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In every corner of Minnesota, there are good stories waiting to be told of places that make our state great and people who in Walt Whitman’s words “contribute a verse” each day. That's the theme of our series “Wander & Wonder: Exploring Minnesota’s unexpected places.”
From lakeside cliffs to river bluffs to prairies, there’s an endless list of contenders for the title Minnesota’s Best View.
A recent Sunday feature in the Minnesota Star Tribune included two of my personal favorites — Palisade Head on the North Shore and the High Bridge overlook in St. Paul. The call for suggestions for other “best” views sent me digging through my photo archives.
Below in random order are my picks for 10 other iconic Minnesota views from across the state. At the end, you’ll find some bonus picks too.
Want to share your thoughts or stories about any of these places? Email me. Want to share some of your Minnesota best-view photos with MPR News? Send them to tell@mpr.org. We may use them in future stories.
Rose Lake Cliffs
Whether by paddle or on foot, you have to work to reach the Rose Lake Cliffs. But that effort makes the stunning view of the Boundary Waters along the Minnesota-Ontario border that much sweeter. The cliffs tower several hundred feet above the nearby lakes, not far from the landmark, scenic Stairway Portage.
It’s been a few years since I made this day hike of more than a dozen miles — so the downed trees that made for extra obstacles back then may be gone by now. But even so, it’s a long trek over challenging terrain — so take time to research and plan before setting out. Among other preparations: Make sure you have a topographic map and a Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness day-use permit.
Start at the Caribou Rock trailhead near Hungry Jack Lodge, off the Gunflint Trail. If you’re lucky, you might catch another iconic Minnesota sight: A moose grazing for aquatic plants in a lake or pond along the way.
If a full-day trek won’t work for you, there are shorter hikes to other stunning viewpoints along the Gunflint Trail, including the Gunflint High Cliffs and Honeymoon Bluff.
Oheyawahe
Oheyawahe is a Dakota place name meaning “a hill much visited.” It has long been and remains a sacred place.
It’s a place for reflection and contemplation today, with the beautiful prairie abloom in wildflowers from summer into fall. And there’s the view, looking out across the merging valleys of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers — in Dakota it’s Bdote, the place where two waters come together. Beyond that — Historic Fort Snelling, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the skyline of downtown Minneapolis.
So much of the history of the region encapsulated in that one view.
There’s a parking area and trailhead at the north end of Pilot Knob Road in Mendota Heights, near Acacia Park Cemetery. Pilot Knob, another name for the site, referred to the use of the hill as a navigation landmark for riverboat pilots.
Nearby, walk or bike across the Mendota Bridge for another unique vista. It’s one of the few places in the Twin Cities where the downtown skylines of both Minneapolis and St. Paul are visible.
Valley Grove
When the congregation of Valley Grove Lutheran Church near Nerstrand outgrew its 1862 stone church and built a new, wooden structure in 1894, it didn’t tear down the old building. It kept it as a meeting hall. In doing so, it created an unusual and quietly iconic southern Minnesota view.
Take a short drive along the gravel road just north of the site, then look back to the south to see the different generations of churches facing each other, surrounded by the gravestones of the Norwegian immigrants who built them.
Sure, there are power lines and occasional passing cars or farm equipment, but it’s still easy to imagine it’s the late 1800s, when the churches were the center of life in this corner of Minnesota.
A preservation group maintains the two church buildings, the cemetery and surrounding property located a couple miles northwest of Nerstrand.
Big Bog
Peatlands — waterlogged bogs of dense organic matter, built up over thousands of years — cover about 10 percent of Minnesota.
Those millions of acres of wetlands are an important sink for carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere and preventing even faster climate change.
Peatlands can be hard to access, but one of the best places is at Big Bog State Recreation Area near Waskish, where a milelong boardwalk leads deep into a peat bog.
There are great views out over the aptly named Big Bog. Sharp-eyed visitors are rewarded with fascinating views of orchids, carnivorous plants and wildlife along the way.
A few miles south of the bog boardwalk, climb the fire tower in the recreation area’s other unit, for a view out over Upper Red Lake.
Elba fire tower
There are several remaining fire lookout towers open to the public in Minnesota. Most of them in the northern part of the state. All of them offer a good workout and great views.
But there’s one great fire tower climb in southern Minnesota, overlooking the community of Elba and not far from Whitewater State Park. From the parking area, you climb hundreds of steps up to the top of the bluff — with many of those wooden treads carved with messages in honor or memory of someone.
Then it’s another 110 feet up to the top of the tower for a stunning, 360-degree view of Elba, the Whitewater River valley, forests and fields.
I’ve never been terribly scared of heights, but being up atop the Elba tower on a windy day was a bit of a test. It’s worth it, though, for the beautiful view — especially if you get there early to catch the sunrise (bring a headlamp or flashlight for the trail).
As long as you’re in the area, stop by Whitewater State Park and hit the trails for some more great vistas.
Enger Park
There is no shortage of incredible views in Duluth, with myriad different perspectives on the Aerial Lift Bridge, the harbor, Park Point and of course Lake Superior. I’d single out Enger Park for being close enough to really get a good look at the key landmarks and ship traffic but also far and high enough to take in the full scope of the Twin Ports. Climb the historic Enger Tower for views in all directions.
If you’re mainly interested in the harbor and the big lake, take a short walk out to the pavilion and surrounding rocky hillside for a stunning view — one that’s even better at sunrise, or when Bentleyville lights are shining during the winter holiday season.
If you have some more time, there are hiking trails in the park. It’s also along the Duluth Traverse multiuse trail that spans the length of the city. The park road gates are closed in winter, but you can still park elsewhere and walk in.
John A. Latsch State Park
Full disclosure: You can’t hike to this viewpoint at John A. Latsch State Park right now (August 2025). At last report, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said the one and only trail at the park near Winona — a staircase climbing to the top of the bluff at Mount Charity — remains closed for repairs. That closure may continue into the fall.
But when the trail is back open, those who make the steep climb to the park overlook are rewarded with a spectacular view over the Mississippi River valley, extending for miles upstream and downstream.
You may find yourself looking down on bald eagles and other birds soaring above the river below. There are a lot of great viewpoints along the Mississippi River in Minnesota, and without question this is one of the best.
An alternative scenic river viewpoint is Garvin Heights Park in Winona. Or you can hike at Great River Bluffs State Park southeast of Winona, or He Mni Can-Barn Bluff in Red Wing.
Susie Islands overlook
At the farthest reaches of northeastern Minnesota, past Grand Portage but not quite to the Canadian border, an overlook along State Highway 61 provides an iconic view out over Lake Superior.
The Susie Islands — the overlook’s namesake — are in the foreground, as are the rocky cliffs of Hat Point and Mt. Josephine on the Grand Portage Reservation. Out in the distance on a clear day, you can see Isle Royale — part of Michigan but much closer to the Minnesota shore.
And — this never gets old for me — you can also make out the form of the Rock of Ages Lighthouse, more than 17 miles away, towering more than 100 feet above its rocky islet off the west shore of Isle Royale. It’s the equivalent of standing at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul, and seeing a building in Hudson, Wis.
And if you’ve made it that far along Highway 61, you might as well keep going a bit farther to Grand Portage State Park, and hike to see High Falls along the Minnesota-Ontario border.
Northern lights
This sight isn’t tied to a specific place. It potentially could be seen from any of the places listed above, or anywhere else in the state.
But standing under the night sky, seeing the northern lights rippling and pulsating above in shades of green, purple and red, is truly an iconic Minnesota view.
The best chances to see the northern lights are in northern Minnesota, but some recent displays have been visible across the entire state. The two photos here were taken near Red Wing and in Anoka County.
While the aurora remains notoriously fickle, there are steps you can take ahead of time — such as identifying a place away from city lights, with a clear view to the north — that can increase your odds of seeing the northern lights the next time they do appear.
You also have to be ready to stay up late (or get up early) to catch them. For more tips on viewing the northern lights, I compiled this list back in 2019.
Western Minnesota sunsets
Yes, you can find amazing sunset views just about anywhere in Minnesota. But there’s something extra special about a colorful sunset sky when it’s on the vast, open prairie horizon in the western part of the state.
If conditions are right, it almost feels like you’re immersed in the hues of orange and red as the sun sinks out of view. Solitary trees, barns, silos and church steeples really stand out, silhouetted against the colorful backdrop.
The two photos here are from near Herman and Lake Benton, but only by chance. I didn’t go looking for either of these sunsets; they just happened to develop while I was driving, and I couldn’t help but stop to take a few photos.
And that’s an important takeaway from this discussion of “best” views in Minnesota: Iconic, indelible scenes can be found anywhere in the state. You just need to keep your eyes open, keep your sense of wonder, and take the time to enjoy a magical scene when it unfolds in front of you.
OK, here are 10 more
I came up with the initial 10 selections, wrote the column… and then other iconic Minnesota views and sights started coming to mind. I stuck with my original 10 above — but I jotted down the others, and here they are in no particular order:
Oberg Mountain on the North Shore (especially in fall)
Looking out over Lake of the Woods from Zippel Bay State Park
Looking toward the downtown Minneapolis skyline at Bde Maka Ska
The breakwater walk to the Grand Marais lighthouse, and looking southwest toward the Sawtooth Mountains
Turquoise Lake, underground at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park
The prairie and the rock cliffs at Blue Mounds State Park
Hegman Lake pictographs in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
The narrow gorge of the Kadunce River on the North Shore
Swinging Bridge (and the views upstream and downstream) at Jay Cooke State Park
Inspiration Peak in Otter Tail County
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