AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Mississippi Gorge Regional Park

Mississippi Gorge Regional Park Viewpoint & Longfellow Beach

2 mi · ▲ 115 ft · 43 min

Mississippi Gorge Regional Park Viewpoint & Longfellow Beach is a 2-mile out-and-back in Mississippi Gorge Regional Park near Mendota, MN. The route passes Longfellow Beach before reaching Mississippi Gorge Regional Park Viewpoint at the turnaround, 1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 115 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi774 – 827 ft3.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 44.92235, -93.19759
Nearest town Mendota, MN
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mississippi Gorge Regional Park Viewpoint & Longfellow Beach

2 mi · ▲ 115 ft · 43 min

Elevation 775–826 ft

Out & Back · Mississippi Gorge Regional Park

Trailhead: 44.92235, -93.19759

Weather Sep 25: sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:06 PM

Transit-accessible: Ford & Woodlawn Station stop 489 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  3. 0.8 miPass Longfellow Beach.
  4. 350 ftBear left, heading N.
  5. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  6. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  8. 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
  9. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  10. 350 ftBear left, heading N.
  11. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  12. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  13. 50 ftReach Mississippi Gorge Regional Park Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  15. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  16. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  17. 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  19. 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  20. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  21. 100 ftBear left, heading N.
  22. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  23. 0.8 miTurn left, heading S.
  24. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/mississippi-gorge-regional-park-viewpoint-longfellow-beach-out-back-3-km-75fd

Trail surface

93% dirt7% paved

Weather

Sunrise 7:04 AMSunset 7:06 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~22 min). Leave by 6:24 PM for the 7:06 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:44 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Ford & Woodlawn Station stop 489 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Mendota, Minnesota