 Minnehaha Creek extends from Lake Minnetonka in the west and flows east for 22 miles ( 35 km ) through several suburbs west of Minneapolis , and continuing through south Minneapolis . The watershed for the creek covers 181 square miles ( 470 km2 ) . Along the creek is a 53 @-@ foot ( 16 @-@ meter ) waterfall , Minnehaha Falls , which is situated 3 / 4 of a mile from where the stream empties into the Mississippi River . 
