HomeWisconsinRiver Falls › Kinnickinnic State Park

Kinnickinnic State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 745 Google reviews · Running trail in River Falls, Wisconsin · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Mixed
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Kinnickinnic State Park'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.

MixedScenicDog-friendlyHillyTrailhead parkingQuiet

Park with a sandy beach & 6.5 miles of hiking trails offering opportunities for fishing & hunting.

What runners say about Kinnickinnic State Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (745 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 5 mentions

“The paths were well maintained and some were obviously well thought out for cross country skiing.”

🏞️ beautiful scenery 12 mentions

“5/5, Absolutely beautiful, there’s a beach that you can swim off of with a decent amount of walking to get too, the actual trails are a bit boring, and hard to find the falls.”

🪧 well-marked 3 mentions

“I would say this park does an above average job of making sure the trails are well marked.”

🌾 quiet & peaceful 4 mentions

“The Green and Yellow Trail hike below the bluffs, around and through the prairie is wonderful and peaceful.”

This is a great state park situated on the St. Croix River. There are many trails to go off of (including a "hidden" trail that you have to leave the main park to get to) and I have to be honest, these were some of the best marked hiking trails I've been on.

★★★★★ — Joshua , Apr 2022

This is a small but delightful park. The paths were well maintained and some were obviously well thought out for cross country skiing. It was definitely a steep hike down to the beach area so I don't know that we would see this as an option for swimming in the summer.

★★★★★ — Margaret , Nov 2021

Nice park for an decent hike. As an out of state person, it cost $11 for the day to enter. There are a lot of different parking areas with picnic tables and grills. There is a bunch of connected trails that are all around a mile each. I did a loop that hit most of the trails that took about 3 hours.

★★★★★ — Kevin , Apr 2021

The highlight of this park is the beach area, though there are some nice trails here also The paved trail to the beach is no joke - some trails marked “difficult” due to being steep which could actually be difficult for some people There are a few overlooks, many hiking and cycling trails, the beach and the sledding…

★★★★★ — Hank , Jun 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 745 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 23 mentions

“5/5, Absolutely beautiful, there’s a beach that you can swim off of with a decent amount of walking to get too, the actual trails are a bit boring, and hard to find the falls.”

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⛰️ Hills / elevation 14 mentions

“The park had a pretty good amount of elevation change since it is up atop of a bluff area overlooking the St Croix and Kinnickinnic rivers.”

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🛣️ Paved surface 5 mentions

“But be warned; it's a long, steep trek on a paved trail to get down to the beach - that seemed longer and steeper on the way up!”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking 5 mentions

“There are a lot of different parking areas with picnic tables and grills.”

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🐕 Dog-friendly 5 mentions

“Took the kids and went hiking, left the dogs at home, though we've taken them here before.”

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🤫 Quiet / uncrowded 4 mentions

“The Green and Yellow Trail hike below the bluffs, around and through the prairie is wonderful and peaceful.”

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🌲 Natural surface / singletrack 3 mentions

“The beach was lovely but I couldn't tell how rocky it is in the water.”

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Plan your run at Kinnickinnic State Park

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.
  • Websitednr.wisconsin.gov
  • Phone(715) 425-1129
  • Social Instagram · Facebook

Hours

Monday 6 AM–11 PM
Tuesday 6 AM–11 PM
Wednesday 6 AM–11 PM
Thursday 6 AM–11 PM
Friday 6 AM–11 PM
Saturday 6 AM–11 PM
Sunday 6 AM–11 PM

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Kinnickinnic State Park

W11983 820th Ave, River Falls, WI 54022

Get directions

Running trails near River Falls

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Kinnickinnic Red Trail Trailhead

4.6 ★★★★★ 28 reviews

River Falls, WI

Natural surfaceScenic

1.2 miles away

Kinnickinnic River Gorge & Delta State Natural Area

4.7 ★★★★★ 59 reviews

River Falls, WI

Natural surfaceScenic

1.4 miles away

Drewiske Family Preserve

5 ★★★★★ 5 reviews

River Falls, WI

2.0 miles away

River Falls School Forest

3.5 ★★★★☆ 2 reviews

River Falls, WI

Natural surface

4.1 miles away

The Community Forest

4.8 ★★★★★ 8 reviews

River Falls, WI

4.1 miles away

Kinnickinnic River Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 90 reviews

River Falls, WI

Scenic

Relaxed, scenic outdoors recreational area featuring hiking trails (some steep, good for sledding) and fishing.

4.6 miles away

All running trails in River Falls, WI →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.