He Mni Can/ Barn Bluff Trail Head

Fantastic trails and views! I will say some of the paths marked as difficult are a tad slippery in some spots, but the views and fall colors are fantastic 👌

One of my favorite free hikes. I would say this is an easy to moderate hike, depending on your fitness level as there is incline and it can get rocky. It took about an hour from start to finish.

24,589 days on this earth with countless trips to and through Red Wing, MN, and I'd never hiked the fabulous He Mni Can/Barn Bluff Trail to the top with panoramic views of the city and Mississippi River.

So glad I did. The changing sumac were whispering that autumn is just around the corner. 🍂

"Firsts are best because they offer new beginnings."

Trails of 3 different difficulties. Pick the one fit to your challenge. It's a great time to enjoy the fall colors now!

Barn bluff is the crown jewel of Red Wing. Best to go during the week as it is pretty busy during the weekends in summer and fall.

Great view, extremely well maintained trails. Not too difficult of a hike but it can even challenging it certain places (you’re hiking up to the top so it’s steep in places). I would definitely recommend to anyone close by or traveling through who wants a break to get outside! Most of the trails here are closed in the Winter, so enjoy this hike on a nice summer day!

Great hike! The trails are pretty heavily used but the views are spectacular! The hiking trail loops range in length from 1.5 to 3 miles, round trip. The hike is not tremendously strenuous but you do need to be able to deal easily with roots, some rocks, and dozens of steps. The top of the bluff, too, can be very warm - there is not much shade. The paths are varying degrees of flat and and some parts are a little rutted and washed out. This would probably not be good for kids less than 7or 8 because of the steep bluffs. Overall, it is very worthwhile!

It was a lovely sunny Fall day with the fall colors at peak intensity and we enjoyed the walk up to the top of He Mni Can - Barn Bluff. This was our first time up the Bluff. We used the easy route on the highway (east) side and appreciated the new Kiwanis staircases. The east overlook provided a terrific view including south along the Mississippi River. Returning on the same trail we made it to the Western overlook for grand views of Red Wing, up the river and into Wisconsin. We then continued back to the parking lot using the north trail. This trail is along the river and has steep cliffs. Parts of the trail had helpful guide ropes where the trail narrows. We stopped at former quarry area and had a snack at one the picnic tables. The fall canopy of bright yellow leaves was marvelous.

Great hike! Lots of steps and broke a great sweat. The Tree up top was awesome. Great views also.

Great trails with options of advanced hiking, rock climbing if your into that. And the views once you get up to the top are amazing! Good exercise too lots of up up up since you gotta get to the top somehow. Been on both trails the advanced is really cool with some views and a rope to hang on to very steep and kind of narrow. Other trails are much wider and off trails for views.

Absolutely beautiful scenery, two separate lookouts at the top of the hill. Lots of great different paths and hiking opportunities! One of the best places to view both Red Wing and the Mississippi River.

Great hiking for beginners or for the more advanced/in shape crowd. The advanced trail is quite strenuous in places but the view and the quiet are really worth it if you can do it. We went down the beginner side and there was quite a bit of road noise on that side.

I didn't rock climb but others were there doing it and it looks like a great place to if that's your thing. There's a few different spots for that.

Great views of Red Wing from the top!

Really good hiking, loved the view of all the nature around me, beautiful and peaceful. I usually enjoy just moments to take it all in.

I would think bringing a book, or even just watching the Rock climbers on the cliff can occupy your time.

Awesome place to hike and the reward is the scenery.

He Mni Can/Barn Bluff trail is for the leisure walkers (South Trail) or the not-faint-at-heart advanced walkers (North Trail). The North Trail is clearly marked: “Advanced walkers. Not for physically challenged, children or pets.” Somewhere in that translation I didn’t fully grasp that my wife (afraid of heights), myself and our 9 year old Lab, Bentley, would take any other trail. The North Trail was our impetus. But soon I faced the challenge of the rugged, narrow trail that required me to hold onto a rope and still keep Bentley on his leash leading the way. My wife followed behind, facing her own challenges of fear of heights and rugged incline. At times it leveled out and widen along the bluff face, where pitons clearly mark rock climbing, picnic tables in a wooded nook and overlooks revealed the Mississippi below. Wildlife came in the likes of a raccoon and a couple deer. Reaching the top, one can enjoy the magnificent view of downtown Red Wing, river and highway traffic on the newly built Eisenhower Bridge of Valor and the surrounding neighborhoods. The return on the South Trail was a walk in the woods. Passing on the North Trail can be tricky, trails on top are not clearly marked and parking below is limited.

Great hike for the family. My 11 year old loved it, but it got a little sketchy for my 5 1/2 year old. The NE corner of the bluff is pretty steep and the provided rope is not only necessary, but LONG. I kinda wish i knew before we went, but it might have scared us away, so i think im glad we left it to be discovered mid-hike. Everything was closed on the west side, so we hiked the east (river side) there and back. Under trees and out of the hot August sun the whole time (except for the top of the bluff, of course.) And keep your eyes open for deer! We were 10 feet away from two fawns! So cool!

Great hike. Took the south trail which is pretty easy. The views are breathtaking

Great place to hiking. My mom came with me and my 2 kids and she loved it. It's really pretty in the Summer and Fall. It's not a hard hike. I see people of all ages and dogs here.

Pretty easy and short hike. Hike forks a couple of times and you can go to the west view or east view. Wonderful views of the river or of downtown Red Wing. Went end of May and the mosquitos up at the top were already getting nasty so we didn’t stay long to appreciate the view. Will have to come back! Totally worth a day trip to Red Wing for something fun and different to do. Parking is a little hidden and weird - if you’re following google maps and it seems like it’s taking you somewhere wrong/a dead end, it’s probably actually right 😀

Great views of the city. The entrance to the bluff is a little odd near the highway underpass with parking on the side of the road. The hike is medium difficultly and may be a little challenging for kids of those not in great shape. Definitely a must see in Red Wing!