The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is only 10 miles from downtown Minneapolis, and the Visitor Center is just a short walk from the Mall of America Hilton Hotel. With 34 miles of river bottoms, it is one of only four urban wildlife refuges in the United States… and one of the best places to hike in the Twin Cities. Bird watchers, put this at the top of your list!
There are many different natural areas called Units along the Minnesota River, with miles of trails connecting with other trail systems. The Long Meadow Lake Unit near the Mall of America is where the Visitor Center is located at 3815 American Boulevard East in Bloomington and includes a trail link to nearby Fort Snelling State Park.
This unit has a wheelchair accessible overlook, but there are lots of steps and sloping chipped trails down to the river valley. The grasses on the way to the trails were teaming with fireflies when I stopped recently… hard to appreciate just how many they were because they blended into their environment so well.
Because this site is so close to both the Mall of America and the International Airport there aren't a lot of houses in the immediate area. However, the striking green certified Reflections condos are very close… and also right on the Light Rail Transit line.
Click here to see currently homes for sale in the area around the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington, MN. (Please be patient while the link searches for the most current listings…pass your cursor over the dots on the map or scroll down for property information.)
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – Email – Minneapolis Realtor
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