Big Rivers Regional Trail
Big Rivers Regional Trail is a paved 4.5-mile (7.2 km) rail trail that overlooks the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers along the northern edge of Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It runs between the cities of Eagan and Lilydale.
The trail also links to the 72-mile (116 km) Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, hundreds of miles of trails throughout the greater Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, and historic landmarks including Fort Snelling, Pike Island and the city of Mendota, one of Minnesota's oldest settlements.
The Big Rivers Trailhead provides access to a nearly flat paved trail built on an abandoned railroad bed. Minnesota State Highway 55 in Mendota Heights, I-494 in Eagan, and I-35E in Mendota Heights are additional access points to the Big Rivers Regional Trail.
Route
The trail is 5.54 miles (8.92 km) long.
The trail begins atop an overpass that parallels I-494. It descends and heads north, paralleling Minnesota State Highway 13. The trail crosses the Sibley Memorial Highway and intersects a 0.47-mile (0.76 km) spur connecting to a local trail. The trail leaves modern MN 13 but parallels the old alignment. It passes under the Mendota Bridge, which carries state highways 55 and 62. It crosses MN 13 under a tunnel and enters the old village of Mendota, a small hamlet that overlooks the Minnesota-Mississippi River confluence. The trail leaves Mendota and crosses MN 13 again, this time at-grade. The trail descends into the valley and parallels the Canadian Pacific railway line. It passes three scenic overlooks. It passes under I-35E and the Lexington Bridge and climbs out of the valley. It crosses MN 13 two more times, under its bridges over Lilydale Road and I-35E respectively. It turns north, paralleling the interstate. It crosses the Lexington Bridge, descends one last time, and terminates at Shepard Road.[1]
See also
References
- ^ "Big Rivers Regional Trail Trail Map" (PDF). Dakota County Parks. Retrieved 2020-02-25.
External links
- Dakota County Parks - Big Rivers Regional Trail
44°52′02″N 93°10′26″W / 44.86722°N 93.17389°W / 44.86722; -93.17389
- v
- t
- e
County
- Big Rivers Regional Trail
- River to River Greenway
- North Urban Regional Trail
- Minnesota River Greenway
- Mississippi River Greenway
- North Creek Greenway
- Cedar Lake Trail
- Diagonal Trail
- Dinkytown Greenway
- Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway
- Hiawatha LRT Trail
- Kenilworth Trail
- Little Earth Trail
- Loring Greenway
- Luce Line Trail
- Midtown Greenway
- Min Hi Line
- Minnehaha Falls Lower Glen Trail
- Minnehaha Trail
- Samatar Crossing
- Southwest LRT Trail
- St. Anthony Falls Heritage Trail
- Winchell Trail
of Natural Resources
County
- Birch Lake Regional Trail
- Bruce Vento Regional Trail
- Crosby Farm
- Hidden Falls
- Highway 96 Regional Trail
- Rice Creek West Regional Trail
- Trout Brook Regional Trail
Park District
- Bassett Creek Regional Trail
- Cedar Lake Regional Trail
- Dakota Rail Regional Trail
- Lake Independence Regional Trail
- Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail
- Luce Line Regional Trail
- Medicine Lake Regional Trail
- Minnesota River Bluffs Regional Trail
- Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail
- Nokomis-Minnesota River Regional Trail
- North Cedar Lake Regional Trail
- Rush Creek Regional Trail
- Scott West Regional Trail
- Southwest LRT Trail
- Shingle Creek Regional Trail
- Twin Lakes Regional Trail