Cliff Fen Trail

Cliff Fen Trail is an easy, short hike of about 1.7 miles that starts and ends at roughly the same elevation, with a total gain of about 30 feet and a slight drop of about 96 feet along the way. It runs through Cliff Fen, a city-managed area in Minnesota, and is listed as a point-to-point route rather than a loop. The trail is nearly flat, and the steepest part, a 3% grade, comes right at the start. The high point is about 736 feet, with the lowest point just below 700 feet. The climb is gentle, and the whole route can be done in about half an hour. For comfortable weather, late spring through early fall works best. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Minneapolis run from highs around 69°F in May to 83°F in July, with September easing back to about 73°F. Black Dog Trail sits just 0.1 mile away, and Minnesota River Greenway Trail is about a mile off. Minnesota River Bridge Trail and Bluff Trail are each about 1.4 miles away.