PARADISE OF THE NORTHWEST
WACONIA
COMMUNITY GUIDE | 2023
Trails offer chance to get outdoors
Seeking long , flat stretches of paved trail through scenic Carver County ? You ’ re in luck as the Dakota Rail Regional Trail passes through northern Carver County .
The Dakota Rail Regional Trail is currently 26.5 miles long and traces the path of the former Dakota Rail Corridor , which represents the route taken by millions of bushels of wheat and grain as they went from Great Plains farms toward the flour milling centers in Minneapolis .
Initially , the trail was 13.5 miles long and went east from St . Bonifacius through Minnetrista , Mound , Spring Park , Minnetonka Beach , Orono , and ended in Wayzata . This portion was constructed in 2008 and is operated by the Three Rivers Park District .
Carver County entered the mix in 2010 , when seven miles of paved trail was constructed from the Hennepin County line east to Hidden Crossing Road in Mayer .
Another 5.5 miles of paved trail was added in 2012 , extending the trail west from Hidden Crossing Road west to the Carver / McLeod county line , which is located just west of New Germany . A grand opening was held in early June 2013 to celebrate this second extension of the trail .
In Carver County , the trail is 12.5 miles in length and operated by the Carver County Parks Department .
In the coming years , the trail will extend west into McLeod County , ending in Lester Prairie . Once complete , the Dakota Rail Trail will be 44 miles long .
For people in the area , the best spots to get on the trail are in Mayer or St . Bonifacius .
In Mayer , park at the trailhead , which is located just off of Highway 25 , or head to St . Bonifacius and park on Kennedy Memorial Drive , which is just a block north of Highway 7 . A map of the trail is located in both places and while on the trail , users will notice that a map is available every two miles . If one needs a snack or a break , there are businesses in both communities that are worth a visit , including Spokes Bike Shop , which is located a block or so off the trail in St . Bonifacius . For more information about the Dakota Rail Trail , visit www . dakotarailtrail . com .
Another nearby trail that ’ s similar to the Dakota Rail Trail is the Luce Line Trail , which stretches 63 miles from the western metro suburb of Plymouth to the small town of Cosmos . Watertown is a great place to access the Luce Line Trail . For more information , visit www . luceline . com .
COMMUNITY GUIDE 2023 | WACONIA | Page 61