Revised April 18th, 2024
The Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, commonly known as the “LRT” trail stretches over 15 miles between Hopkins and Carver Park Reserve, offering scenic views of Lake Minnetonka along the way. This aggregate trail passes through Minnetonka, Deephaven, Greenwood, Excelsior, Shorewood and Victoria. – Source: Three Rivers Park District
History:
The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway (M&StL) originally built the railroad corridor in 1870. It was a major rail route between Minneapolis and Watertown, South Dakota. The M&StL was acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1960. Service, while never substantial, dwindled down to one daily freight train, running through the South Lake Minnetonka area to St. Louis Park. All service ended in1980.
The tracks were removed (1981) and within the next year, Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA), became the owner of the ribbon of land that formerly held the rail. The parcel was reserved for possible future LRT (light rail transit), hence the name, “LRT.” To this day, the name LRT has stuck.
The trail today:
- The Lake Minnetonka Regional trail corridor, owned by HCRRA, is generally 100 feet wide, 50 feet off center, with signs indicating the outside borders.
- Three Rivers Park District leases and maintains the 13 foot aggregate surface from HCRRA for recreational, non-motorized, purposes from April 1st to November 14th. The remaining property is maintained by Hennepin County.
- Local communities are responsible for winter maintenance, if any, between November 15th and March 31st. The city of Shorewood plows their portion of trail to assure year-around non-motorized use.
- Three Rivers is responsible for patrol and enforcement on the trail.
- Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, with 625,000 annual visitors comes in second only to the Medicine Lake Regional Trail, which has 669,000 annual visitors.
– Source: Three Rivers Park District.
More:
- Recently, HCRRA has been working actively to resolve traffic visibility issues at intersections by cutting back trees and brush–allowing trail users to “see and be seen.”
- HCRRA has also begun “enforcing” encroachment from adjacent property owners who have built structures and/or used the property to dump yard waste. Learn more about HCRRA’s permitting process for adjoining landowners.
The Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail is an asset to our community.
To view the variety of bicycles, utilizing this ribbon of land, tells a positive story. Some bikes are packed with gear heading out to Carver Park for a weekend of camping; Youth with fishing poles loaded on their bikes, making their way to a fishing site; and families w/children as young as 4 years old pedaling on their own-without training wheels! Get out and use the trail to observe these positive things happening.