Enjoyed visiting a piece of history. Be sure to watch the short movie in the auditorium before going to view the grounds. It gives a lot of great information about the grounds and history of the Fort.
The demonstrations are different every 30 minutes. The cannon one is a favorite, but of course learning about hospitals back then was an eye opener. A tower where you can see for miles. The gift shop has great history books.
Its amazing how a state park exists in the heart of the city and right next to the MSP airport. However, due to the recent flooding many parts of the park are in accessible. We could do one trail which started from the visitor center and along the Minnesota river about 3 miles long. The trail was mostly paved and easy. The beach and picnic area along this trail were beautiful but the lake was very marshy.Its a very noisy state park because of its proximity to the airport and some highways. I will recommend this park to anyone who doesn't want to go away from the city and still enjoy nature, but definitely not the best option.
I enjoyed Fort Snelling very much. Start with the movie to get a feel for the history of the place and the region. The fort itself is well done, with plaenty of interpretors in full costume to add to the experience and give you a good feel of what life was like there. The gunners demonstrating the cannons were particularily good. We enjoyed ourselves very much.
Lots of trails to bike or walk. It can be pretty noisy due to the nearby airport and highways but it is in the city.
Beautiful setting where the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers converge. Hike around Pike's island and you might see a bald eagle or two, beavers, and many giant cottonwoods.
I have wanted to get a state park pass and finally did. This place is so beyond beautiful. It's huge there are so many trails to bike or walk on. There's water, so many Anamials roaming throughout the park. Foxes deer and birds of all types! Love this state park!!!
You can access Fort Snelling by car, city bus or by the light rail line which runs between Mall of America and downtown Minneapolis.There are historical buildings and also buildings where military work is carried on day to day. The grounds are well landscaped and it can be romantic strolling around on a pleasant afternoon!
Memorial Day is very packed in the morning, so if you don't like to wait in lines I suggest going in the afternoon. There are service men in uniforms in the morning so if you are only interested in seeing your loved ones, then skip the morning. There are only 2 bathrooms in the building so that can get hectic. Very educational for children of all ages.
Really fun to be immersed in this location that is so well preserved (and partially & accurately re-built) on the bluffs of the river.Allow yourself some easy-going time (3-5 hours?) to wander the property, take some tours and also walk/drive-by some of the slightly detached portions of the surrounding and historically–supporting buildings that are now separated from the main fort by the interconnecting highway system.This is an immersive and contemplative experience.