Fort Snelling
Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. Visitors find it 5 mi east of Richfield. Management falls to the National Park Service.
A landmark, 5 mi east of Richfield
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 7°, with about 51" of snow a year. When to go ↓
Richfield is the nearest base
Richfield is 5 miles west, with 5 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Established in 1819
Fort Snelling dates from 1819 and is run by National Park Service. About ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 69–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 2 miles away
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP) has airline service, about 2 miles from Fort Snelling.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
The climate here
This is the year’s weather near Fort Snelling.
Fort Snelling
Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The site was initially named Fort Saint Anthony but was renamed Fort Snelling when its construction ended in 1825.
Before the American Civil War, the U.S. Army allowed its soldiers and fur traders to bring their personal enslaved people to the fort. These included African Americans Dred Scott and Harriet Robinson Scott, who lived at the fort in the 1830s. In the 1840s, the Scotts sued for their freedom, arguing that having lived in "free territory" made them free, leading to the landmark United States Supreme Court case Dred Scott v. Sandford. Slavery ended at the fort just before Minnesota became a state in 1858.
- Type
- Landmark
- Established
- 1819
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Listed
- National Historic Landmark (1960) · National Register of Historic Places (1966) · America's Most Endangered Historic Places · National Treasure
- Wikipedia readers
- 32K a year
Hotels and campgrounds near Fort Snelling
Places to stay start in Minneapolis (92) and Bloomington (60).
- 1U.S. Bank Stadium
- 2Huntington Bank Stadium
- 3Grand Casino Arena
- 4Target Field
- 5Nickelodeon Universe
- 6Allianz Field
- 7Bde Maka Ska
- 8Minnesota State Capitol
Minneapolis
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
430,324 people
7 mi northwest of Fort Snelling
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Fort Snelling | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | 7 mi northwest | 10 min | 92 77 hotels · 2 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 5 campgrounds | 430,324 | $362K | D− |
| Bloomington | 8 mi southwest | 10 min | 60 57 hotels · 1 motel · 2 campgrounds | 89,034 | $362K | D |
| St. Paul | 5 mi northeast | 10 min | 36 25 hotels · 3 motels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins | 306,684 | $295K | D |
| Eagan | 5 mi south | 10 min | 26 23 hotels · 1 motel · 2 campgrounds | 67,109 | $397K | C+ |
| Roseville | 9 mi north | 15 min | 16 15 hotels · 1 motel | 35,663 | $352K | D− |
| Burnsville | 10 mi southwest | 15 min | 15 13 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B | 65,244 | $355K | C |
| Eden Prairie | 14 mi west | 20 min | 16 15 hotels · 1 campground | 63,075 | $474K | B |
| Inver Grove Heights | 7 mi southeast | 10 min | 7 4 hotels · 1 motel · 2 lodges & cabins | 36,873 | $363K | C+ |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Other places close by
All of these are within 8 miles.
Big draw17 mi Stadium & arenaU.S. Bank Stadium
26 mi Stadium & arenaHuntington Bank Stadium
35 mi Stadium & arenaGrand Casino Arena
48 mi Stadium & arenaTarget Field
54 mi Theme parkNickelodeon Universe
64 mi Stadium & arenaAllianz Field
77 mi LakeBde Maka Ska
86 mi MuseumMinnesota State CapitolPhoto credits
U.S. Bank Stadium: Darb02, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Huntington Bank Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Grand Casino Arena: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Target Field: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nickelodeon Universe: Tyler Vigen, CC BY 4.0 · Allianz Field: Andy Witchger, CC BY 2.0 · Bde Maka Ska: Tyler Vigen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Minnesota State Capitol: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Know before you visit Fort Snelling
What town is Fort Snelling near?
Richfield, MN, about 5 miles west.
When is the best time to visit Fort Snelling?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 69–83°.
What is the closest airport to Fort Snelling?
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP), about 2 miles away.
Where should I stay near Fort Snelling?
Minneapolis (7 mi, 92 places to stay), Bloomington (8 mi, 60 places to stay) and St. Paul (5 mi, 36 places to stay).
Questions for Richfield
Ask a question, or answer one, in Richfield’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.