This is a quick little jaunt and about as small of a thing as you'd want but does offer some interesting options and has some fun history.
I'm not putting a distance on this hike - the walk to the falls from the parking lot is an easy 300 meters on a mostly crushed gravel path. One may also access the falls from East Mississippi River Boulevard via a set of stairs if one is so inclined. From the falls you can also traipse through the rest of Hidden Falls park, explore the flood plain area (home to many spidery footpaths through the woods) and take in some fishing from shore along the sandy beach areas, or launch your boat from the public landing just to the south.
The history of this place is kind of cool. The park was designed by HWS Cleveland - a planner and landscape architect way back in the day. Cleveland had originally planned (in 1887) a much larger park along the St Paul side of the Mississippi River Gorge encompassing some 123 natural springs along the river to complement his work at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis. The park was built in 1936-37 by the WPA. You can still see the stone walls, stairs, council rings, and bridges that perhaps some of your grandfathers built back in the day. Mine didn't because they were farming in western MN and picking fruit as an itinerant laborer in California and Washington during the depression. And, because they were Irish, there was drinking and fighting to be done too, so they couldn't be bothered.
Go on, have a look. You know you want to.
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