Trails in Minneapolis

Trails in Minneapolis
Midtown Greenway is one of many shared-use paths in Minneapolis for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Type
  • Shared-use paths
  • Hiking trails
  • Cross-country ski trails
  • Pedestrian areas
  • Long-distance trails
LocationMinneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Minneapolis is often considered one of the top biking and walking cities in the United States due to its vast network of trails and dedicated pedestrian areas. In 2020, Walk Score rated Minneapolis as 13th highest among cities over 200,000 people.[1] Some bicycling ratings list Minneapolis at the top of all United States cities,[2] while others list Minneapolis in the top ten.[3] There are over 80 miles (130 km)[4] of paved, protected pathways in Minneapolis for use as transportation and recreation. The city's Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway parkway system accounts for the vast majority of the city's shared-use paths at approximately 50 miles (80 km) of dedicated biking and walking areas.[5] By 2008, other city, county, and park board areas accounted for approximately 30 miles (48 km) of additional trails, for a city-wide total of approximately 80 miles (130 km) of protected pathways. The network of shared biking and walking paths continued to grow into the late 2010s with the additions of the Hiawatha LRT Trail gap remediation, Min Hi Line pilot projects, and Samatar Crossing.[4] The city also features several natural-surface hiking trails, mountain-biking paths, groomed cross-country ski trails in winter, and other pedestrian walkways.

Shared-use/mixed-use paths

Minneapolis includes a number of shared-use or mixed-use paths, which are separate from a roadway, and they support multiple recreation and transportation opportunities, such as bicycling, walking, inline skating, roller skiing, and people in wheelchairs. In the U.S. state of Minnesota, shared-use path standards in are set by Administrative Rules, chapter 8820.9995.[6][7] The Minnesota Department of Transportation also provides guidance for the design of shared-use paths.[8]

This list includes notable shared-use paths in the city limits of Minneapolis, either whole or in part, and excludes roadway-only bike lanes, hiking-only trails, and mountain bike routes:

Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway system

See also: Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway
Cyclists crossing near Bde Maka Ska

Paths along parkways

  • Memorial and Webber Parkways—3.85 miles (6.20 km)
  • Wirth Parkway—3.54 miles (5.70 km)
  • Dean Parkway—0.59 miles (0.95 km)
  • William Berry Parkway—0.56 miles (0.90 km)
  • Minnehaha Creek—4.93 miles (7.93 km)
  • Godfrey Parkway—0.5 miles (0.80 km)
  • West River and James I. Rice Parkways—7.25 miles (11.67 km)
  • East River Parkway—approximately 2.1 miles (3.4 km)
  • St. Anthony Parkway—2.8 miles (4.5 km)
  • Stinson Parkway—0.95 miles (1.53 km)
  • Ridgeway Parkway—0.75 miles (1.21 km)

Paths around lakes

The Dinkytown Greenway is one of the trails that is lit at night.

City, county, and park board paths

See also: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and Three Rivers Park District

Bridges over the Mississippi River with paths

See also: List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River

List of bridges over the Mississippi River with bicycle and pedestrian paths:

The Stone Arch Bridge is a popular connection over the Mississippi River.

Hiking trails

List of natural-surface hiking trails in Minneapolis:

Cross-country ski trails

List of cross-country ski trails in Minneapolis, which are groomed in winter when there is sufficient snowfall conditions:[10][11]

Pedestrian pathways and walking areas

List of pedestrian pathways and walking areas in Minneapolis:

List of former pedestrian areas in Minneapolis:

  • George Floyd Square—occupied protest of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in 2020 and 2021 that closed the street to vehicular traffic

Long-distance trails

List of long-distance trails in Minneapolis:

  • Mississippi River Trail (MRT)—the 3,000-mile (4,800 km) cycling and pedestrian route from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to Venice, Louisiana, appropriates portions of the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway trail system and Minnehaha Trail in Minneapolis.

See also

References

  1. ^ "2020 City & Neighborhood Ranking". Walk Score. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  2. ^ Higgins-Dunn, Noah (2019-12-12). "The 10 most bike-friendly cities in the US". CNBC.
  3. ^ Shilton, A. C.; Editors, the Bicycling Magazine (10 October 2018). "The Best Bike Cities in America". Bicycling. Retrieved 2020-01-24. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ a b "City of Minneapolis Bicycle Program". 2008-09-19. Archived from the original on 2008-09-19.
  5. ^ "Grand Rounds Scenic Byway System". Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
  6. ^ "Bicycle Path Design". www.dot.state.mn.us. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
  7. ^ "8820.9995 - MN Rules Part". www.revisor.mn.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
  8. ^ Minnesota Department of Transportation (March 2007). "Mn/DOT Bikeway Facility Design Manual" (PDF). p. 22.
  9. ^ "The Mall Park". Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
  10. ^ Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (2021). "Cross-Country Skiing". Events & Activities. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  11. ^ "Maps & Trail Conditions". The Loppet Foundation. 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-01.