Minnesota

A view of the Statue of Liberty as seen from the High Line | Department of Agriculture | public domain

Five Rail-Trails for Marveling at National Monuments

Posted 06/01/17 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use | Tagged with California, Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota, New York, Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Destinations

There are countless special places in America, but only about 100 have been distinguished enough to be called national monuments. Scattered throughout the U.S., many of them have or are near trails—lucky for trail lovers! Here’s a short list of five rail-trails that’ll help you reach, explore and admire some of these incredible places.

High Trestle Trail | Photo by Milo Bateman

Kick Off Spring With These 10 Bucket-List Biking Trails

Posted 03/28/17 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with California, Encouraging Trail Use, Idaho, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, Virginia, Washington

And while every trail offers its own unique experience, there are some that are so extraordinary that they truly rise to the top. So, saddle up your two-wheeled steed and celebrate Opening Day on April 8 on one of these bucket-listers!

Taylor on the chainless bicycle on which he won the world championship and broke world records in 1899. Uncredited photo, Taylor scrapbook. | Courtesy Major Taylor Association, Inc.

Honoring the Legacy of African-American Cycling Legend Major Taylor

Posted 02/16/17 by Danielle Taylor in Success Stories, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Biking, Champions, Encouraging Trail Use, History Happened Here, Illinois, Minnesota, Success Stories

Around the turn of the 20th century, bicycle racing dominated America’s sporting scene, with top cyclists commanding the same media attention that A-list Hollywood celebrities enjoy today. As with other mainstream sports in the U.S., professional bicycle racing was generally understood to be for white competitors only, but in the late 1890s, an African-American dynamo exploded onto the scene, racing at record-breaking speeds that couldn’t be ignored. Today, Marshall “Major” Taylor’s legacy lives on in cycling clubs across the U.S. as well as a popular rail-trail in Chicago, his final resting place.

Photo courtesy Mac H (media601) | CC BY-SA 2.0

Rail-Trail Community Fixes an Eye on Statewide Trail Programs

Posted 02/15/17 by Andrew Dupuy in Policy | Tagged with California, Florida, Funding, Minnesota, RTC in Action, State and Federal Programs, Tennessee

While much attention has been focused on Washington, D.C. in the past month, our nation’s state capitals have been busy, as well. Forty-eight state legislatures are already in session, and all but one will be in session in the coming weeks. States are important sources of funding for trails, walking and biking—as well as occasional threats.

Fallasburg Covered Bridge (Lowell, Michigan) along the North Country Trail/Iron Belle Trail | Photo by Tom Pidgeon Photography

Best of the Midwest: Five Major Trail Developments in America’s Heartland

Posted 11/14/16 by Brian K. Housh in Policy, Building Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, IHTC, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Route of the Badger, State and Federal Programs, Wisconsin

Today, representatives of 22 bike/ped organizations and government agencies from six states are convening in Illinois for Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s 2016 Midwest Policy Summit. The bike/ped landscape in the region has changed dramatically in recent years, and there are many major projects in the works. Here are five big happenings in the Heartland that are changing the face of active transportation (in no particular order).

Photo courtesy The Greenway Guy

Minnesota’s Midtown Greenway

Posted 10/16/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, Minnesota, Rail-with-Trail, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Nestled 20 feet below street level in an early 20th-century railroad cut, Minnesota’s Midtown Greenway bypasses the street traffic crossing overhead on more than two dozen historical bridges. Combined with a smart design, which incorporates westbound and eastbound biking lanes, as well as a separate walking path, and you have a commuter’s paradise of both beauty and speed.

Photo courtesy smcgee | CC by 2.0

Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Hennepin County, Minn.

Posted 08/31/15 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails, Taking Action | Tagged with Abandonment Notices, Corridors and Railbanking, Minnesota

On or about Aug. 25, 2015, Soo Line Railroad Company filed for the abandonment of 0.4 mile of track in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Minneapolis in Hennepin County, Minnesota. We are providing this information because it presents an opportunity to develop a real regional asset: a multi-use trail that can accommodate hikers, bikers, equestrians and other appropriate uses.

Photos CC Meet Minneapolis

Heart of Minneapolis: The Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway

Posted 04/25/14 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Minnesota, Trail Communities

At the heart of Minneapolis’ world-class trail system is the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, a series of seven segments of interconnected parks and parkways that loop around the city, acting as a key connector to the entire network of city parks and trails, and more than 300 miles of regional trails. The 7 segments are connected by 51 miles of paved pedestrian paths and (mostly) separate bike paths, as well as 55 miles of driving parkways that give the Grand Rounds its status as a national scenic byway.