Discovered the Greenway Bike Trail

[question everything]

What a wonderful trail. We parked in a parking lot of business park west of Theodore Wirth Parkway and picked the trail from there and rode all the way Cedar Square, the Metrodome, to the Mill Ruins, the Stone Bridge Arch and St. Anthony's Main - where we saw the Segway tour.

We may just take the Segway tour. Looks fun. Several weeks ago we saw a Segway store and I tried it - no problem. Of course, everything that Bush is trying to do I can do better, Ha!.

What was interesting about the Greenway Trail, is that normally most trails are bordered with the back of building and warehouses - solid walls or weeds. But at some point, on Harriett and on Garfield, there were beautiful gardens with many flowers and shrubs and walkways and benches. I don't think that this is anyone's back yard but clearly someone planted and is taking care of these gardens with a labor of love.

[bvar22]

1. Greenway Bicycle Commuter Path

The Greenway Bicycle Commuter Path is one of the Best Kept Secrets in Minneapolis.
If you don't know it is there, you wouldn't know it was there.
It is virtually invisible from street level.
When I was first exploring the Bike Paths in Minneapolis, I had a MAP, and I couldn't find it.

The Greenway bisects Minneapolis East/West, running roughly parallel to Lake St, 1 block North. The West End is beyond St Louis Park, and the Eastern terminus is temporarily at Hwy 55. It is a short pedal on surface streets from there to the River Paths. You can also cross 55 at the light and hit another little known new asphalt path that parallels the Light Rail line into Downtown at the Metrodome.


The Greenway is a State of the Art 21st Century "Limited Access" Bicycle Commuterway.
Portions of the Greenway north of Lake Calhoun are elevated.

If you don't Look Up, you won't see it.



Entrance Ramp on the Eastern Section

The Greenway is "Limited Access". It crosses very few surface streets.
Access generally must be gained through one of the ramps.
If you can't find one, you can't get on.




Gardens and Emergency Call Boxes!




The Greenway runs directly under big Bus Station at Hennepin and Uptown

Did you know there was a 21st Century Bicycle Commuterway down there?


This is a beautiful ride. I don't have an odometer on my bike, so I don't know how long the Greenway is. I do know that it extends to the west well beyond St Louis Park. There is another path that runs north for a mile (or so) and hits the "Cedar Lake Commuter Path" which goes back into Minneapolis and exits behind the the Walker at Loring Park.



I love the Commuterways and Bike Paths of Minneapolis.
I am collecting photos for a pictorial essay which should be ready next month.

[question everything]

3. Wonderful photos

On occasions, while walking on Hennepin or on Lyndale we would look down and see the path and were always curious. And driving west on Lake we would see cyclists riding along the southern part of Lake of the Isles.

Then spouse decided to check it and it seems that the whole section east of Cedar Ave. is new. Crossing Hiawatha (55) is easy, long light that allows many cyclists, from both directions to cross.

The path is also elevated above part of Lake of the Isles where we could see people canoing. And the signs for the exits are clear... except for an occasional graffiti.

Looking at the map, we parked right at the border between St. Louis Park and Minneapolis - France Av. And riding "round trip" from there to St. Anthony's Main and back was 16 miles. All flat and really pleasurable.

Not caring much about spectator sports, we "discovered" the neighborhood around the Metrodome and the Mill Ruins last year, when we were looking for a place to park when Kerry spoke outside the Metrodome - what a wonderful event that was..

The area around Stone Arch bridge is really being developed, that's where the new Guthrie will be - a very modern structure but, I suppose will be quite functional.

By the way, when we first came to town we purchased the Hudson street map but now we discovered the King's that shows also trails, identified as paved, or unpaved.

[katinmn]

2. Thanks for the intro, QE, and the pics, Bvar!

Hope to check it out before things turn frosty.

[Randomthought]

4. Gardens

But at some point, on Harriett and on Garfield, there were beautiful gardens with many flowers and shrubs and walkways and benches.
Those would be the Soo Line community garden and the Vera's Cafe garden

[question everything]

5. Thank you. Will have to check them from the "street" side

and, by the way, one of the photos, above, shows the gardens.