Hike Elmer L. Andersen Trail at Tony Schmidt Regional Park

Rating	★★★☆☆(3/5)
Overall Difficulty	Easy
Navigation Difficulty	Easy
Distance	2 miles roundtrip
Time	1 hour
Terrain	Mostly flat
Best Seasons	All
Family Friendly	Yes
Dog Friendly	Yes
Accessible	Yes

Highlights

Easy hike within the Twin Cities
Not as crowded as other large parks
Cool off in the lake afterward

Hike Summary

The parks in the Twin Cities really know how to blur the line between hiking and a walk in the park. While this is definitely not wilderness, it is too forested to be a stereotypical city park. This is a perfect hike for a weeknight or any other time you want to spend outdoors but don't want to or have the time to drive very far. Or maybe you're just tired of doing the same walk around your neighborhood. Either way, go out and enjoy this lovely regional park.

Dogs are permitted on leash. The playground and beach combined with an easy, safe hike make this a great place for kids. The entire trail is paved and mostly flat, so I would consider it accessible, just note that there are some inclines near the end that may be a bit steep that you can skip -- go back the way you came rather than completing the loop.

Looking across the lake in Tony Schmidt Regional Park
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There isn't much to the trail system, so choose your own adventure and do as much or as little as you want. The distance listed above matches the route shown on the map. You'll be treated to some nice pockets of nature without the crowding of places like Minnehaha Falls.

Directions

From Minneapolis, take Interstate 35W north, then exit County Road D. Turn right, then turn left on Fairview Ave/Lake Johanna Blvd. Continue down the road until you see a sign for the park and a parking lot on the right hand side.

Google Maps Directions