The beautiful trails in and around Minneapolis will take hikers to gorgeous lakes, to the base of magnificent waterfalls, along raging rivers, through beautiful wild flower fields, and to the top of challenging peaks with panoramic views. These beautiful hiking areas generate a lot of local hiking interest. A few local hikers have gone on to create Minneapolis hiking clubs and organizations to bolster the hiking community.
Here is a list of the top 8 hiking groups in Minneapolis. Each of these groups will provide a unique experience and culture. Explore each of these groups to see if they match with your current hiking goals and interests.
- Twin Cities Hiking Meetup – 17,120+ members
- Outdoor & Snow Lovers – 4,450+ members
- Outdoor Introverts – 3,080+ members
- Family Nature Club – Minneapolis Parks – 1,950+ members
- Minnesota Hardy Hikers – 2,270+ members
- MN Sierra Club Outings – 1,840+ members
- Take it Easy!! Hiking for beginners and just curious people – 1,350+ members
- Outdoor Afro Minnesota – 1,150+ members
Twin Cities Hiking Meetup
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Twin-Cities-Hikers/
Description: Twin Cities Hiking Meetup is to help locals meet other local hiking enthusiasts. They organize events dedicated to hiking near and far with a focus of leaving no trace of litter on our lands. This group has hosted over 3,320+ events in the past with multiple events throughout the week.
Outdoor & Snow Lovers
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Link: https://www.meetup.com/outdoor-snowlovers/
Description: Outdoor & Snow Lovers wants to have some fun in the great outdoors through hiking, biking, canoeing, golfing, kayaking, camping, and more. This group has hosted over 1,140+ events in the past and typically has multiple events each week.
Outdoor Introverts
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Outdoor-Introverts-MN/
Description: Outdoor Introverts are a group of fun people who re-energize through time in nature and want to do outdoor activities with others who get it. They do events for hiking, camping, canoeing, kayaking, and even mini-golf. This group has hosted over 100+ events in the past and generally hosts multiple events throughout the week.
Family Nature Club – Minneapolis Parks
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Link: https://www.meetup.com/famnatcub/
Description: Family Nature Club – Minneapolis Parks is a free, no-registration, no-obligation Minneapolis Park that encourages family to get out and enjoy nature. They welcome kids and their adults of all ages. This group has hosted over 70+ events in the past and typically has one event every few months.
Minnesota Hardy Hikers
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Minnesota-Hardy-Hikers/
Description: Minnesota Hardy Hikers is for the fitness minded hiker, trail runner, and snowshoe hiker. They are not a leisurely paced group. They do most of their hikes in or near the 7 county Twin Cities Metro Area.This group has hosted over 1,180+ events in the past and typically has one event on Sunday and one on Thursday.
MN Sierra Club Outings
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Link: https://www.meetup.com/MN-Sierra-Club-Outings/
Description: MN Sierra Club Outings is for anyone who is interested in outdoor activities ranging from hiking, backpacking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, and more. This group has hosted over 180+ events in the past and typically has one event every few months.
Take it Easy!! Hiking for beginners and just curious people
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Take-it-Easy-Hiking-for-beginners-and-just-curious-people/
Description: Take it Easy!! Hiking for beginners and just curious people is a group for those who like to hike and walk but want to take it very easy. This group has hosted over 80+ events in the past and generally has multiple events scheduled throughout the week.
Outdoor Afro Minnesota
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Outdoor-Afro-Minnesota/
Description: Outdoor Afro Minnesota is a community that reconnects Africa-Americans with natural spaces and one another through recreational activities such as hiking, camping, biking, birding, fishing, and more. This group has hosted over 120+ events in the past and typically has one event per week.
Why should you join a Minneapolis hiking group?
Pacing
Most people look for hiking clubs and organizations to find other hikers, which is the best benefit, but there are actually a few extra benefits these groups offer. The first benefit is that you can work on your pacing with some groups. If you ever wondered how people knock out 10 or 15 mile hikes in the same day, then joining a faster paced group is a good way to push yourself and learn from fast hikers.
Relaxation
Another added benefit of joining a local Minneapolis hiking group is that you can attend hiking events that have a more relaxed and casual pace. This is a great way for stress relief and to come out and slowly hike and really enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. There are groups that focus specifically on casual and slow hiking.
No Planning Needed
One of the best benefits of joining a local hiking group is that you don’t need to plan anything. If you want to take a break from researching trail descriptions, trailheads, hiking distance, and elevation gain, then joining a group will help you with all of that. The event organizers will do all of this research for you, so all you need to do is pick the one that sounds the most enticing.
3 things to consider when joining a Minneapolis hiking group
Type of Hikes
As you are looking into different hiking groups, there are some things you should consider. The first thing you want to look into is the type of hikes that the group prefers. There are some groups that will choose only local urban hikes, some that do casual trail hikes, all the way to strenuous mountain hikes. Look at the group’s past events to see what type of hiking they do often to determine what to expect.
Frequency
Another thing you should consider is the frequency of hiking events. If you are looking to hike more often or more consistently then finding a group that has many events throughout the year is key. There are some groups that organize multiple events each week, some once per week, some once per month, and some with one event every few months. Look at the group’s past events to figure out how often they meet.
Attendance
If you are looking for a smaller and more intimate group or maybe a larger social group then a key factor to consider is the average attendance. Although some of the groups have very large membership numbers, they have likely accumulated these members over many years. Members will come and go and this means that there will be many inactive members. You can look at a group’s past events and see how many people actually attended to see how busy a group’s hiking event was.
Summary
The trails in and around Minneapolis will take you to the glimmering shores of lakes, across roaring rivers, to the beauty of towering waterfalls, deep into serene forest paths, and to the top of rugged mountain peaks offering rewarding views of the surrounding valley. Although these trails are magnificent with gorgeous views, they will be even better when creating lifelong memories with other fellow Minneapolis hikers in these groups.
The list above of Minneapolis hiking clubs and organizations is only just the start. There are many other hiking groups you should check out. As you hike more trails and gain more experience your hiking interests will likely change over time. As this happens you can explore new hiking groups that align with your new interests. Enjoy all of your hiking adventures with the local Minneapolis hiking groups!
