Map of bike paths / walking paths in the City of Minneapolis

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Recreational trails for walking and cycling in the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis is situated along the Mississippi River and is located in Central Minnesota. The city has numerous recreational trails for bike riding, running and walking. These trails are used for getting some outdoor exercise, commuting to work or to school or to do some sight-seeing. The trails are often located along a river or stream, along side one of the city's many lakes, along an abandoned railroad right-of-way, through residential neighborhoods or within the many parks in the area.

Below are descriptions for the recreational trails within the city limits of Minneapolis.

Visit our map for recreational trails for the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro area

Visit our map of cities within the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan area

Grand Rounds Scenic Byway System

The Grand Rounds Scenic Byway consists of around 50 miles of parkways that are located throughout Minneapolis. There are over 100 miles of mostly paved recreational trails within these greenways. The segments include: the Downtown Riverfront, the Chain of Lakes, Minnehaha, the Mississippi River, the Northeast Section, the Victory Memorial and the Theodore Wirth Section.

Read more about the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway

Bassett Creek Trail

The Bassett Creek Trail is a 2.5-mile long paved pathway that connects to the Grand Rounds trail along Theodore Wirth Parkway at its north end near Wirth Lake. Its south end allows a connect to the Cedar Lake Trail neat the interchange of Van White Memorial Parkway and Interstate 384.

The Bassett Creek Trail goes past Theodore With Park, Bassett's Creek Park and Brynn Mawr Meadows Park. The trail includes a pedestrian overpass with spiral ramps at each side.

Midtown Greenway

The Midtown Greenway is a 5.5-mile long paved pathway that runs in an east-west direction across the middle of the city. At its west end, the Midtown Greenway connects to the Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail at a point just north of Lake Street. At it east end the trail connects to the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway at River Parkway south of E. 26th Street.

The Midtown Greenway travels through urban areas and does have a number of road crossings along the route. The route does go under multiple streets between Hennipin Avenue S and E. 28th Street.

Read more about the Midtown Greenway

Hiawatha LRT Trail

The Hiawatha LRT Trail is a 4.7-mile long paved pathway that takes a diagonal route through Minneapolis. The north end of the tail is located along S. 3rd Street at Norm McGrew Place near US Bank Stadium. This point is just blocks from the Stone Arch Bridge over the Mississippi River and the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway trail. The south end of the Hiawatha LRT Trail is located along E. Minnehaha Parkway near the tunnel for Highway 55.

The Hiawatha LRT Trail intersects the Midtown Greenway just south of E. 26th Street. Trail users need to use the pedestrian overpass that crosses Hiawatha Avenue to continue on the Hiawatha LRT Trail. At its south end the Hiawatha LRT Trial intersects the Ground Rounds Scenic Byway trail. The Minnehaha Regional Trail and Minnehaha Regional Park are also located in this area.

Cedar Lake Trail

The Cedar Lake Trail is a 3.3-mile paved pathway that is located just north of Downtown Minneapolis. At its west end, the trail connects to the Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail at the intersection of Cedar Lake Road and Cedar Lake Parkway. The trail also intersects the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway trail at this same location. The east end of the Cedar Lake Trail intersects the the Grand Round Scenic Byway trail along the Mississippi River near W. River Parkway and N. 4th Avenue.

The Cedar Lake Trail goes past the north end of Cedar Lake, intersects Kenilworth Trail then heads under Interstate 384. It comes close to the Bassett Creek Trail and Bryn Mawr Meadows Park near Van White Memorial Boulevard. Heading farther east, the trail goes under Interstate 94 and past Target Field arena.

East Mississippi River Gorge Trail

The East Mississippi River Gorge Trail is a paved pathway that travels for about 8 miles alongside the Mississippi River and adjacent to East River Parkway. The north end of the trail is located near the Northern Pacific Bridge No. 9 which is now a pedestrian bridge just south of the 10th Avenue Bridge. The trail travels as far south as 7th Street West in St. Paul where it meets up with the trails in Crosby Farm Park and the Samuel Morgan Regional Trail.

The East Mississippi River Gorge Trail goes past the following attractions: the campus of the University of Minnesota, Frederick R Weisman Art Museum, East River Flats Park, Meeker Island Lock & Dam Historic Park, the campus of the University of St. Thomas, Shadow Falls Park and Hidden Falls Regional Park.

Minnehaha Park Trails

Minnehaha Park is located where Minnehaha Creek meets the Mississippi River. The park is adjacent to Highway 55 and south of E. 46th Street. There are over 3 miles of paved pathways that wander through the park. Attractions in the park include Minnehaha Falls, Minnehaha Depot, the John H. Stevens Interpretive House, Minnesota Veterans Home and the Wabun Picnic Area.

Minnehaha Park can be reached via the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway trail, the Hiawatha LRT Trail, the Minnehaha Regional Trail and the East Mississippi River River Gorge Trail via the Ford Parkway Bridge.

Shingle Creek Trail

The Shingle Creek Trail is a 1.8-mile long pvaed pathway located to either side of 49th Avenue at the north end of Minneapolis. The trail acts as a connector between the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway trail and the Shingle Creek Regional Trail.

The south end of the Shingle Creek Trail is located along 45th Avenue N. near Weber Park. The north end of the trail is located at 53rd Avenue N. at Lions Park and Centerbrook Golf Course.

North Mississippi Regional Park Trails

North Mississippi Regional Park is located along the Mississippi River to the north of the bridge for 42nd Avenue N. The trails in the park are paved and open for bike riding and walking. These trails allow a connection to the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway trail and the trails in Weber Park.

Minnehaha Trail

The Minnehaha Trail is a paved pathway on the south end of Minneapolis that connects Minnehaha Regional Park with the trails at Fort Snelling.

Kenilworth Trail

The Kenilworth Trail is a 1-mile long paved pathway that is located to the east of Cedar Lake on thw west side of Minneapolis. At its north end, the Kenilworth Trail connects to the Cedar Lake Trail. At its south end, Kenilworth Trail connects to the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway trail and the Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail.

Lake of the Isles Park Trail

The Lake of the Isles Park is located to the east of Cedar Lake and north of W. Lake Street on the west side of Minneapolis. There is a 2.6-mile long paved pathway that wraps around the lake. Other recreational trails in this area include the Midtown Greenway, the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway trail, Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail and the Keniworth Trail.

Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail

The Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail is a 4.5-mile long paved pathway that spans between Hopkins and Minneapolis. The trail follows the route of an abandoned railroad right-of-way and takes a straight shot through the western suburbs of Minneapolis. The trail goes past commercial and industrial areas, residential neighborhoods and allows a connection to several other major recreational trails in the area.

The eastern end of the Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail is located at the south end of Cedar Lake near the intersection of Cedar Lake Parkway and Sunset Boulevard. The Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail connects to the Grand Rounds trail , the Midtown Greenway and the Kenilworth Trail. The western end of the Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail connects to the Minnesota River Bluffs Regional Trail that extends out to the community of Chaska.

Read more about the Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail

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Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails in Minneapolis, Minnesota.