Another in our #HIKEINPLACE series of local hikes to get you out of the house during the #StayatHomeMN order. Try a handful of these hikes that are close to home for all you twin cities folk out there.
This is another quickie mini-hike that can be done on its own or as part of the Ford to Marshall/Lake Street Bridge route. 1/2 mile to 5 + miles
You can start the hike at 44th and West River Road, at 36th and West River Road or at the top end near the Lake Street Bridge. From any of these locations you can hike or bike along the paved trails along the River Road but it's way more fun to slip down into the thin sliver of woods along the river itself and hike the Winchell Trail - on old Native American trail. You will feel mostly removed from the hustle and bustle of River Road- especially when at the Oak Savannah restoration area and along the river bottom flats near Longfellow beach between 36th street and Lake Street. You can extend the hike further by passing below the bridge and continuing northward past the rowing club and toward Franklin Avenue.
The trails are not paved, can sometimes be wet, muddy, or underwater depending on how high the river is. You will find a few stretches of sandy beach, and there are a few places where one needs to connect back up top to the paved trail before finding your way back down - usually just a few meters, but perhaps 100m+ in a couple of spots.
The photos included are not what we'd like them to be but they represent what you will see on the rail in early April. We'll try to replace them with higher quality pics when the trees leaf out and the trail greens up!
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