Did some Forest Bathing at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden in Minneapolis! This amazing nature garden spans 15-acres with over 500 plant & 130 bird species. Founded in 1907, it is the oldest public wildflower garden in the United States and maintained in a wild, rustic state. There was an exhibit with signs along the way during our walk, very relaxing and great to get in tune with nature.“Settle in. Get grounded. Be present in this moment, feeling the earth beneath your feet. Look around. Breathe in colors, breathe out patterns. Listen to the birds, the people, the wind. Taste the air, smell the season. Feel the day against your skin. You are here. You are alive. Breathe in... breathe out.”

I almost left but glad i didnt... people line up in their cars before it opens. Once the gate is open, you can park in the pay lot, get at least 2 hours on your meter as then you will likely wait to enter. They let groups in at 4 minute intervals... i felt bad for this older couple in front of me as the worker was really challenging them on if they could make it. They do have the trails set up in a one way fashion and you basically need to walk the entire area. If you are just walking the entire trail and good shape, plan a half hour once you get in... if you are stopping to look at plants, birds, squirrels, trees, maybe plan for an hour. They do have a nice option to text a picture to a team member to help with plant identification. If you are planting a native garden, would be nice to walk through here a few times during the year to get an idea of what blooms when and how big things get.

A great walk/hike for all skill levels. Very informative signage and beautiful scenery. A hidden gem in Minneapolis.

A little oasis right outside the city! I had never been here and I was surprised at the many trials to follow. The garden is very nice and has a serene, calming aspect! Very much recommend.

Very cool place! Pretty, easy walk and I love the text a naturalist program! I learned so much more being able to text any questions I had.

A treasure of a place thats great for young and old alike. Kids (even toddlers) can handle the walking paths and love exploring. Paths are incredibly well maintained and groomed.

The Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden in Theodore Wirth Park is an absolute gem of an urban park setting. The paths are well groomed and there are incredible views throughout. There is an easily accessible pay parking lot with immediate access to the paths. As you can see in photos here turtles are abundant in this part of the park. It’s a fantastic setting and people really enjoy it.

Horrible , barely any maps , NO Trail maps, some trails are extremely steep, without knowing this , trying to bring small kids or stroller is bad .Some paths are rocky, roots, and very steep, can’t believe they charge for parking , the nearby park have easily and better maintain paths then this and it’s FREE!I’ve live here most my life and this is my first and last time I will visit this place!

A large variety of wildlife to look at on a very well-maintained trail. During this Covid time, access to the garden is controlled. The staff thats people in every few minutes in order to keep social distancing. The trail is set up as a one-way tour straight through. There are some rest stops where you can use to pass the group in front of you if need be. Parking is easy to get to and you can pay using an app.

A beautiful park near the heart of the city. They have a great COVID/ social distancing set-up, as others have mentioned. Pamphlets provided at the beginning of the walk and signs throughout help you learn what different plants are and fun facts about various flora.

Very peaceful, love how they have accommodated everyone with the covid guidelines. Definitely a must place to see

Lovely trail. Its one way for COVID and they let a group in every four minutes, which is just right

My favorite place to visit in the Cities! Great set up for Covid 19. Send people 5 minutes apart through a one way loop. Always great flowers, plants & birds to see. Pro tip - if you park by cedar lake beach & walk over you wont have to pay for parking. And its worth the walk!

This is one of those places in Minneapolis that makes you forget youre in the middle of the city. Absolutely worth a visit. Keep in mind though its more a hike through the woods and prairie than a garden experience.

Beautiful area to walk around and enjoy nature. I’ve lived in Minnesota my whole life and never knew this place was around until today. It is an awesome place to go and get away from the city. I highly recommend visiting this place at least once. Great place to bring your kids and let them explore.

Beautifully designed Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden is hidden two miles from downtown Minneapolis. Well maintained dirt trails and winding boardwalks. About a mile of trails in the park connect nearby trails seamlessly in all directions for a total of 4 miles or so. My new favorite park.

Small park, but incredible, park right in the heart of the city. A must for all Minneapolitans, if for no other reason then it’s historical significance. One could argue our world class park system owes its start to this century+ old sanctuary. Founded by a teacher, in case you need added incentive. Pay parking (but inexpensive). Also ties into the wider Theo Wirth system so you can definitely while away some time if your so inclined.

Good place for the family the garden is open to walk through takes around 30 mins to do the whole loop

A beautiful, well kept place. A short walk so I do recommend taking it slow. There are also other trails nearby! Better experience when COVID hasnt closed things down though.

They have a very good process for maintaining social distancing.

Experience has been modified for the pandemic. One household can enter every 5 minutes and theres a one way path now as opposed to branching trails to explore. Theyre closed on Mondays now. Benches are taped up too. Still got some wonderful views. Definitely worth a visit.

Very informative garden walk with unique collections. Takes about an hour for the walk and they are making it one way with gaps between parties during covid.

Its beautiful and such a great job landscaping. Its a gem hidden in the city. Benches and seating very nice and well padded walking areas.

Lovely any time of year, and the one-way paths make sure you see the whole thing. Excellent social distancing guidelines.

So many beauties just starting to bloom this time of year. Go out in the woods and be quite. I highly recommend it.

Such a lovely trail, especially with their efforts towards social distancing!! Well be back soon!

Love this place forever

Beautiful sanctuary in the midst of Minneapolis.

This place is like a fairytale forest. You wouldnt even know youre in the city. Lovely walking paths, a picturesque nature center and boardwalk through a marsh.An important practical consideration: they do have bathrooms, of the rustic outhouse variety.

Fantastic! Lots of volunteers staffed today. My kids enjoyed the arts and crafts in the visitor center, and the Please Touch! Items the forest creatures left behind so-to-speak. The kids led our way on their own map around the gardens. We even found Poly The Pollinator!Parking was limited. The only way we got a close spot was to be dropped off at the trail head, but saw a space opening up. So me and my two kids had to go sit inside that spot until my husband drove back around! Teamwork!!

Great spot to see various wildflowers in Minnesota!

GORGEOUS, definately going back, so many varieties of flowing flowering and non flowering plants, birds, and trails that feel like theyre made of memory foam.... If you havent gone, I highly suggest you do.

An oasis in the city filled with old growth trees, local wildflowers and wildlife, and young, smart guides.

It is so beautiful and so well cared for I cant wait to go back with my family and walk around

I went with a friend on my very first hike here. I was really intimidated at first, but it was great! The trails were really easy to navigate and there were several other people on the multiple trails, so its safe as well. Though it was a Sunday afternoon, Im not so sure about after dark. The entrance comes pretty quickly if youre parking, which they offer. I will be going back really soon.

Well tended, Ladys Slippers in bloom!

A very peaceful and joyful experience walking through nature.

Very beautiful place to walk around and see different types of plants.

Gorgeous way to watch the changing of seasons in Minneapolis. I’ve always loved spending the first days of Spring watching the Wild Ginger, Trillium and Skunk Cabbage bloom.My children and I have had fascinating learning experiences because of the naturalists on staff.

Very peaceful and wonderful wildflowers. Unspoiled nature

OMG! This place is fantastic. Thank you Minneapolis Parks!

Nice trails in a wonderfully taken care or area

An urban oasis ️. Best place to come in the Spring and be assured of seeing the Pink LadySlipper in a gorgeous setting.

Beautiful wildflower garden. Great place to see butterflies and birds.

Beautiful. Great way to get outdoors near the cities.

Gorgeous and enjoyable place to hike in warmer seasons. Lots of species of plants to explore and well maintained paths. Great place to spot wildlife or simply spend some time outdoors.

Much needed sanctuary for meditation and connecting with nature.

A walk on the wild side. Still just as beautiful and peaceful as it was when I was a kid

Magical spot that is only tenuously connected to the test of the world!

Went hiking here with the boys. Man it was a humid day. We put in 2.5 miles before we called it a day. Beautiful park!!

One of our favorite spots to get out and experience nature. Love it!

Beautiful place to experience the spring ephemerals, bird watch, or just take a stroll

Decent walk, nothing much else

Not much water right now but beautiful

Covid 19 pacing works well. Plan 40-60 min. for trail plus wait time in line.

A true hidden gem. Close to the city, you can find different types of wildflowers, while enjoying the stroll around the place. Relatively small, but nicely kept and offering several paths. Really recommend it if you have a couple of hours to spend.

Beautiful. One of my favorite places

Visited for the first time and was able to attend Nature Tots with my 2 year old which was super fun experiencially and it got us out of the rain for a bit!

A beautiful walk with many instances to just sit and take in the view.

Very nice place to hike and relax. We went on a Thursday and it was not crowded. Most of the trails were shaded so it was pleasant to walk. We saw some nice flowers and plant and many butterflies and some bees.

Eloise Butler is one of the best places in the Twin Cities to see beautiful native wildflowers. My favorite times to go are in May to see the spring ephemerals and then in late summer to see their native prairie.

I like the exuberance of wild flowers in the prairie section where many tower over my 57. There is also wildlife. Today I saw several birds, a rabbit, 2 wild turkeys, some squirrels, monarch butterflies. Nice place to spend a couple hours walking on well maintained trails.

Beautiful nature with amazing trails surrounded by trees and flowers. If you are ever near here, DEFINITELY check it out. You wont regret it.

Great to get back to nature and it right in the middle of the cities

Beautiful nature area. Well maintained paths. The prairie area in particular was filled with a variety of bees and butterflies. A small area that is good when you have time for a short walk and want to separate from the surrounding urban areas.

A beautiful part of the Theodore Wirth Regional Park. Trails that allow you to see the various types of wildflowers. They also do group tours. There are restrooms, and a visitor shelter. No dogs are allowed within the garden, but the park outside the gates have plenty of paths as well as picnic and beach areas.

Amazing! Could spend hours here. Bring big spray in the Summer!!

One of our favorite places in the city. The moment you walk in, all your worries or anxieties disappear. Magical!

Vince was a great help!

Beauty in the city.

The perfect urban Park to see flowers and birds galore. The staff is so nice and knowledgeable. On our mid May trip here, we saw a fox pup, a great horned owl (and its babe), and about 10 warblers.

If your inner botanist is calling, this is the spot. Free, relatively unknown, and very tranquil, save for the occasional amateur wildlife photographer. A surprisingly lengthy yet compact trail system that takes you through zones of forest, river, prairie and meadow.Flowers may or may not be super abundant, and probably depends on the time of year.Lots of shady parts, if youre escaping summer heat, and benches in abundant supply if you can stop texting for a moment and just take it all in. Who knows, some critter not often seen might scurry by.I would recommend obeying the signs that tell you to not venture off the path, especially if youre allergic to poison ivy.

Beautiful, serene, amazing. A great way to leave the city behind

Beautiful hidden gem right in the heart of the Twin Cities. Its worth visiting multiple times throughout the season as different plants bloom at different times. Hold your breath if you need to use the outhouse.

Amazing as usual... Bugs can be bad in July

Nice place for a quick stroll through the wilderness. And a decent place to explore the outdoors with the kids.

Such a beautiful area set aside in the middle of the cities. Its perfect to get away and enjoy nature for a bit.

Its such a beautiful oasis in the middle of the city! What a gem! My toddler loves their Toddler Tuesday events.

Come early summer it looks like a fantasy garden wildflowers of all types are there and listed by name. pretty cool

This place is a real treasure. Today there were a number of spring wildflowers in bloom, including several species of trillium, false rue anemone, Virginia bluebells, wild geranium, and others. We had a lovely walk, even spotting 3 turkeys.

Absolutely gorgeous landscape showing off native Minnesota wild flowers. Signage is somewhat lacking and it is not designed for people with mobility issues in mind, but thats a shame, because everyone should get to see the stunning natural beauty of Minnesota.

We did the new moon nature walk and it was awesome. I love this place.

Beautiful fall flowers

Absolutely heavenly blissful peace. Taken a nap here and there. Spent a lot of time here this past summer.

Beautiful, well maintained.

Wonderful quiet place in the heart of the city. a great place to bring little children to enjoy nature. The interpretive center always has exploratory activities going on for little ones.

Everyone should go. This place is a jewel. Take a bike ride or stroll and behold this wonderful place.

This is at least a monthly walk for my family and me. We love the wildlife, flowers, and other natural flora throughout the park.

This is a Hidden Gem that you must explore. Its so perfect and calming. Be surrounded by a wide variety of indigenous plants and wildlife. I like to come here after work to find my zen before going home. Not far from the beach and the bike trails. There is also a charming little Visitor Center inside with with very helpful and knowledgeable staff.

A sensory experience!

This place is beautiful and peaceful. A good place to go for a nature walk. The trails are covered in wood chips (which is good because in the early spring it can be very wet and muddy). I brought my young children here and they loved all the flowers and birds. And the visitors center was fun for them too.

Hard to believe that this serene setting is smack dab in the middle of the city. Beautiful.

Pleasant walkways through charming plants and flowers. Great way to relax for an afternoon.

Had a beautiful day at this gem of a park!

Amazing to find such a wild eden in the very midst of the big city

This is a wonderful place for a hike. Its not the largest of areas, but the natural beauty of all native plants and trees is wonderful! Fall is my favorite time there, but spring and summer are both great times to enjoy it.

Wonderful wetland/bog in the middle of the city. Beautiful park & knowledgeable staff!

Small but nice! Dense vegetation! Nice little hike.

In the burbs but you feel like your in the woods!

Dont forget insect repellent so you can take your time and enjoy this beautiful place.