Chester Park
Chester Creek corridor above East 4th Street, Duluth, MN 55812
About Chester Park
Chester Park runs about 60 acres of forest and creek gorge up the hillside between the university corridor and the East End, following Chester Creek from the lower neighborhoods toward Skyline Parkway. It is the western twin to Congdon Park: same idea, same era of city park building, a different creek.
The trails follow both sides of the gorge and cross it at several points, passing a run of small falls and pools that are at their best in spring melt and after summer rain. The upper end opens onto the ground once used for Duluth's ski jumps, a piece of the city's Nordic history that still shapes the terrain there. Sledding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing carry the winter use.
Because the park sits directly below the College of St. Scholastica and the University of Minnesota Duluth, it doubles as a student running route and an everyday dog walk for the neighborhoods on either side. Footing is rocky and roots are common, and the gorge sides are steep enough to take seriously with small children.
Good to know: creek gorge, waterfalls, hiking trails, historic ski jumps, sledding, cross-country skiing, pond.
Neighborhoods it serves
A creek gorge with waterfalls out the back door, two college campuses up the hill, and east-side housing at less than half the Congdon price.
Congdon ParkOld money, old elms, and a creek out the back door.
East End / EndionDuluth's boom-era hillside, where the mansions and the streetcar city meet.
Hunter's ParkTurrets, curving streets, and Hartley Park at the end of the block.
Where these facts come from
- City of Duluth, Parks and Trails listing accessed 2026-08-13
Last reviewed 2026-08-13 by Guide editorial.