Foot Travel Only?

[Mr Schultz]

I have a question about the River Bottom Trail on the east side of 35W: Does the bike trail stop at (what I believe is) Indian Mounds Elementary School?

When riding east of the Lyndale parking lot, the trail goes about 2.5 miles and you then come to a sign that says something to the effect "Foot travel only beyond this point", which I take to mean hikers or trail runners rather than bikers. Is this true?

The trail appears to be bikeable, but I don't want to ride it if it's off limits. Yet this brings me to my next question, I keep hearing about how it is possible to ride from Lyndale to Cedar Ave without leaving the trail, where is this trail located?

I really enjoy the "east side" river bottom trail, I just wish it was longer, hopefully there is some truth to being able to ride to Cedar, or further.

[KleinCrazy]

Yep those sings are correct. That area is a bird sanctuary and there are no Bikes allowed in that area. Tickets have been handed out for riding in there.

To get from 35W to Cedar is not a fun ride.

As you head east from Lyndale on the flat section, cross the creek. At the entrance to the new climbing section, where we rerouted around the real rooty section, is the entrance to the trail to Cedar. as you turn into the woods there off the wider trail look right. that is the trailhead. The trail is very underutilized and thus grows over very quickly. It is also low and thus get marshy quite often. In addition, a large portion of the trail is quite sandy and not much fun to ride.

The final problem is it brings you out at the rail/bike bridge which they have just closed to all traffic.

All in All, I would stick to a quick out and back on the Bluffs and forget about the ride to Cedar.

[SickBoy]

I've ridden that trail and it is not fun at all. There's like a mile and a half of deep sand which is not fun at all, especially on a singlespeed.

Especially with the old cedar bridge out of commission now, I second the motion to forget about it.

[seberly]

I too have ridden this trail and although it is challenging I find it to be fun at least in the spring - I do agree it does get overgrown in the summer, and there is some sand. Another way to find the trail is to go at it from the east (i.e. Old Cedar) which means coming over the bridge from Burnsville OR another way to get there is to drop down into the refuge from just below the MN Valley Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center which is right beside the Hilton Airport and the 494 Bridge across the MN River in the extreme NE corner of Bloomington. This trail is basically a double track road for about 3 miles then singletrack in grass for a mile or so before you get to the Hwy 77. Then you can continue West and pick your way to Lyndale.

Another suggestion down there is you can make a loop by going over the 77 bridge Burnsville, then proceed East/North on that side of the river and cross back to Bloomington on the 494 bridge (or continue to Mendota)....but that's another thread.

[Trevize1138]

Is the eastern 3 miles of the trail from 35W on still as hairy as it used to be? By itself the trail isn't that bad, but I haven't riden it in years because it got to the point where I was yelling "Bike up!" every 50 meters because of all the blind corners. Twice I nearly ran into a walker on that part of the trail and at least once nearly had a head-on collision with a biker who wasn't using caution around those corners.

It just didn't seem worth it when there were better hills to ride in the area that were one-way and for bike traffic only.

[Don Youngdahl]

The trail is essentially the same, and can be rather busy with riders, runners, and hikers on weekends and nice summer evenings. Some brush pruning to clear sight lines has been done by MORC volunteers.

Yes, it is a two-way, multi-use trail, where riders and runners are expected to be alert and traveling at a speed commensurate with conditions.

On those occasions where I have almost collided with a runner or hiker, some honest reflection has told me that the fault was mine for not being alert enough or riding too fast for conditions.

Don Youngdahl

[Trevize1138]

I think that's just it: in order to be safe, you have to ride that trail slower. That just ain't fun. =)

[timbrbacn]

Hi,

I have a question. I read the previous posts regarding riding towards Cedar and wondered how Ft. Snelling ties into this? How do you get from Minnehaha falls to the Ft. Snelling trails? Does it also connect to the River Bottom area?

Thanks!:)

Sean