Trail description: 18-mile multi-use trail in northern St Paul. Access fee: Towns along the trail: St Paul (pop 273,000), MN Web site:Gateway State Trail | Gateway Trail Association Trail map: Available from the DNR and on their website Trail surface: Paved Designated activities: Bicycling, walking, inline skating, horseback riding (along the northern 8 miles, on a separate pathway), xc skiing Facilities on the trail: Toilets are located at several points along the trail. Points of interest: Lodging: Twin Cities have many hotels and other accommodations Camping: Bike shops: Twin Cities have several bike stores Weather forecast:St Paul Tourism info:St Paul VB Getting to the trail: The south end of the trail is at near Phalen Park in north St Paul. There are several parking lots along the trail. Map of local region:St Paul
Trail name: Gateway State Trail Times biking the trail: Several Date of last visit: July, 2003 Sections that I biked: Full length of the trail. My favourite sections of the trail: The entire trail is outstanding. It is a very old rail right of way and is, essentially, a linear state park complete with dense forest, wetland preservation efforts, prairie. Through the trees can be seen golf courses sometimes, homes other times. North of SR 36 one has left the metro area and the trail now passes a number of beautiful lakes. Plans are to extend the trail so that it provides a continuous dedicated trail link to Duluth. Parking and convenience stations are located along the trail. A parallel trail provides opportunities for horseback riders and mountain bikers. Pedestrian use is heavy south of SR 36 and bikers are expected to yield to pedestrians. The trail is 10 feet wide. Best time to go: Spring, summer, fall. Beautiful in the fall. Trail marking: Very good Trail maintenance: Very good Rating: 4 stars What I liked: This trail is a link between the inner city core of St. Paul and rural Washington County where a plethora of biking opportunities exist. While much of the scenery is remarkable for an urban, suburban setting, it's not drop dead beautiful. What I disliked: While busy streets are traversed by bridge, residential and rural crossings are at grade requiring stops. North of SR 36 this is less of a problem. Comments: Stillwater, while off-trail, is accessible by good bike routes as is the St. Croix River. Stillwater is an old river town with many nice restaurants and quaint shops. Rural Wisconsin is just across the St. Croix. The Gateway Trail anchors in St. Paul and two county operated commuter/recreation trails. With a little on-street riding it is possible to access the Twin Cities vast network of dedicated trails or on-street right-of-ways. Submitted by: P. Sheehy from: St. Paul, Minnesota Date submitted: April 4, 2004
Rate this section of trail