Kenilworth Trail

Minnesota

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The Kenilworth Trail runs through dense forest along the eastern side of Minnesota's Cedar Lake. Occasionally, trail users can catch glimpses of some of the stately residences in the ritzy Minneapolis neighborhood of Kenwood, which occupies land immediately to the trail's east. On the western side of the trail, the Twin Cities and Western Railroad temporarily operates freight service on a restored line.

The short paved trail is a vital link in the extensive trail network of Minneapolis and its western suburbs. In the north, the trail branches off from the North Cedar Lake Regional Trail/Cedar Lake Trail, which extends from the Mississippi River in Minneapolis to the suburb of Hopkins. Like the Cedar Lake Trail, much of the Kenilworth Trail consists of a pair of separated one-way bike paths along with a multi-directional pedestrian pathway. In the south, the Kenilworth Trail directly connects with both the Midtown Greenway and Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail; taking both these trails allows trail users to travel uninterrupted from midtown Minneapolis to Hopkins along a more southerly route.

Both the Kenilworth Trail and the temporary freight line were opened on a corridor originally built by the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway and later abandoned by the Chicago and North Western Railway. The corridor is owned by the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA), which intends to open the Southwest Corridor light rail line along the route in the near future. Fortunately, the HCRRA intends to preserve the existing trail network, which means the Kenilworth Trail is here to stay.

Parking and Trail Access

The Kenilworth Trail is most often used as a connector trail for many other routes in Minneapolis' trail network, so dedicated parking is not available. The best place to park to reach the trail is at the Depot Coffee House and trailhead in Hopkins, located between Excelsior Boulevard and Milwaukee Street. From there, take the Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail east until you reach the junction with the Midtown Greenway and Kenilworth Trail.