Elk River, Minnesota
Elk River is a city of 26,793 people in Sherburne County, Minnesota.
Why visit Elk River
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 33 parks and trails, 41 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Betty Adkins Bridge, Parrish Avenue Bridge, Elk River Water Tower and Elkhi Stadium.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 4°F, and about 36 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Elk River
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Elk River
Elk River is a city and the county seat of Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States, about 34 miles northwest of Minneapolis. It is at the confluence of the Mississippi and Elk Rivers. The population was 25,835 as of the 2020 census, and was estimated at 27,896 in 2025, making Elk River the second-largest city in the Central Minnesota region after St. Cloud. U.S.
From the Wikipedia article Elk River, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Betty Adkins Bridge
Bridge · 3.0 mi
Road bridge across the Mississippi River between Ostego, Minnesota and Elk River, Minnesota
Parrish Avenue Bridge
Bridge · 2.1 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Museums and landmarks11
Elk River Water Tower
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Water tower in Minnesota, United States
Elkhi Stadium
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Outdoor sports venue in Minnesota, United States
Oliver H. Kelley Homestead
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.2 mi
Human settlement in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States of America
Sparre Barn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Nowthen Historic Town Hall
Monument and historic site · 4.7 mi
19800 Nowthen Boulevard Northwest, Nowthen
Sherburne County Fairgrounds
Monument and historic site · 2.7 mi
18335 Joplin Street Northwest, Elk River
Parks, trails and playgrounds33
Babcock Memorial Park
Park · 3.0 mi
Park in Minnesota, United States of America, United States of America
21 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes41
Old Main Eatery
Diner · American · 2.0 mi
313 Jackson Avenue Northwest, Elk River
Mo-Sa 06:30-14:00; Su 07:00-14:00
Caribou Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.7 mi
19425 Evans Street Northwest, Elk River
29 more on the map.
History
The last glacier to traverse Minnesota is responsible for the creation of the hardwood-forested hills where Elk River is nestled. These hills are made up of coarse materials, which is why gravel mining is so prevalent in Elk River, and also why much of the area is not considered good farmland for culture and agriculture use.
To the south of Elk River lies the prairie. This natural boundary between the prairie and woods was also a boundary between Indian nations. Two battles between the Dakota and Ojibwe took place where the Elk River meets the Mississippi in 1772 and 1773.
From the History section of Elk River, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship13
Nowthen Alliance Church
Church · Alliance · 4.7 mi
19653 Nowthen Boulevard Northwest, Nowthen
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Latter-Day Saints · 4.2 mi
Christ Church Otsego LCMC
Church · Lutheran · 3.6 mi
15849 90th Street Northeast, Otsego
Elk River Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.8 mi
1800 8th Street Northwest, Elk River
Elk River Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 2.0 mi
729 Main Street Northwest, Elk River
Elk River United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 2.0 mi
1304 Main Street Northwest, Elk River
Emmanuel Lutheran Church LCMS
Church · Lutheran · 2.0 mi
1506 Main Street Northwest, Elk River
Gateway Church
Church · Christian And Missionary Alliance · 3.2 mi
13913 185th Avenue Northwest, Elk River
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 1.9 mi
1326 4th Street Northwest, Elk River
Lord of Glory Lutheran Church LCMS
Church · Lutheran · 4.8 mi
15550 190th Avenue Northwest, Elk River
Union Congregational Church
Church · United Church Of Christ · 1.9 mi
1118 4th Street Northwest, Elk River
Shopping9
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries32
Elk River District Shared Time Prog
School · 0.8 mi
11500 193Rd Ave Nw, Elk River
Healthcare4
Map of Elk River
156 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 4°F | 0.8 in | 8.2 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 7°F | 0.8 in | 7.3 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 18°F | 1.7 in | 6.3 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 32°F | 3.0 in | 2.4 in |
| May | 69°F | 44°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 56°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 61°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 58°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 49°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 36°F | 3.0 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 41°F | 24°F | 1.7 in | 5.3 in |
| Dec | 27°F | 11°F | 1.1 in | 6.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Elk Rvr (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Sherburne County has had 3 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Maple Lake Municipal Airport (MGG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Big Lake 9 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Anoka 12 mi southeast, about 19 min by car
- Andover 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Champlin 14 mi southeast, about 23 min by car
- Coon Rapids 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- East Bethel 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- Buffalo 18 mi southwest, about 29 min by car
- Brooklyn Park 19 mi southeast, about 30 min by car
- Blaine 21 mi southeast, about 33 min by car
- Brooklyn Center 22 mi southeast, about 35 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Dwntwn Elk River1, 123dieinafire at en.wikipedia, Public domain
- Elk River Tower, kayden harris, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MNRX 502, Elk River, chief_huddleston, CC BY 4.0
- Elk River Landfill, LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Betty Adkins Bridge, Mdcastle at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Highway 14 Elk River Bridge, Mdcastle at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- BabcockParkPump, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Water Tower 3, ElkRiverCommunications, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Builder in 1,000 Places - 5212480725, chief_huddleston, CC BY 2.0
- Elkhi Stadium, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Elkhi Stadium-1, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Elkhi Stadium wide view, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Elkhi Stadium arch, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Slipstream Sculpture, ElkRiverCommunications, CC BY-SA 4.0
- River's Edge Commons, McGhiever, CC BY 4.0
- 1968 AMC Ambassador SST (37042305590), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- ISS034-E-40508 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS034-E-40507 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS008-E-15279 - View of Iowa, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS059-E-38310 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS034-E-40509 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Sparre Barn, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sparre Barn 1, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS035-E-8655 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-261303 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS056-E-27651 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-19734 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS056-E-27650 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS035-E-8300 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-261304 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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