Hello! This is my blog about all of the rail-trails you can find in the Twin Cities region. A rail-trail is a recreational corridor (trail) that uses abandoned railroad right-of-way. Some rail-trails parallel railroad right-of-way that is still active, but parts of the right-of-way were abandoned.
There are many rail-trails around the Twin Cities region mainly due to the restructuring of railroads that shed many miles of redundant and unprofitable lines. Its cheap and easy to build a trail on these abandoned railroad rights-of-way since property acquisition typically isn't required and the soil is already settled, whereas a trail on new right-of-way may require cutting down trees, property acquisitions or easements, and soil testing to determine how well (or not well) a trail will settle into the soil (you don't want a brand new trail quickly deteriorating from poor soil conditions or flooding). Rail-trails also provide a straight route with little to no grade, which is perfect for bikers and walkers.
Most rail-trails in the Twin Cities region are owned by the respective county regional railroad authorities. Although there aren't rails anymore, the rail-trail preserves the right-of-way for potential future transit use. This has stirred some controversy as a couple rail-trails have been proposed to be modified, including the Kenilworth Trail for the Southwest Light Rail Line between Minneapolis and Eden Prairie, and the Bruce Vento Trail for the Rush Line Corridor bus rapid transit between St. Paul and White Bear Lake.
This blog is for showing people new places to explore, but also to learn about the past use of these rail-trails, their present use, and what the future may hold for these rail-trails.
Thanks for visiting!
