This is a great park to check out for either a quick walk or a longer hike. It is close to Interstate Highway 35 and very convenient for people traveling between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Duluth. On August 6, 2025, I was nearby at a friend’s cabin and decided to spend some time here before heading home. In the past I have spent days camping here or renting the cabin located in the campground. The picnic area has parking with pit toilets and a faucet for drinking water. A restroom with flush toilets and sinks can be found in the campground, but don’t park there unless you are camping.
An interesting short hike at this park is the Quarry Loop. It is about 2 miles and starts from the picnic area parking lot. You will see what remains of the town and sandstone quarry that were here for only 20 years: 1892-1912.
If you want to get to the river’s edge, look for a spur trail at the ruin of the concrete building. This loop also has beautiful sections that go through the forest with footbridges over the stream.
I want to be clear that I do not approve of defacing public places. However, the graffiti I saw in August 2025 spoke to me. The Time is Now, indeed!
At the far end of the Quarry Loop you can choose to keep following the river to Wolf Creek Falls. That part of the trail has moss covered rocks partially buried and lots of trees. In places the trail is hard to follow and you must scramble over rocks. Listen for the sound of the falls, you are almost there. Suddenly you are even with the top of the falls and looking down on a natural outdoor pool with a wall of falling water on one side.(Unless there has not been much rain and it is just a trickle, like in my photo). It is not tall, only about 10 feet (3 or 4 meters). It is a serene wonderland if it is not too busy. I suggest going mid-week early in the day. It is still worth it on a weekend afternoon, it will just be a slightly different experience.
The other trails have names like Dead Man’s Trail, Hell’s Gate Trail, High Bluff Trail, Skunk Cabbage Trail, and Trillium Trail. There are in fact many trillium flowers. These photos were taken in May of 2022. I had a lucky break once when camping here. When I got up in the morning, I saw that a nearby tree was broken. There was no storm in the night, the tree must have already been that way when I got there. If it had fallen all the way, it would have landed on my tent. Always look up when placing your tent!
It has been awhile since I explored the other trails. I remember tall grass and ticks on the upper skunk cabbage trail. It was early in summer. I hear the wildflowers are beautiful once they are in bloom. There are also trails on the other side of the river, but there are no trail crossings over the river. You would have to park on the other side or use watercraft to access those trails. There is a parking lot for bouldering near the town of Sandstone. Also in Sandstone is Robinson Park. Another great place to hike that used to be a quarry. So many hikes!
What stories do you have of Banning State Park or the other hikes in this area? Please share in the comments! I’ll leave you with this image of the art I created on this day. I have not decided yet if it is a keeper, but I sure enjoyed my time creating it.
Tammy Nara 
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