Camp Ripley/Veterans State Trail — Mill Park return
Minnesota · Other separated ride
Begin at Mill Park and take a short ride south along the western Camp Ripley/Veterans State Trail beside Lindbergh Drive. Turn back before the County Road 127 junction, identified as 10th Street Southwest on the owner’s map. The same paved path brings you back to Mill Park.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Little Falls · Minnesota
- Ride length
- 1.5 mi
- Ride format
- Out-and-back
- Surface
- Paved state-trail sidepath; riverbank and private paths excluded.
- Road crossings
- Walk from Mill Park to the paved main path, ride southwest and turn before County Road 127. State-park construction access, the major road junction and the eastern motorized section are excluded.
- Elevation
- The owner’s elevation plot suggests a relatively gentle selected stretch, with some undulations. This is an inference, not a measured maximum slope or parking-access assessment.
- Starting location
- 6th Avenue Southwest and Lindbergh Drive South, Little Falls, MN56345
About 1.5 miles on the main trail and back, estimated from the owner map. Turn before County Road 127; the parking walk is extra and the exact clear turn can shorten the distance.
Municipal Mill Park facility-map reference; not a verified parking stall or exact state-trail junction.
Camp Ripley/Veterans State Trail — Mill Park return — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-12. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
Little Falls, Minnesota · approximately 1.5 miles return · paved shared-use path
Begin at Mill Park and take a short ride south along the western Camp Ripley/Veterans State Trail beside Lindbergh Drive. Turn back before the County Road 127 junction, identified as 10th Street Southwest on the owner’s map. The same paved path brings you back to Mill Park.
This outing uses part of the existing 1.4-mile western bicycle trail. It offers a modest first ride, with a clear before-road turnaround and a public park at the starting end. The approximately 1.5-mile return distance is an estimate from the owner’s route map and elevation-profile axis. It includes roughly three-quarters of a mile each way, with the walk from your parking space additional. It is not a surveyed distance or a downloadable navigation track.
Start at Mill Park
Use the city’s current location: 6th Avenue Southwest and Lindbergh Drive South, Little Falls, Minnesota 56345. Follow signs to the designated park parking area. The DNR trail profile explicitly recommends Mill Park parking, and its September 2026 map shows parking at the northern end of the paved trail.
Walk your bicycle from your space to the main paved state trail. The map shows the park-end connection, but the precise length and current condition of the walk from an individual stall have not been measured. Stay with marked public access and comply with entrance signs. The city’s tourism page uses Fifth Avenue Southwest, while the current municipal park listing gives Sixth Avenue Southwest; use the municipal listing and park signs for arrival.
Mill Park preserves the history of the former Hennepin Paper Company. The city lists information kiosks, a pavilion, picnic tables and a seasonal portable toilet. Treat the historic walking paths as a separate visit on foot. Their existence does not establish bicycle access or a firm surface for this ride. Bring drinking water: a fountain is not confirmed in the selected park listing.
Ride south and return before County Road 127
From the park connection, follow the designated paved state trail south and southwest along the Lindbergh Drive corridor. Use the continuous paved bicycle path shown by the thick line on the DNR map. Nearby streets, private properties, riverbank paths and the separate eastern motorized trail are outside this outing.
The turnaround is before the County Road 127/10th Street Southwest junction. Stop in a clear place on the path where you can turn without blocking others, then retrace your route northeast and north to Mill Park. Turn earlier if that space is crowded or a barrier interrupts the path. An earlier return will be shorter than the approximate advertised distance.
A path beside a road still requires attention at local street and driveway interfaces. Watch for vehicles entering or leaving the corridor, follow signs and yield as required. Dismount where an approach is unclear or uncomfortable. This guide avoids continuing across County Road 127, and it does not recommend a road detour around a closure.
Surface and effort
The DNR identifies the western trail as paved and used for bicycling and in-line skating. Its current map keeps that developed route distinct from park hiking paths and unpaved paths near the river.
The owner’s plotted elevation profile shows modest undulations along the western 1.4 miles, rather than a sustained large climb. That supports a relatively gentle terrain inference for this short section. The plot is not an independent maximum-gradient measurement or an inspection of every driveway transition. Judge the actual surface and approaches at your own comfort level; walking a short transition is an option.
Keep right, give an audible warning before passing and yield to people moving more slowly. Stay on the designated path and keep leashed pets close. Check current posted device rules if using an electric bicycle.
Access and current conditions
Use Mill Park’s posted hours and parking terms. The city’s general 24-hour municipal parking limit is not a statement that this park is open overnight. The state park at the southern end lists 8 a.m.–10 p.m. hours and requires a vehicle permit for parking there; those are separate facilities from this selected municipal starting point. A specific ordinary-ride or Mill Park parking charge has not been established in the sources reviewed.
The southern state park is undergoing day-use renovation. Its older August alert anticipated early October completion, while the seasonal page viewed in October gives a later October forecast and says shelter rentals remain halted. This selected before-County-Road-127 outing stops before the state-park work area. Check current notices and the Mill Park entrance before relying on access; a forecast is not proof that construction has finished.
Several state-park facilities are closed for the season, and its water descriptions conflict. Mill Park’s portable toilet is seasonal as well. Plan this ride with your own water and an independently confirmed restroom option.
Sources and publication check
Research reviewed October 12, 2026. This original editorial guide is complete with the qualifications above. Publication still requires a fresh check of the Mill Park entrance, walking connection, local street and driveway interfaces, posted hours and charges, and a clear turnaround before County Road 127.