Fairy Falls, Minnesota

Fairy Falls is a waterfall that I had hoped to get a better view and shot of. While not very tall at 45 feet, it’s still large enough to be worth seeking out, but it also leads to a complicated, steep downhill hike.

There is a path that leads to the crest of the falls, where you can see that the drop is significant enough that I wouldn’t want to fall. I hoped to continue along a path that, at times, is steep and not always clearly marked. At the start of the hike, a sign indicates there is no official path to the base of the falls, and they mean it. After you climb uphill on part of the official trail, there’s an area on the right where you can see that people have climbed down, but it hasn’t been cleared intentionally.

I’ve had brain surgery that involved part of my skull being replaced with synthetic material, so I now need to consider whether my decisions might knowingly or unknowingly lead to any issues that could require more surgery. I want to keep those risks at a reasonable level, so after some consideration, my husband and I decided not to attempt the steep downhill climb. Instead, we settled for taking photos from the crest of the falls. This is a waterfall I wouldn’t visit again right now, but I’d check the news every few years to see if any safety updates have been made.

Directions:

1. I would suggest searching for Fairy Falls in Minnesota if you’re interested in visiting. This will give the most recent information about safety upgrades.

Accessibility: 7/10 (easy/moderate to the crest); Base not easily accessible
Height: 45′ (14 m)
Length of Hike: 0.3 miles (0.5 km) roundtrip to crest

Where in the World is Fairy Falls?