The Wake

Fall is a beautiful time of year. School has started, the leaves are changing colors, and the weather has cooled off just enough to break out your favorite sweater. It is the perfect time of year for a bicycle ride! Too often, we fall into the groove of riding our bikes only as a means of getting to and from the places we need to go. However, it’s nice to get out there on a bike and cycle just for the pleasure of cycling! We have compiled a section of trails that will allow you to do just that. We have taken into consideration a number of characteristics that will allow anyone to choose the ride that best suits their needs. Happy trails!

The Theodore Wirth Parkway

North of downtown Minneapolis on Glenwood Avenue, the Theodore Wirth Byway
District is the largest regional park in the city. Miles of trail wind through this
beautiful area, which features a beach, picnic grounds, sledding hills and much
more. The main trail, 4 miles long, is also part of Grand Rounds, a 50-mile trail
system that weaves around the entire city of Minneapolis.

Difficulty: 7

The Parkway is full of fairly steep hills that take some serious effort to climb. These trails are frequented by joggers, dog walkers and rollerbladers as well as cyclists, so an additional challenge of sharing the trail is one to consider.

Scenery: 8

Theodore Wirth Park is, for the most part, beautifully preserved. The forest has exploded into full fall colors, so this time of year is an especially beautiful time to take a ride through the trees. The park also features a quaking bog and a wildflower area, both of which are exceptionally cool. This is one of the only places in the city where I have found myself feeling in tune with nature.

Safety: Moderate

As with all difficult trails, it is important to be aware of surroundings when biking through Theodore Wirth Park. Since the sides of the trails are heavily wooded, a helmet is a good idea, just in case there is an accident. Making sure that your brakes are well-functioning is also imperative to your safety and the safety of others. It is crucial to be aware of the pedestrians of all sorts with whom you share the trails. Around any corner could be a runner, a child or a person with a dog, so taking care to look out for others is a must.

The Midtown Greenway

The Midtown Greenway runs widthwise across Minneapolis just north of Lake Street, and spans 5.5 miles, from Lake Calhoun to West River Road. Begun in 2000 and completed in its current configuration in 2006, the trail-way has been a smashing success, with 4485 people using the Greenway in one day on July 4th, 2007.

Difficulty: 1

The Greenway is easy riding at its finest. The trail is located in a railroad trench, below grade, with streets passing above the trail. Because of this, you can ride from one end of the Greenway to the other without stopping, which is a great advantage when you need to traverse the city quickly. Hills are virtually nonexistent unless you are exiting the trail and returning to street level, so you can find a comfortable cruising gear and leave it for most of the ride. Pavement is maintained at least as well if not better than city streets, and I have never encountered a ride-ending pothole. Because of these features, your ride can be as slow, fast, difficult or easy as you want it.

Scenery: 5

Trees, grasses, volunteer-managed neighborhood gardens, and a biker café and service shop line the trail, providing a pleasant and scenic trip. There are only few drawbacks to the trail, and none are major. One consideration is that, because of recent trends toward bicycle commuting in Minneapolis, bike traffic jams at rush hour on the Greenway are a reality, and since there is a great diversity of people that use the trail, you may meet some that are less than friendly.

Safety: Moderate

In stark contrast to rush hours, the trail is generally almost empty after 11pm. While most of the trail is
well lit, there are robberies and occasionally more serious crimes on the Greenway. However, I have found that, in my experience, if one stays aware of their surroundings, the Greenway can be and is ridden safely any time of day.

The Saint Anthony Heritage Trail

Difficulty: 2
The trail’s total length is less than two miles, making this a quick and easy ride. The terrain is also fairly flat. The biggest obstacle is probably avoiding the wayward pedestrian who has been distracted by the beautiful scenery. Stopping to read the occasional information plaque can increase the time of the ride, but that is purely optional.

Scenery: 7

The Heritage Trail’s location gives riders the best view of Minneapolis’ many redeeming qualities. Downtown skyscrapers, old mill infrastructure, thundering St. Anthony Falls, and some of the trees that keep this city green (or red, brown and orange this time of year) are all visible from the bike seat. See what else you can see!

Educational Value: 10

What really sets this trail apart is that it is accompanied by a story. While it is a bother to dismount and walk every once in a while, the plaques are worth it. The Minneapolis riverfront area has gone through many changes since the city began. The falls are in a different location than they used to be, many of the buildings are gone, and there has obviously been some new development too. But never fear! You can read about what used to be, while you admire what is there today.

Overall, the Heritage Trail is a relaxing ride to take with friends or visiting family. How many bike trails exercise your mind as much as your body?

The University of Minnesota Expressway: from the St. Paul Student Center to Middlebrook Hall

Located between the St. Paul Campus and the Minneapolis Campus, the University of Minnesota Expressway allows shuttle busses, cyclists and pedestrians alike to move between campuses in an efficient manner.

Time (total): 20-40 minutes

Time (St. Paul to Stadium Village): 10-25

Time (Stadium Village to West Bank): 10-20 - The only thing that can really slow you down is the fact that the Washington Avenue bridge requires bikes to be walked across the span through the covered pedestrian area.

Difficulty: 7

Near the beginning of the Expresssway there are several large/long climbs uphill and one must share the road with busses for the same stretch. In addition, there is a significant amount of traffic on Washington Avenue on the East Bank that requires a lot of stopping and starting, not to mention that
cyclists now have to dismount and walk their bikes across the Washington Avenue bridge.

Scenery: 4

Between the St. Paul Campus and Stadium Village, rundown brick and concrete relics of industrial society are sprinkled in with some excellent foliage. The ride isn’t taxing enough that the scenery can’t be enjoyed, but at the same time it’s all rather forgettable when compared to other, more scenic rides. Once the Expressway ends in Minneapolis, however, it’s campus, campus and even more campus. At the very least, it allows you to check up on the progress of the construction of the new football stadium on the east edge of campus.

Safety: Watch Out!

In addition to sharing the road with busses on part of the Expressway, Washington Avenue does not have clearly defined bicycle lanes. This road is full of potholes, broken pavement and fast traffic. Wear your helmet, watch out for cars, busses and pedestrians, and use a bike light at night.