Sorensen Neighborhood

Take to the Trails (Archive)

Sep 10, 2007

We residents of the Sorensen neighborhood are lucky?¿½we are linked to a great network of safe and well-maintained trails for walking, biking, or skating. Whether you want to bike to Calhoun Village for a book or take a day trip all the way to Shorewood, the trails are a great way to keep active and get a different view of the city in which we live. The best part? Safety from traffic.

For a pretty, easy ride, hop on the Southwest Trail just south of Highway 7 on Wooddale and head east to the Calhoun Parkway Trail, which takes you right to Lake Calhoun. As a leisurely pace, the ride around the lake, back to the Calhoun Parkway Trail and home takes about an hour and is 10 miles round trip. The trails are smooth and the people-watching is good. Past Beltline Boulevard, the trail is tree-lined and lush.

Looking for a fun family outing? Ride the Southwest Trail, take the West Calhoun exit right behind Whole Foods, and stop in for a delicious and energizing Jamba Juice smoothie with the kids before heading back home (just four miles round trip). Just a couple more miles brings you to Vera?¿½s Garden on the Midtown Greenway. Located at Lyndale Avenue and built by volunteers with donated plants, this gorgeous garden is worth the trip.

Work downtown but sick of fighting the traffic? Bike to work. Take the Southwest Trail and turn off on the Kenilworth Trail by Lake Calhoun. The trail takes you on a beautiful ride through the Kenwood neighborhood. It hooks up to Cedar Lake Trail, which takes you right to downtown Minneapolis. It is a great way to see the architecture and gardens of Kenwood from a different vantage point. (4.5 miles to the Dunwoody exit or 5.5 miles to 10th Street.)

The newly paved Southwest Trail and recent tree plantings make for a smooth and pretty ride. Most trails have separate lanes for bikers and walkers. There are benches along the trail where you can stop to catch your breath. The trail signs are easy to follow. For those of us who like to bike in brisk weather, the trails are cleared of snow in the winter.

To tune up your bike or pick out a new set of wheels, stop in at Bennett?¿½s Cycle located next to the Central Community Center, right in the Sorensen neighborhood. And of course, be sure to wear a helmet.

For a Hennepin County 2-in-1 Bike & Road Map that shows bike routes, call 763-745-7644 or email commissioner.mclaughlin@co.hennepin.mn.us.