Medicine Lake Regional Trail

The Medicine Lake Regional Trail is a bicycle trail that runs from the Medicine Lake Regional Park in Plymouth, Minnesota, to the Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove. The trail runs for 15.64 miles (25.17 km) and is maintained by Three Rivers Park District.

Medicine Lake Regional Trail
Looking east, into Medicine Lake
Length8.1 miles (13.0 km)
LocationMedicine Lake, Plymouth, Maple Grove
DifficultyModerate
SeasonAll
MonthsAll
SightsMarshes, Medicine Lake
HazardsRoad crossings
SurfaceAsphalt

Route description

The Medicine Lake Regional Trail starts at the Luce Line Regional Trail just south of Medicine Lake in Plymouth. The trail starts heading north on the east side of Medicine Lake. The trail then starts heading through the Medicine Lake Park Reserve. The trail then goes north into northern Plymouth where it has crossings with Rockford Road (County Road 9, CR ), Bass Lake Road (CR 10), and Interstate 494 (I-494). The trail then leaves Plymouth and enters Maple Grove where it has crossings at Weaver Lake Road (CR 109), Elm Creek Boulevard (CR 152), CR 81, and State Highway 610 (MN 610). The trail then ends at the Rush Creek Regional Trail at the Elm Creek Park Reserve.[1]

History

The trail was affected in an August 2006 plan to eliminate confusion on the part of bicyclists using the Three Rivers Park District trail system.[2] In July 2008, the Minnesota Department of Transportation closed the trail's bridge over CR 81 after reports that it was shocking trail users crossing the bridge. MN/DOT concluded that trail users were safe since the level of shock was low, but gave the bridge additional grounding before reopening the bridge.[3] Since then, warning signs have been installed on the approaches to the bridge warning trail users of the risk of shock.

Crossings
City Trail/Road Notes
Plymouth Rockford Road Crosswalk
Bass Lake Road Crosswalk
I-494 Overpass/Bridge
Maple Grove Weaver Lake Road Crosswalk
Elm Creek Boulevard Crosswalk
CR 81 Overpass/Bridge
MN 610 Overpass/Bridge
Rush Creek Regional Trail End

See also

References
  1. "Medicine Lake Regional Trail". Three Rivers Park District. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  2. "Whipping a Confusing Trail System into Shape: A Web of Trails Connects Much of the Suburbs, but Users Don't Always Know What Goes Where. So Officials Are Getting Organized with New Names, Signs and Kiosks". Star-Tribune. Minneapolis. August 2, 2006. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  3. "Shocked by the New Bridge on the Medicine Lake Regional Trail?". Star-Tribune. Minneapolis. July 4, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2012. (subscription required)
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