MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM | The Three-Mile Walk is Open
Three-Mile walk provides an excellent & photo-worthy overview of the Arboretum grounds, allowing visitors to hike to the Arboretum’s highest point and experience woods, wetlands and prairie as it meanders through a variety of the Arboretum’s gardens and collections (about 7,000-8,000 steps).
It features a beautiful new paved trail, the Gail and Bob Buuck Walkway, which provides sweeping views of the Red Barn. Walkers will travel mainly on paved paths and brick walkways, as well as short distances on gravel paths. Taken at a leisurely pace, the walk could take about an hour and a half (somewhere between 7,000-8,000 steps).
Visit These Gardens
Sensory Garden
Dayton Wildflower Garden
Lady Slipper Garden (Discover orchids native to Minnesota.)
Pillsbury Shade Tree Exhibit (Find a fun play area here.)
Prairie Garden (This was the first restored prairie land in Minnesota.)
Frerichs Garden for Wildlife
Crabapple Tree Collection (Don’t miss the blooms in mid- to late-May, and look for the beautiful fruit in late-summer/fall.)
Harrison Sculpture Garden (The top of the hill is the high point of the Arboretum—on a clear day you might spot the downtown Minneapolis skyline.)
Shrub Walk
Maple Collection
Shrub Rose Garden
Pine Tree Collection (Walk through a tree trunk, and find Minnesota’s state tree.)
Azalea Garden (This research garden typically blooms in late-May/early-June.)
Maze Garden (This is a great destination for children who want to play.)
Oak & Nut Collection
Rhododendron Garden (Since Rhododendron’s bloom so early, they’re a great food source for bees.)
Bog (Look for the Lady Slipper nook near the spot where the asphalt path and bog boardwalk meet. Lady Slippers typically bloom in June.)
Choose Your Own Adventure
Hike the entire Three-Mile Walk loop (about 2.25 miles), beginning at the Sensory Garden and ending at the Ordway Picnic Shelter
Take a family-friendly walk to the Maze Garden on a stroller-friendly and wheelchair-friendly paved path from the Ordway Shelter.
Take a shorter, family-friendly walk to Shade Tree Exhibit on a stroller-friendly and wheelchair-friendly paved path from Sensory Garden.
Want to see more?
After passing the Harrison Sculpture Garden, travel a short distance off the Three-Mile Walk loop to see the Chinese Garden, and rejoin the walk in the parking lot near the Dahlia Trial Garden and Ornamental Grasses.
Pack a Picnic!
There are plenty of grassy spots and benches along Three-Mile Walk that are perfect for picnicking.
Savor your food and the scenery in these places:
Pillsbury Shade Tree Exhibit
Maze Garden (There’s even a picnic table.)
Along the new Bob and Gail Buuck Walkway (Bring a blanket or find a bench.)
