The Gateway State Trail is a multi-use recreational

rail trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetca ...

in the U.S. state of

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...

, running from

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

to Pine Point Regional Park in Stillwater. It runs through urban landscapes of eastern Saint Paul in Ramsey County and rural farmland and forests in Washington County. It was designated a

National Recreation Trail The National Trails System is a series of trails in the United States designated "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nati ...

in 2002. The trail is open to walking,

jogging Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase physical fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running but more than walking, or to maintain a steady speed for longer periods ...

cycling Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from tw ...

inline skating Inline skating is a multi-disciplinary sport and can refer to a number of activities practiced using inline skates. Inline skates typically have two to five polyurethane wheels depending on the style of practice, arranged in a single line by a ...

, and

roller skiing Roller skiing is an off-snow equivalent to cross-country skiing. Roller skis have wheels on their ends and are used on a hard surface, to emulate .Bryhn, Rolf and Knut Are Tvedt (eds.): ''Kunnskapsforlagets idrettsleksikon''. (Norwegian Encycloped ...

during the summer. A side trail is designed for

horseback riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, Driving (horse), driving, and Equestrian vaulting, vaulting ...

. During the winter separate sections invite

snowshoe Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...

ing or

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreatio ...

. Both horseback riding and cross-country skiing require permits from the

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or Minnesota DNR, is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, rec ...

Historical development

Historical significance

The Gateway State Trail follows part of the

Soo Line Railroad The Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , one of seven U.S. Class I railroads, controlled through the Soo Line Corporation. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and S ...

that served the upper Midwest and connected the

Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in stat ...

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with list of lakes in Minneapolis, thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. ...

and

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...

with the Twin Ports of Duluth and

Superior, Wisconsin , native_name_lang = oj , nickname = , total_type = , motto = , image_skyline = Tower Avenue.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Downtown Superior , ima ...

Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh w ...

Trail history and evolution

In 1980 the "

Interstate Commerce Commission The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was a regulatory agency in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads (and later trucking) to ensure fair rates, to elimina ...

issued an order, authorizing abandonment of the Soo Line railroad track on January 23, 1980, 'conditioned on a public use in accordance with the plans of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.' That condition opened the door for converting the railroad line into a recreational trail, and interested citizens seized the opportunity." At the urging of county governments, the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) took steps to acquire the eastern of the designated rail. However citizens owning abutting private property started a bidding war in an attempt to stop the creation of the trail. Money given by the Minnesota Parks Foundation allowed the state to purchase the property in auction, but the citizens then brought a suit against the state arguing that "the right-of-way reverted to abutting property owners once it ceased to be operated for railroad purposes. In a landmark decision, the

Minnesota Supreme Court The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The court hears cases in the Supreme Court chamber in the Minnesota State Capitol or in the nearby Minnesota Judicial Center. History The court was first asse ...

held that no such reversion takes place as long as the right-of-way continues to be used for public travel purposes even as a recreational trail." After the Minnesota Supreme Court decision, the state acquired the western of the trail. The

Minnesota Legislature The Minnesota Legislature is the bicameral legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota consisting of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators are elected from 67 single-member districts. In order to account for decenn ...

appropriated funds to build the trail in 1990, and in 1993 the trail opened for use. Recently the state has acquired property to extend the Gateway Trail north to

Taylors Falls Taylors Falls is a city in Chisago County, Minnesota, United States, located at the junction of U.S. Highway 8 and Minnesota State Highway 95. The population was 1,055 at the 2020 census. History Taylors Falls was platted in 1850 or 1851, and ...

, south to the

Minnesota State Capitol The Minnesota State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Minnesota, in its capital city of Saint Paul. It houses the Minnesota Senate, Minnesota House of Representatives, the office of the Attorney General and the office o ...

, and east to downtown Stillwater. The Stillwater connection, via the Brown's Creek State Trail, was completed in 2014. However funding to complete newly acquired sections of the trail has not been appropriated.

Trail development

Design and construction

An asphalt track runs the entire length of the developed corridor, and a segregated natural surface track for horseback riding and cross country skiing parallels the asphalt track for between

Interstate 694 Interstate 694 (I-694) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway located in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in the US state of Minnesota. The western terminus of the route is at its junction with I-94, I-494, and US H ...

and the trail's northeastern terminus at Pine Point Regional Park. In winter the segment of paved track along the natural surface track is groomed for cross country skiing. The trail is wheelchair accessible, and many road crossings are served with under or over passes.

Amenities

Parking, restrooms, and water fountains are provided along the route. At the Phalen-Keller Regional Park picnic tables, a fishing dock, softball/baseball diamonds, playgrounds, and a sliding hill are available. At the Pine Point County Park trailhead, picnic tables are available. Community gardens are located along the trail, and community artists are also featured. During the winter the western sections of the trail are plowed, while the eastern sections are left unplowed to allow for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Community

The trail is maintained by the state Department of Natural Resources. A parks conservation group, the Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota, works to promote wildlife and conservation efforts along the trail. Members of the Gateway Brown's Creek Trail Association (GBCTA), a citizen's group, support the trail through their efforts to: * Promote improvements to make the trail a pleasurable experience for all users and abutting property owners * Support adequate state funding for trail maintenance * Publish a newsletter on trail events, improvements and ecology * Provide feedback, support and constructive criticism to the State DNR * Provide a forum for the competing needs of recreational users and abutting property owners * Sponsor "Adopt-a-Trail" commitments to help keep the trail and abutting property clean * Develop signage and educational programs for public use The Gateway Brown's Creek Trail Association also works with local schools and artists to place artwork along the trail. A recent project, headed by local Hmong American artist David Vang, has focused on interpretations of the word "welcome" in the cultures of people who live along and utilize the trail. Local students at the Mississippi Magnet Creative Arts School created tiles interpreting their idea of welcome, and a mosaic of them will serve as a welcome sign for a future community garden site. Note that the previous name for the GBCTA was the Gateway Trail Association.

References

External links

Gateway Trail Stakeholders
Gateway State Trail

Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota: Gateway State Trail

Gateway Brown's Creek Trail Association

The Gateway Trail Video
about its history and early success as told by its users and supporters. (Produced by Dave Carlson, 2000-2001) Trail Tourism
Gateway Trailside

Stillwater Biking & Hiking Trails
Connecting Trails

* Bruce Vento Regional Trail
Keller and Phalen Trails

St. Croix River Crossing Trail (WI)

Trout Brook Regional Trail
{{Authority control Minnesota state trails National Recreation Trails in Minnesota Rail trails in Minnesota Protected areas of Ramsey County, Minnesota Protected areas of Washington County, Minnesota Soo Line Railroad Protected areas established in 1993 1993 establishments in Minnesota