John A. Latsch State Park in Winona

Last climbed the 500+ steps here when I was 10 years younger and a good few pounds lighter. The climb is well worth it for the beautiful view you get. In season you can see breeding Peregrine falcons, bald eagles and many other birds.Some of the steps can be a little slippy and some are loose, so watch your footing.Its a beautiful spot with stunning views.

It was a nice view, but struggling to decide if it’s worth having to climb all those stairs.

Rode bicycle up from winona. First time there, pleasantly surprised. Highly recommend the River View Trail

It is not like a typical MN State Park with a ranger station. When you get in, it is a very small park area. The actual fun is the 300+ stairs up to the top of the bluff! It is hard and should take about 25-30 minutes to get up and about the same to get down. Well worth it though once you see the view at the top. A super rewarding hike.

Fitness test and this time I passed over 400 feet up over 600 steps

A much shorter hike than I thought, but the steep stairs definitely make it more challenging! I counted 588 stairs total, but was huffing and puffing so that may not be the exact total. I saw some hikers taking small children up - probably not the best plan unless you’re up to carrying them on your back halfway through. The view was great, but the top was pretty overgrown with not much room.

You dont even need a state park sticker to hit this park, just the ability to climb 400 stairs. The view is stunning from the top, I spent 15 minutes up there just admiring the view. The whole driftless area just has great parkland, especially in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Small park. Beautiful views. Worth the stop but be careful. The steps are dangerously rotted and in poor condition. It needs a major renovation.

Dangerous in winter. But fun hike up like 80 floors of stairs to a great view.

Tried to go up the stairs with a dog in winter, we made it halfway.. will be back solo or come some less snow to get the full experience.

Somewhat challenging but totally worth it. Its a 450 ft elevation gain over 0.7 miles. You should be fine if you take your time and a couple breaks along the way no matter your fitness level. There are stairs (though they may get slick in the snow). We went a week or two before peak fall, but it was still a pretty hike. Past the vista, the trail extends deeper into the mountain. Its a short loop with lots of bush. The trail is narrow and not well maintained/traversed. Kind of hard to see and easy to get lost. I would not recommend continuing the trail past the vista.

This is such a fun hike. The views are amazing. You will need water and your binoculars to enjoy the top. The stairs will take their toll on you. My 4 year old enjoyed the hike, while some of those who were afraid of heights got scared. The top has a nice loop to hike but it is not visited often.

Only one path consisting of over 500 steps that lead to a very nice view of the Mississippi. The path that continues beyond the top is overgrown and blocked by downed trees and generally not worth it. Small parking area. No permit required. Some steps are loose and rotten, so be careful.

If it is a nice hike make sure you bring water with you If it is 5 or 600 steps to the top But worth it

Beautiful views of the Mississippi river and the bluffs. Theres 500 plus stairs to the top but it is worth it when you get up there. Plus you might even see a river barge as the dam is right there.

Beautiful views but quite a workout up 550+ stairs

Nice short hike. Be prepared for lots of stairs! The view at the top is worth it! We spent an hour here and about 45 minutes of actual hiking.

This is a small park with a single hike ending in a wonderful view. The hike up the bluff is 585 wooden steps plus some short bits directly on the rock itself, all uphill! Make sure to bring water and allow yourself to take breaks going up and down.There are two points along the stairs to pause and take in the view. These are wonderful! The end of the trail is the top of the bluff. Take time to take in the view of the Mississippi and the surrounding bluffs and congratulate yourself and your companions for making it to the top!

There were long steep endless steps up to the top but a panoramic view of Mississippi River was all worth it although I didnt get to see eagles flying below the bluff.

Get ready for some exercise! This small state park consists of a patch of bluff with an amazing view, but you’ve got to walk up 450 stairs to get the reward. It’s great fun (ha!and very good for you (builds character!and don’t worry, there are several benches in which you can collapse - oops, I mean REST- along the way. One of my favorite short hikes, but not for the literally faint of heart. You got this!

Small park, nice little road side stop. Lots of stairs, great for a cardio run. Small off the trail paths that loop once you hit the vantage point. Worth the stop if your in the area or heading to other parks, I was heading to Whitewater

We visited John Latsch State Park last summer on our way home from visiting another park. Frankly, we didn’t know anything about the park when we stopped and were a little surprised by how small the park is.The park consists of a parking lot, an unimproved bathroom facility, some picnic tables, plenty of mosquitoes at the base, and a trail consisting almost entirely of steps to the top of the bluff overlooking the river. The view from the top is beautiful!Our pre-K child was able to complete the climb almost by himself. The climb isn’t super difficult if you’re in moderate shape or better.

Great short and scenic hike located immediately off the highway. Getting to the top and back can be done in far less time than the 1-hour estimate stated on the trailhead sign.

Great hike. Labeled as difficult, which isnt wrong. Roughly 580 steps to the gorgeous vista of the Mississippi River valley. Caution as the steps can be slippery when wet or covered in leaves. A few loose steps as well so pay attention. Wish it was still an actual campground.

Great view . Good cool weather exercise .

It is an absolutely beautiful view from the top! The 425 rise in elevation is marked as "Difficult but so worth it

Wooden step trail up the bluff to a beautiful view! Its usually quiet and its a great workout.

Gorgeous views of the Mississippi river and bluffs from the top. We went in the fall so the changing colors made it extra beautiful. Its about 600 steps straight up so isnt for the faint of heart. (Seriously! Its quite a workout and some of the wooden steps are loose, uneven or slick when wet!)I dont think Id want to attempt it in high heat/humidity and definitely not with children under 7. Our 7 1/2-year-old daughter wasnt a fan of the steep steps but eventually made it to the top. From the overlook, I was nervous about her getting too close to the edge. On the very last step going down, she tripped over an uneven board and fell. It ended in lots of tears and a badly skinned elbow.

A bit of a climb but well worth it. Watch out for loose steps.

Want a good workout, climb 597 stair to the top of the lookout, absorb the fantastic view. Spectacular views!

Beautiful view! Worth the climb!

Wonderful state park, lived the hike up the stairs great to workout your lungs and legs and beautiful sights to see!

Be ready to walk up a ton of stairs. Literally this park is a parking lot with a few picnic tables and a stairway to the top of the bluff. There is a short out and back trail at the top so you can look down into the valley between the bluff, which probably was prettier a week or so after we were here, because the leaves on the trees away from the river were just changing. That being said, the views of the river valley are spectacular. This was worth the stop, and considering we have driven past this countless times over the decades that we have been going to Winona, a am surprised we didnt stop earlier. But it is probably just a once and done thing. I would need to be pretty motivated to tackle 900+ stairs again.

The views can be stunning, but the hike can be dangerous if it has rained recently. The hike up is almost all vertical and the wooden steps can get very slick. Parts of the stairs have no rails, so the potential to fall down the hillside is high.

Holy smokes, thats a lot of stairs! About the same number of stairs as on the Hiking Club trail at Tettegouche State Park, which you should also visit if you like stairs and beautiful Minnesota scenery.

Great views of the Mississippi River and bluff country. One trail takes you to the top of a bluff (consists almost entirely of wooden stairs), and offers the best view in the park.

Theres not much to this little state park, side from the 450 foot climb to a breathtaking view of the Mississippi River valley, including the lock and dam. The beauty is worth the workout! The wooden steps are slippery when wet, so use caution after a rain. Be careful--a couple steps wobble. At the bottom, there are a few picnic tables and plenty of shade.

First time I tried hiking these stairs I almost puked. Now I am a frequent flyer at this park! The views are truly spectacular and definitely worth the climb.

I love this place! The view is absolutely amazing. We took our 2 dogs with us and they had no problem with the hike up and down the stairs and nowhere close to being tired at the end. Its worth making a stop if youre visiting Whitewater or Frontenac State Park.

Love it! The stairs are awesome to climb and easy for my girls and I to get outside and the view of the river is gorgeous!

A quickish hike up some 400 stairs to get a great overlook of the river and surrounding areas. Its easy to access right off of the highway. Do not expect amenities found in other state parks. Theres a port-a-potty, a picnic table, and not much else. We found some semi-official trails at the top of the bluff that were fun to hike through, but they sort of disappeared after walking for 15 minutes or so.

The Riverview trail was seriously challenging on this day. It is very steep and the steps were wet and very slippery. The view on top is spectacular but you earn it.

An extremely gorgeous hike up the 400+ steps to the vista! This is definitely an underrated state park!

Great place to visit, if you like to actually hike. The trail goes straight up the side of a steep hill. Dont get me wrong, it was well worth the work that you put in to get to the top, but its a lot of stairs. There are a couple of places to stop to over look the river along the way. I wouldnt recommend this for small children, if you are going all the way to the top.

A great little State park on a wonderful piece of land. Know what you are getting into with this park, there is a great elevation change. By climbing the stairs you will rise over five hundred feet up above the Mississippi River. The over look is spectacular and you can see up and down the river for Miles. In the fall this is great for looking at the fall colors. Its a tricky stop along the highway but you will not be disappointed

Tough climb, 586 steps or so, but worth it

Its excellent if you want a quick hike. Really small and a little tricky to catch the entrance. The hike was about a 500 foot elevation gain, but still really short. The view is worth it.

Hidden in the bluff this 600 step hike has a fabulous view of the lock and dam. Bring your bug spray, camera and a bottle of water to make the vertical climb.

Beautiful MN State Park. One of the smaller parks, but dont let that fool you. Great place for a picnic. Short hike to the lookout where you will have a grand view of the Mississippi River Valley and Lock & Dam #5.

Great afternoon adventure for the outdoors type.I do not intend to give this state park a negative review at all. It was a beautiful afternoon excursion for my wife and I.There werent facilities or service to be considered in my experience- just an outhouse and a picnic table......and these steps up 400 ft to a beautiful overlook of the Mississippi!