Want to be more active? Skip the overcrowded gym and try one of these Twin Cities walks

To get your new year off to a healthy start, we offer new, quiet, historic and classic routes.

January 2, 2024 at 9:11PM
A classic Twin Cities walk in any season on Minneapolis’ Chain of Lakes. (Renee Jones Schneider, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Maybe you're still recovering from your New Year's revels, or you're still procrastinating on your resolution to be more active.

Our advice: Clear your head and get your blood moving by going for a walk.

If a walk sounds less than exciting, consider this: It's free. You don't need any special gear. You won't need to fight the resolution-propelled crowds flocking to the gym. And we don't have the right conditions for many winter sports.

Besides, health experts from Harvard, the Mayo Clinic and Stanford have confirmed the benefits of walking, which include improving heart health and blood pressure, reducing the risk of some cancers, lessening joint pain, improving immunity, managing stress, reducing mental decline and even boosting creativity.

To get you motivated, here's a list of some of our favorite walks around town.

The reconstructed Hidden Falls Creek is a centerpiece of the Highland Bridge development. (Mark Vancleave, Star Tribune file/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The new

The massive Highland Bridge project being built on the former Ford assembly plant in St. Paul includes a series of new parks. Take to the walking paths here to discover lots of interesting features like pickleball courts, game tables, a dog park, beach volleyball and a hammock grove. There's plenty of seating areas, a canal-like stormwater feature with cascading pools, a skate park and an adult fitness area.

The classic

There's a reason why Mary Tyler Moore was shown walking around the Lake of the Isles during the opening credits for her show. The paths around Minneapolis' Chain of Lakes are the quintessential Twin Cities urban perambulation. It also might be the best place to find a nice dog to pet. Just stroll around Lake Harriet or Bde Maka Ska and you'll take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile.

Lakewood Cemetery, which includes greenspaces and architectural landmarks, receives an estimated 10,000 visitors annually. (Bre McGee for Uncommon Collaborative/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The quiet

For a quieter, more meditative walking experience, try nearby Lakewood Cemetery. Here, you can wander 9 miles of roads that wind among historic monuments and the resting places of Minnesota luminaries — from pioneers to politicians, including Hubert Humphrey, Paul Wellstone and Rudy Perpich. The eclectic mix of folks who have found a forever home at Lakewood range from Tiny Tim to the inventor of Scotch tape. There's also a historic chapel modeled after Istanbul's famous Hagia Sophia.

Visitors walked through Franconia Sculpture Park on May 2, 2021. (Christine T. Nguyen, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The arty

If you want to stimulate your mind while you're exercising your body, try a saunter through a sculpture garden. The in-town option is the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, with more than 60 works from the Walker Art Center, ranging from the enormous blue rooster to the iconic "Spoonbridge and Cherry." A more rural, sprawling experience can be had at the Franconia Sculpture Park, a 50-acre outdoor museum in the St. Croix River Valley, full of dozens of monumental sculptures.

A visitor leaned over a bridge leading to Pike Island to look for beavers on Nov. 22 at Fort Snelling State Park. (Alex Kormann, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The historic

Pike Island, at the historically significant junction of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, was considered a sacred place by the Dakota people. It's now part of Fort Snelling State Park. A walk here offers views of the water from your choice of 1-, 2- or 3-mile loops around the island, which is also considered an excellent place for birdwatching.

Families walked the trails at Afton State Park in May 2020. (Jerry Holt, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The aerobic

Want a workout of a walk? Sample the 20 miles of hiking trails at Afton State Park, some of which go up and down the ravines and bluffs overlooking the scenic St. Croix River. One particularly steep hill is called "The meat grinder" by local trail runners, so be prepared for a challenge.

about the writer

about the writer

Richard Chin

Reporter

Richard Chin is a feature reporter with the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. He has been a longtime Twin Cities-based journalist who has covered crime, courts, transportation, outdoor recreation and human interest stories.

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