Home › Minnesota › Faribault › Cannon River Wilderness Area
Cannon River Wilderness Area
4.5 ★★★★★ 103 Google reviews · Running trail in Faribault, Minnesota · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Cannon River Wilderness Area's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Hills and camp sites feature in this woodland site with trails, some of which link to an oak savanna.
What runners say about Cannon River Wilderness Area
“Beautiful small wilderness area with 4 hike in campsites.”
“Quiet country park with an enjoyable path along the river.”
I did a 2-mile hike from the trailhead off Canyon City Blvd. It was a nice trail in the woods with one place to access the river. At the end of the trail, there was a nice bench with a view of the oak savanna. The is a grass opening here and I hiked up a bit for some views of the other side of the river.
Lots of fallen trees in the area now (from Sept 2018 tornados), but they've been cut away from the path so you can walk all the way down to the river. Spring time you can see the Trout Lilly flowers blooming. Cool area for a walk!
Beautiful small wilderness area with 4 hike in campsites. Nice hiking trails. Beautiful river views.
Nice on cooler summer days or winter, otherwise very buggy. There are easy trails and a place to run around in the river, but if you bring long pants and protective footwear, there are also some really fun paths that are a bit more rugged.
Trail conditions & character
“At the end of the trail, there was a nice bench with a view of the oak savanna.”
“Quiet country park with an enjoyable path along the river.”
“I did a 2-mile hike from the trailhead off Canyon City Blvd.”
“Train can get pretty muddy after rain, so unless you are wearing hiking boots, you might have to turn around at a low spot.”
Plan your run at Cannon River Wilderness Area
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websiteco.rice.mn.us
- Phone+1 507-332-6112
- Social Instagram
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–10 pm |
Running trails near Faribault
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Caron Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 128 reviews
Casual park offering waterfalls, hiking trails, woods and a river.
Mill Towns State Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 67 reviews
Tranquil park featuring ruins of an 1870s water-powered mill plus riverfront trails.
Heritage Park
4 ★★★★☆ 22 reviews
Simple park featuring a paved walkway, playground, basketball court & picnic tables.
St. Olaf Natural Lands
4.7 ★★★★★ 9 reviews