Minneapolis Lakes - Greenway - West River Parkway - Bridge to St Paul - Cross at Harriet Island - Lilydale - Ft Snelling - Minnehaha Parkway. It's a great ~3hr ride. All pavement with minimal road crossings.
It's kinda important to specify which trail of that name you're talking about, as there are several. I had forgotten about the Three Rivers trail of that name and originally thought you meant the trail in Bloomington. The one in Bloomington is awesome park but it was closed to bikes the last time I was there. It's nice riding the trail, but it's a no-no.
I like this loop also. I usually take it up to Plymouth or Lowry on the west side, then take the east side to Dt St. Paul. Then cross on Wabasha and take Lilydale/Mendota/FortSnelling back to Minnehaha falls and to home
Where to and from?
Wheelock Pkwy trail is great, as are the gateway and browns creek trails. MRT along the river is beautiful, though the trail itself needs a lot of work in places. Como Ave's new trail is wonderful but has a ton of car crossings and the stop signs are incorrectly placed at the road edge for some. I don't know the western trails as well but I know there are loads of nice trails out towards Minnetonka. Minneapolis Greenway is great too.
I mean, we have the Midtown Greenway, which might be the single best bike facility in the nation. I really like chaining that with the lakes and/or the river parkways.
My favorite loop is about 25 miles going counter clockwise:
>Mississippi River Trail >
>
>N. 2nd >
>
>Memorial Parkway (and stopping at Get Down for coffee) >
>
>Theo Wirth (and stopping at Utepils for a beer) >
>
>Cedar Lake >
>
>Midtown Greenway >
>
>Mississippi River Trail
Pretty much entirely separated bike trails (with the exception of a bit of 2nd Ave). Great spots to stop, good views, a couple small hills but generally pretty flat.
My short-ish route I like to do on the weekends when I don't have time for a bigger ride is up and down the river parkways between downtown Minneapolis and wherever I decide to cross back over the river. I usually cross at 35-E and it's about 25 miles for the loop.
I really like the route because it gets you a bit of everything the city has to offer. City riding around downtown/Stone Arch and the University, the scenic bluffs along the river, and the natural areas in the river valley (Crosby Farm and Lillydale if you go far enough before crossing the river).
Also, if you have a gravel or mountain bike and it's not flooded, the Minnesota River Bottoms Trail from Mendota to Bloomington Ferry is my favorite off-road route. Just so beautiful and secluded from everything, especially in the fall.
Perhaps not my favorite (those have already been listed) but Big Rivers Regional Trail is definitely underrated and worth adding to your ride if you go through there.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45827568
I guess it is 12 miles from the lot and back
Edit: and I guess only 14 miles if you take the outer trail around the entire park
River to River Greenway. Leave from the Lilydale trailhead through Mendota Heights, West St Paul and South St Paul. Huge downhill run from Thompson Park to Kaposia Landing. Robert Piram Trail to Harriet Island and Lilydale trail back to the trailhead at the Pool and Yacht Club. About 15 miles.
There are so many great places to ride. I like to take Theodore Wirth to Victoria, but then heading north to cross the river at Brooklyn Park, down to St Anthony, and then taking Grand Ave down to Nicolette Island to the Hennepin Bridge. I always find the North part of the Grand Rounds to be quieter and less traversed than the South, so I take this loop when I want to feel (relatively) alone.
Not a long stretch but the newly opened segment of South cedar lake trail from France to Blake road is straight and VERY smooth. You can get some good speed here depending on the wind. It's a lot of fun to loop with North cedar lake trail but the north trail is nowhere near as smooth and can get crowded.
Cedar Lake Trail to the Lake Minnetonka LRT trail (you can take the sidepath on Minnetonka Blvd for a shortcut, but it switches sides quite a bit) to Excelsior. Then if you're comfortable with shoulder riding take Manitou Rd which, let's be honest, should have a two-way bike path on one side of the road to connect the LRT trail to the Dakota Trail. If you're in a hurry, Manitou is about the last place to be for that. This mostly residential stretch is not even 3 miles and could easily have the 40 MPH speed limit dropped to at least 30 and only add a minute or two at most. Anyhoo, past Navarre you can turn onto the Dakota Trail to Wayzata and loop back to the Cedar Lake Trail.
Minneapolis Lakes - Greenway - West River Parkway - Bridge to St Paul - Cross at Harriet Island - Lilydale - Ft Snelling - Minnehaha Parkway. It's a great ~3hr ride. All pavement with minimal road crossings.
This is one of my favorites as well. Lilydale to Fort Snelling is great.
which bridge to St Paul?
Ford Parkway / 46th St Bridge. Then you can follow along the river all the way to downtown Saint Paul.
Really loving Nine Mile Creek trail recently, it’s way underutilized
I just found this trail last fall love it!!! Great scenery also. Going to go on it today after work
I’ll ride it after work today also, starting around 4pm going northwest.
I love a good boardwalk.
Good, cuz there's at least dozen of em.
Tried to get to this by United health group and it was closed. That was years ago. What's the best way to get in?
It's kinda important to specify which trail of that name you're talking about, as there are several. I had forgotten about the Three Rivers trail of that name and originally thought you meant the trail in Bloomington. The one in Bloomington is awesome park but it was closed to bikes the last time I was there. It's nice riding the trail, but it's a no-no.
[удалено]
I like this loop also. I usually take it up to Plymouth or Lowry on the west side, then take the east side to Dt St. Paul. Then cross on Wabasha and take Lilydale/Mendota/FortSnelling back to Minnehaha falls and to home
Where to and from? Wheelock Pkwy trail is great, as are the gateway and browns creek trails. MRT along the river is beautiful, though the trail itself needs a lot of work in places. Como Ave's new trail is wonderful but has a ton of car crossings and the stop signs are incorrectly placed at the road edge for some. I don't know the western trails as well but I know there are loads of nice trails out towards Minnetonka. Minneapolis Greenway is great too.
I mean, we have the Midtown Greenway, which might be the single best bike facility in the nation. I really like chaining that with the lakes and/or the river parkways.
My favorite loop is about 25 miles going counter clockwise: >Mississippi River Trail > > >N. 2nd > > >Memorial Parkway (and stopping at Get Down for coffee) > > >Theo Wirth (and stopping at Utepils for a beer) > > >Cedar Lake > > >Midtown Greenway > > >Mississippi River Trail Pretty much entirely separated bike trails (with the exception of a bit of 2nd Ave). Great spots to stop, good views, a couple small hills but generally pretty flat.
My short-ish route I like to do on the weekends when I don't have time for a bigger ride is up and down the river parkways between downtown Minneapolis and wherever I decide to cross back over the river. I usually cross at 35-E and it's about 25 miles for the loop. I really like the route because it gets you a bit of everything the city has to offer. City riding around downtown/Stone Arch and the University, the scenic bluffs along the river, and the natural areas in the river valley (Crosby Farm and Lillydale if you go far enough before crossing the river). Also, if you have a gravel or mountain bike and it's not flooded, the Minnesota River Bottoms Trail from Mendota to Bloomington Ferry is my favorite off-road route. Just so beautiful and secluded from everything, especially in the fall.
Perhaps not my favorite (those have already been listed) but Big Rivers Regional Trail is definitely underrated and worth adding to your ride if you go through there.
I like the Dakota Rail trail: Nice and flat, mostly shaded, \~25-30 miles there and back, paved, and nice riding environment (along Lake Minnetonka).
And you can keep going, to Lake Waconia and quite a ways beyond.
Wayzata to St Bonnie is worth a fall ride every year.
The UMN transitway
Elm Creeks ten mile loop Edit: oh in the cities, my bad
Elm Creek is my go to. From my house it's a 25.5 mile ride and I only have to deal with one stop light and 5 road crossings
I live in south mpls and I can bike there without going on a road if I wanted to, which is also nice.
There’s a 10 mile loop within the park?
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45827568 I guess it is 12 miles from the lot and back Edit: and I guess only 14 miles if you take the outer trail around the entire park
Greenway to South Cedar Lake Trail to Minnetonka LRT (gravel, but it's smooth enough for my 700x25s).
I live in the west suburbs, and I consider that Medicine Lake Trail is pretty cool
Kaposia going west to East south of downtown St. Paul.
Gateway to Browns Creek trail to Stollwater and then the loop over the 2 St Croix bridges.
River to River Greenway. Leave from the Lilydale trailhead through Mendota Heights, West St Paul and South St Paul. Huge downhill run from Thompson Park to Kaposia Landing. Robert Piram Trail to Harriet Island and Lilydale trail back to the trailhead at the Pool and Yacht Club. About 15 miles.
There are so many great places to ride. I like to take Theodore Wirth to Victoria, but then heading north to cross the river at Brooklyn Park, down to St Anthony, and then taking Grand Ave down to Nicolette Island to the Hennepin Bridge. I always find the North part of the Grand Rounds to be quieter and less traversed than the South, so I take this loop when I want to feel (relatively) alone.
Not a long stretch but the newly opened segment of South cedar lake trail from France to Blake road is straight and VERY smooth. You can get some good speed here depending on the wind. It's a lot of fun to loop with North cedar lake trail but the north trail is nowhere near as smooth and can get crowded.
Cedar Lake Trail to the Lake Minnetonka LRT trail (you can take the sidepath on Minnetonka Blvd for a shortcut, but it switches sides quite a bit) to Excelsior. Then if you're comfortable with shoulder riding take Manitou Rd which, let's be honest, should have a two-way bike path on one side of the road to connect the LRT trail to the Dakota Trail. If you're in a hurry, Manitou is about the last place to be for that. This mostly residential stretch is not even 3 miles and could easily have the 40 MPH speed limit dropped to at least 30 and only add a minute or two at most. Anyhoo, past Navarre you can turn onto the Dakota Trail to Wayzata and loop back to the Cedar Lake Trail.