April 28, 2018
When we think of state bike trails we have a tendency to think of the more glamorous ones—the beautiful Root River Trail out of Lanesboro or the Sparta-Elroy Trail in Wisconsin with its three old railroad tunnels—and overlook the trails right in our own back yard.
One of these, The Gateway Trail, is an 18-mile multi-use paved trail that runs from St. Paul to Pine Point Park north of Stillwater through a mixture of urban and rural areas. It can be accessed from several spots including parking areas at Arlington and 35E in St. Paul, Hadley and Hwy. 36 in North St. Paul, Hwy. 96 east of White Bear Lake, and Pine Point Park north of Stillwater (on Co. Rd. 55). And for some it can easily be reached by bicycle from the bike trail between Mahtomedi and Stillwater (along Co. Rd. 12) or from the numerous neighborhoods through which it passes. The Pine Point Park trail head is eight miles from Marine-on-St. Croix and five miles from Stillwater. If you’re up for some hills the ride to Marine along Co. Rd. 7 is well worth the effort.
The trail ends on the west end at Cayuga St. just east of Jackson St. in St. Paul and from there it is just a short ride to downtown St. Paul, making it a convenient commuting trail for people who work in St. Paul. The section between St. Paul and No. St. Paul is a pleasant urban ride, going through residential neighborhoods and past Keller and Phalen Golf Courses, but there are numerous street crossings to slow the way.
The 10-mile section between No. St. Paul and Pine Point Park is much more rural, has fewer crossings, and, in my opinion, is more of what we look for in bike trails. This section passes through a nice variety of woodlands, wetlands, meadows, fields, and ponds and is surprisingly rural for being so close to an urban area. There’s a chance of catching a glimpse of deer or wild turkey and you are assured of seeing smaller wildlife including songbirds, woodchucks, herons, snakes, chipmunks, bears (not really, just seeing if you’re paying attention), and turtles.
When I rode the trail last week I stopped by a pond and counted five turtles sunning themselves on logs. It even has its own tunnel just east of the Hadley parking area (o.k., it’s just an underpass—use your imagination). There are several picnic tables along the way, if you’d like to bring a lunch, as well as benches for quiet contemplation if you’re so inclined (it’s always good to sit awhile and think).
The Gateway Trail will give you a half-day of cycling enjoyment without making you spend more time in the car than on the bicycle. I recommend it.