Best Dog Friendly Hiking Trails Near Me – Minnesota may not be as well known for hiking as Colorado or Oregon. But the 10,000-acre site still has a long way to go to access the 51.2 million acres within the state’s borders. And while not every method is good for dogs, many are.
Do you enjoy hiking with your dog? Here is my list of the 5 best dog-friendly trails in the state of Minnesota:
Best Dog Friendly Hiking Trails Near Me
Keep reading to learn more about all of these techniques and why my kids and I enjoy them so much.
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Benning State Park is about an hour and 15 minutes north of the Twin Cities metro area and is one of my favorite places in Minnesota. The park has 17 kilometers of scenic trails, including the Hell’s Gate Trail, along the Kettle River.
Hill’s Gate Trail is the most challenging trail in Benning State Park. So for those of you who don’t want to set foot on cobblestones where the trail is more familiar than the popular trails through the trees, this might not be the trail for you. In that case, I recommend the Quarry Trail that connects to the High Bluff Trail to reach Wolf Creek Falls. But for dogs and couples who are up for a little more adventure, the Hill’s Gate Trail is a fun afternoon hike.
You can access the Hell’s Gate Trail or the end of the Quarry Loop Trail from the Wolf Creek Falls area. In any case, it will be easier to follow the process at first. But the closer you get to the center of the trail, the tougher the trail becomes.
At that time, you may have to choose your own path and climb over many rocks and stones. Some methods are easier than others, so just go back and try if you find a method that doesn’t work for you. The path is often busy (especially on weekends), so you may see others walking ahead of you.
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Although MN State Parks require a 6-foot (or shorter) leash to walk your dog, you may need a longer leash for this section. Or to swap leashes with a travel buddy, you’ll visit several stages. Small dogs may need help getting up and navigating obstacles on the trail. And there’s one place where I often put my hand on my dog’s 40# leash to help him down or up, depending on where we’re going.
Does this method seem too difficult for you and your child? Then check out the other trails at Banning State Park. We discuss some of the best hiking trails in Minnesota in the following blogs:
Located on the Minnesota-Canada border in Grand Portage State Park, the Middle Falls Trail offers scenic views of Lake Superior and the opportunity to see two waterfalls. Middle Falls Lollipop is the destination of the Middle Falls Trail. But before you start your trip to Middle Falls, I recommend checking out High Falls, which is located near the beginning of the Middle Falls trail.
High Falls is Minnesota’s tallest waterfall, dropping 120 feet as the Pigeon River flows into Lake Superior. The path to High Falls is easy, but there are many steps to get to the falls.
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After you’ve spent enough time admiring High Falls, start the more strenuous Middle Falls Trail. The Middle Falls Trail is approximately 3.5 miles round trip (4.5 miles round trip from the Visitor Center).
The trail begins with a climb to scenic views of Lake Superior and the surrounding forest. Don’t miss the tour.
The trail is well maintained, but a bit narrow. And it gets a little bigger as you leave the lake and get closer to Middle Falls.
Middle Falls is more romantic than High Falls. You can walk in front of these waves and get close to the rocks on the Canadian coast.
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Overall, this trail has a more remote feel than most Minnesota park trails. Depending on the time of year you visit, this can be a private and quiet way to enjoy time with your child. We really enjoyed seeing the snow fall on our trip to the North Shore in November 2019.3. Eagle Mountain Trail
Eagle Mountain is the highest in Minnesota, at 2,301 feet. The meeting is located in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and is accessible via a 3.5 mile trail (one way) on a 7 mile scenic trail.
Access to the trail, located north of FR170, requires driving on dirt/gravel roads. But driving the famous Hwy 61 along the North Shore means that this desert road sees less traffic than the park roads on the North Shore.
When this method enters the BWCA, you will need a permit. If you are only traveling for the day, you can use a self-issued permit. Directions and permits can be obtained at the trailhead kiosk.
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The trail itself is beautiful and challenging, with many tree roots and rocks. It passes some beautiful lakes as the trail winds through the forest.
And when you reach the top of Eagle Mountain, there are spectacular views. The highest point is surrounded by trees, so there is not much to see. But you can take a picture at a higher height with a plate. Then turn around and go back to your car.
Perhaps one of the most photographed hikes on the Superior Trail (SHT), the Bear and Bean Lake Loop is a popular SHT day hike. If you start on the main road, the trip is about 7 miles round trip.
This is another difficult trail with lots of tree roots to walk around again and again. So wear good shoes and watch your step. Although this trail is rugged and has a remote feel, it can be a great weekend getaway.
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The sidewalk is clearly marked with a superior sidewalk blue light. So, even if you go through rocky areas where the path is not clear, you can look down and find a flame on a rock or on a nearby tree. This is a great SHT product that makes traveling easy.
As you walk through the forest, there are many views of Lake Superior and then the forest to the west. At the end, you will reach the beautiful scenery of Bain Lake.
Continue on the trail and you will have access to the Bear Lake Campground located on the shores of Bear Lake. It will be warm enough to swim in the lake.
Then, after passing the Bear Lake Wave Campground, you will see both lakes. Be sure to take a famous photo of yourself this way before returning to your car.
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For our last trip to Minnesota favorites for this post, we’re switching gears and lighting up southern Minnesota. Located 40 minutes east of Rochester, MN, Whitewater State Park has several challenging dog trails.
We recommend hiking throughout the state park, but if you only have to choose one trail, consider the Coyote Point Trail. The trail starts behind the visitor center.
First they cross the Whitewater River using a stone/concrete bridge. It then enters the forest to begin a steep climb to reach the beautiful Whitewater River Valley.
When you get to Coyote Point, the trail is rocky and narrow. be careful. This area also has a short scale. If your dog is too big to climb the stairs easily, reverse this step so that your dog can climb the stairs.
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After you’ve explored all the sights you can from the Quoit Point Trail and Quoit Point, you have four options:
Whichever you choose, you will enjoy hiking in Whitewater State Park. Looking for more trails in southern Minnesota? Check out our post on the 5 Best Dog Friendly Parks in Southeast Minnesota.
And a big plus for hiking in many southeast Minnesota parks is the lack of mosquitoes. Beaver Creek Valley SP, Forestville/Mystery Cave SP, Frontenac SP, Great River Bluffs SP, John A. Latsch SP, and Whitewater SP have low mosquito populations.
Why are you asking? According to MPR News, you can thank the ice sheet millions of years ago for this. The last glacier to pass through Minnesota missed this area, so there are no natural lakes.
