Trail and Hiking Related News
Flooding Impacts:
- Flooding has impacted many refuge trails and access points.
- Updates on flooded areas will be posted on our trails page as it becomes available.
As floodwaters recede, we will be working to assess flood debris and damage on trails and developing a plan for clearing trails. Please exercise caution and maintain a safe distance from working maintenance crews. We appreciate your patience during this time.
Lyndale/Sorenson Landing Trailhead Closure:
Beginning Thursday, August 15th, Lyndale Avenue/Sorensen Landing trailhead will be closed for the foreseeable future due to construction. During this time, the following trails will remain open, but will need to be accessed from an alternative location:
- Bluff Trail
- Minnesota Valley State Trail (DNR)
- River Bottoms
Long Meadow Lake Trail
For timeline and updates on the project, visit bloomingtonmn.gov/eng/major-construction-projects or contact the City of Bloomington at 952-563-4870 or engineering@BloomingtonMN.gov.
Visit our trails page for more updates.
(Updated 8/16/24)
The Rapids Lake Education and Visitor Center is NOW OPEN to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-5pm. For more information on visiting the site, click here.
![A large bird with a black head and a small white patch near its eye, brown body, white rump and dark grey tailfeathers flies low over a body of water. The water is bluish, with brownish-tan plants visible out of focus in the background](/sites/default/files/styles/summary_photo/public/images/2024-04/seedskadee-national-wildlife-refuge-canada-goose-flying-tom-koerner-fws.jpg?h=8b97d1af&itok=If1DqVLH)
![Latino Nature Fest spotlight](/sites/default/files/styles/summary_photo/public/images/2024-04/minnesota-valley-national-wildlife-refuge-latino-nature-fest-banner-lucia-portillo-maldonado_2.png?h=d8c61600&itok=LUJFfnbX)
![A man in the uniform of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service federal wildlife officer faces the camera](/sites/default/files/styles/summary_photo/public/2024-03/closeup-scott-pariseau-by-christopher-dunham-fws-img_0304-copy.jpg?h=fc126d55&itok=ToAYTqZc)
Visit Us
With more than 45 miles of trails open to hiking, biking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, in the south metro you can easily find an adventure for all levels of experience. The Minnesota River Valley unfolds in front of you, and moments later you can find safe, quiet lands filled with wildlife. Visitors can easily find opportunities to try out fishing in ponds, lakes and the Minnesota River, and there are also portions of the refuge open for hunting.
See our Visit Us page to find out what the refuge has to offer, including:
- Trails
- Visitor Centers
- Hiking
- Fishing & Hunting
- Snowshoeing
- Environmental Education
Location and Contact Information
What We Do
The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the refuge.
Our Species
The tallgrass prairie, floodplain forests and wetlands found within the refuge provide exceptional opportunities to find iconic and rare species of plants, birds, insects and freshwater mussels. Moments from the busy Twin Cities core you can find bald eagles, wood ducks, river otters, prairie skinks, and white-tailed deer. Endangered and threatened species such as the northern long-eared bat, rusty-patched bumblebee and rare freshwater mussels benefit from the protected habitats found throughout the refuge.