park. I do have one important suggestion however... this park is notorious for heavy mosquitos. Come in all seasons except mid summer when the bugs are at peak!
