March 26, 2009: Midtown Greenway Midsection Hike (Minneapolis)

Join the hiking group for a hike along the eastern portion of the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis. The Midtown Greenway is a nonstop bicycle highway and walking path within a wider Greenway corridor, parallel to and north of Lake Street. When completed, the Midtown Greenway will connect the Chain of Lakes with the Mississippi River. West of Hiawatha Avenue, the corridor runs along 29th Street and, east of Hiawatha Avenue, its runs along 27th Street. The western portion of this section of the corridor is more industrial than the east end, which is mostly residential. The farthest east section, from Cedar Avenue to Hiawatha Avenue, is now heavy industry. The Soldier and Pioneer's Memorial Cemetery, also known as Layman's Cemetery, just east of Cedar Avenue is the only significant green space in this segment. Recent additions to the Greenway include a "cable-stayed" bridge over Hiawatha Avenue and the Hiawatha LRT tracks. Historically, the site now occupied by the Midtown Greenway was a freight rail corridor that played an important role in the development of the Twin Cities, encouraging the growth of the local business community. The defining feature of the Greenway is the "trench" that was dug between 1910 and 1915, to prevent fatal accidents that had occurred at grade-level junctions.

If coming by car: Take Hiawatha Avenue to south Minneapolis to Lake Street. Turn east onto Lake Street and proceed about 15 blocks to 39th Avenue South. Turn north (left) on 39th Avenue South and proceed two blocks, to Brackett Park, at the intersection of 39th Avenue South and 28th Street East. Park on the street on either 39th Avenue South or 28th Street East. We will meet on the corner of 39th Avenue South and 28th Street East.

Interested hikers will reassemble for dessert or dinner after the hike at a nearby restaurant (Italiani's Family Restaurant, 3508 East Lake Street, Minneapolis).

Map to hike start point: 2801 39th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55406-1848

Map to Italiani's Family Restaurant, 3508 East Lake Street, Minneapolis

Back to the Thursday Night Hikes homepage

This page was last updated on February 23, 2009.