gateway trail

This is a great trail not only for walking and biking but also one of my favorites for rollerblading! The trails are mainly smooth with great scenery!

I have biked along the Gateway many times over the years, and in the last couple of winters have also hiked portions of it. Very busy in the summer and on fall weekends - be careful to watch out for speeding bikes passing. Serene in the winter, with almost no one out on weekend days. The trail passes through urban and suburban territory, passing small and large backyards, light industry, parks, woods, and lakes. Recommended for an urban outing any time of the year. You have to look a bit, but there are restaurants and cafes along the way, typically a block or two from the trail.

Good for bikes, walks, etc. Starts near state capital and winds though several neighborhoods -- have taken it all the way to Stillwater. Crosses Wheelock Parkway/Lake Como + Lake Phalen. Now if they'd just repave the parkway...

This is a very convenient and accessible bike ride in the Twin Cities, leading in or out of the metro area it provides a pleasant break. RIde far, ride short, there's trip into the country waiting for you.

It's my first time biking on a trail & i love it! Got me hooked on biking for sure!First time i checked out the place i parked close to Lake Phalen, the parking area appeared isolated so i wasn't too comfortable with that. My route was going northeast towards oakdale & ended up on Hadley Ave parking area of the trail (5miles/one way) not a whole lot but i got winded going up steep bridges, i'm not a seasoned biker, that's where the struggle came in! Haha! Otherwise, i was impressed with the beauty of the trail & how shaded most of it was. Ended up with 10 miles biking.Second time, i decided to start off where i left off (hadley ave on oakdale) going northeast. Became alarmed when i saw posted signs of cars being broken into. At least there were signs, right? This is mostly flat, less steep bridges. Saw more bikers, people walking, rollerblading, cross country style rollers, runners, horseback riders along the way (not in one spot) so it wasn't crowded at 2pm. Nicely shaded trail & cloudy/sprinkly that day, got distracted with the scenery that i ended up going (9 miles/one way). 18.8 miles that way. My was i sore! Lol!Aside from concerns in the parking lots (easy solution: don't leave anything in the car. Ex: cellphones, bags, clothes...) i love the trail. Will check out the part going to st paul.

The Gateway Trail stretches around the Twin Cities and is very well maintained. You could take a very long bike ride or a short walk. It's up to you.

I suggest starting around mile 9 (take 36 out East and it's <1 mile after the 1st traffic light, turn R and then L for the parking lot). This way you miss most of the road crossings - there are only ~5 street level crossings out for 9 miles of countryside out to the park. Grades are very mild. There is water fountain available at this parking lot and at the end.

Great for summer days because of the shade. Crosses few streets, so is peaceful with trees on both sides of the trail.

This trail runs form the middle of Saint Paul to the countryside north of Stillwater providing a variety of bicycling experiences. It is mostly paved or packed gravel. It's fairly wide and not too hilly - much is flat. You can easily access the trail at various points to customize your ride length and choose the type of scenery - urban to suburban to wooded. Most busy streets are crossed above or below grade.

There have been so many nice upgrades on the Gateway the last few years. When we first started riding the trail (from the Hwy 36 area to the north dead end) it had some dangerous street crossings, but nice, new bridges and tunnels have taken care of those. My wife used to do inline skating marathons and I'd ride along on a bike as she skated 26 miles at least once a week, now we both ride bikes. The only complaint, and it's not with the trail, but with people in general, is that a LOT of people don't care that there are others on the trail. Just like the roadways, there are a LOT of folks that ride in the "left" lane and ride side-by-side and don't even give it a second thought that they're forcing others to go around them often in the gravel off of the trail, just so they can have their little side-to-side time. That's crazy stuff, but there's nothing that the Gateway Trail Assn can really do about rude people. They do a great job maintaining the trail, a great job!

It's a great bike trail in the middle of the city. You hear car traffic on some parts of the trail but mostly in wooded areas. It's a great way to get exercise and enjoy Minnesota outdoors.

I love the gateway trail! I have not run into any issues with going by myself and I’m a female. I utilize it all the time by running, walking, rollerblading, and biking. The trails are always clean and the leaves are stunning in the fall. The trail is long enough where you can find restaurants, water stops (wish there was a little more of these), hiking, and porter-potties on your adventure!

Flat all the way. Takes you through the woods and alongside hrseback riders. Take a lunch or drinks nothing along the way!

This is a great trail for a walk or bike ride. You may even see a horse or two. Nice wide trails and beautiful scenery. Also, it's a good distance at a little under 10 miles.

There are several access points to the trail with off-road parking available but limited. There's a fee for parking at the Washington County Regional park, but there's a very nice restroom there and cars are less likely to be broken into, unlike the area off of Jamaca where you have to be sure not to leave valuables in the car. The overpass bridges present the steepest inclines. There are mile markers and it is mostly shaded from Hwy 12 going north.