by The trails at Ole Olson Park used to mark the end of the West River Road regional trails, but a new trail connection will expand that route and offer scenic views.
The trail will connect the riverside to the 26th Avenue outlook and trail. Tyler Pederson, the project manager, said the project’s biggest challenge was protecting cyclists and pedestrians.
“So what we had to do is build an overhead protection structure, which is kind of that big steel thing — that steel kind of tunnel or passageway underneath the bridge. And that just protects anything that might be falling off of the bridge for trail users,” Pederson said.
The project was initially supposed to be completed in the spring of 2025, but it suffered a host of delays, including steel delays, fabrication issues and land ownership agreement problems. Following those issues, the connector is set to fully open this week.
“And from the 26th Avenue North overlook, there’s a, East-West trail, that’s owned by the city of Minneapolis. That follows 26th all the way to Theodore Wirth Park,” Pederson said.
Theodore Wirth Park, one of the largest parks in Minneapolis, has a host of activities including mountain biking, canoeing and golf. One of its most unique trails is set to reopen this spring after an invasive species compromised its old boardwalk.
Quaking Bog is one of the last tamarack bogs left in the Twin Cities and will be back open after park crews install a new floating boardwalk. The Grand Rounds Scenic Byway is right next to the bog.
Morgan Hendricks, who rides his bike in Minneapolis daily, has ridden the scenic byway and the trails at Theodore Wirth.
“That’s kind of like, my little, relaxing loop that I go do. And they’re great. They’re super user friendly. Just the signage is amazing. Yeah, they’re relatively good for just getting into it.”
Hendricks said the local park system stands out compared to other cities.
“Unless you travel outside of the Twin Cities, you don’t realize, like, how good we have it here with all the bike paths and the green space.”
Whether you’re going for a long bike ride or walking the dog around the block, Minneapolis has an outdoor space for you.
