Great Runs in Minneapolis - St. Paul
Neighbor cities Minneapolis and St. Paul, commonly known as the Twin Cities, form a large metropolitan area and offer some fantastic running routes. The Twin Cities Marathon is claimed to be “The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America”, and thus, it is no wonder that many of our most iconic routes are located along the marathon course between parks, lakes and the river. Minnesota state is informally known as the land of 10,000 lakes and running around a lake is a classic Twin Cities training run. You also don’t want to miss running along the majestic Mississippi river either. In general, Minneapolis offers somewhat better options as the paths in St.Paul are not as well connected.
Weather in the Twin Cities can be extreme; summers are hot and humid, and winters can be brutally cold.
The Iconic Routes
1. Minneapolis — Chain of Lakes
2. Minneapolis — Minnehaha Parkway
3. Mississippi River Road
4. St. Paul — Summit Avenue
5. St. Paul — Lake Como
Minneapolis — Chain of Lakes
11-mile loop with variation possibilities. MAP
Minnesota state is informally known as the land of 10,000 lakes. This route, located 2 miles southwest from Minneapolis downtown, is a great example, featuring three beautiful lakes within a fairly small area; Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet and Lake of the Isles. The loop around each lake is 3–3.5 miles and a great option for a longer run is to combine all three for an 11-mile loop. You run through beautiful parks and pass by lovely homes, while enjoying spectacular views of the lakes, with the downtown skyline serving as the backdrop. The area can also be crowded at times. Each lake has a bit of its own character; at the bottom of the chain, Lake Harriet is more residential, Lake Calhoun is the largest, Lake Harriet is the quietest and smallest. There is also one more lake in the northwest: Cedar Lake. The paths are plowed and kept open also during the winter. Water fountains and restrooms available. The Twin Cities Marathon Course incorporates this route.
Minneapolis — Minnehaha Parkway
7.4 miles ONE WAY. MAP
This scenic pathway, located in southwest Minneapolis, stretches from Lake Harriet to Minnehaha Park from west to east. You run alongside the Minnehaha Creek, which joins beautiful Lake Nokomis. We recommend the 7.4 mile lake loop, enjoying the views and rejoining the Minnehaha Parkway after the loop. Minnehaha Park is located on the banks of the mighty Mississippi. The whole stretch is a part of Twin Cities Marathon course. The route is flat and paved, and it is one of the most popular trails in the summer.
Mississippi River Road
8.8-mile loop with variation possibilities. MAP
The paved paths go along the historic and mighty Mississippi River from the Ford Bridge to the Washington Bridge. There are plenty of bridges along the way so you can easily criss-cross them and make as long loop as you want. It is no surprise either that part of Twin Cities Marathon course goes along the Mississippi. The views are spectacular on both sides, arguably the best views being from Franklin Bridge to north. We recommend starting at Plymouth Ave. near downtown Minneapolis and including Stone Arch Bridge. You are treated to great views, with Guthrie Theatre and the old Mill City to the west bank, looking over the St. Anthony Falls. The only downside is that paths are not so well connected north from the Washington Bridge, so you’ll need to incorporate some road. Note that the West River Pkwy has been closed between Washington Bridge and Franklin Bridge since 2014, but should be re-opened in spring 2016.
St.Paul - Summit Avenue
5.2 miles. MAP
Summit Avenue stretches from the Mississippi River in the west towards St. Paul downtown. The tree-lined path offers spectacular look at the historic mansions and the most prestigious homes of the city. At the eastern end of Summit Avenue, pass by beautiful St. Paul Cathedral. We recommend to extend the route slightly along John Ireland Boulevard for great views of the State Capitol, making it 5.2 miles from the river to the Capitol.
St. Paul - Lake Como
1.7 mile loop. MAP
Arguably the best choice for a lake run in St. Paul is the Lake Como, located northwest from the downtown. It is a popular recreation area and features some nice attractions, such as Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. The loop around the lake is 1.7 miles and for the longer run, there are add on possibilities by connecting up with the trails in Como Park at south. Route here for an additional 2 miles, making it total 3.7 miles. The loop is accessible basically from anywhere in the park, but a good place to start is at the Pavilion, which also features parking lots.
Further Afield
Fort Snelling State Park. Beautiful park located close proximity to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, making it a good choice for those staying at the airport hotels. You see (and hear) a lot of low airplanes, too. The park features 18 miles of paved and gravel running trails in the greens so there is plenty of options. A great 3.6-mile route is to start the historic Fort Snelling and make a loop around the Pike Island. It offers spectacular views of the Mississippi on the one side and the Minnesota River on the other, with the two rivers converging at the island’s end.
Hyland Lake Park Reserve. Located in the heart of Bloomington, about 15 miles southwest from Minneapolis downtown. Offers great scenery of prairie landscapes and a major body of water. Various trails and options for your run; you can take an easy and flat run around Hyland Lake or include some hills and head to trails topping Hyland Ski & Snowboard Area. Up there, you get also amazing views of the area with Minneapolis skyline in the horizon.
Stay
The are lots of hotels in downtown Minneapolis, with access to Mississippi River Road. The Northern end of the Chain of Lakes is also within two mile radius. If staying in St. Paul, the eastern end of Summit Avenue and the State Capitol are just around the corner from downtown, and Lake Como is around 3 miles northwest. Access to Fort Snelling State Park is within close proximity to the Airport hotels and Pike Island loop is at the northern part of the park.
Running stores
Mill City Running. Great running store helps with finding the perfect shoe, apparel, nutrition suggestions and training advice. Established in 2013 by a local running enthusiastic couple. One store with great location near downtown Minneapolis at Hennepin Avenue a few blocks from Stone Arch Bridge. Has free weekly group runs with pancakes afterwards. Calendar
Gear Running Store. Family owned and operated running store with over 30 years heritage. Great customer service and knowledgeable staff. One store, located less than a mile west from Chain of Lakes. Group runs around the Lake Harriet with post-run snacks taking place on Wednesdays at 6.30pm and Saturdays at 9pm.
Fleet Feet Minneapolis. Many locals know this also as Marathon Sports, which has served runners of all levels already for decades. Currently operating under the name Fleet Feet Minneapolis, but still having the same great customer service and knowledgeable staff. Located at the southern end of Lake Harriet.
TC Running Company. Two locations in the outskirts of the Twin Cities, at Eden Prairie and Maple Grove. Knowledgeable staff and one of the best running shoe selections in town. Has group runs in Maple Grove.
Community
Twin Cities Running Club. Non-profit, comprehensive running club to improve your running and make new friends. Aimed for runners of all levels and has multiple group runs each week. Membership for individuals $25 per year. Tailored running programs $35-$75 for members, $60-$100 for non-members.
Minneapolis Running. More virtual community but still with very local focus. Offers lots of interesting content on their website, plus a newsletter subscription, live running chats, challenges and meet-ups.
Events
The Twin Cities Marathon. The main running event in the area and promotes itself to be “The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America”. The route goes through many of places mentioned above: around three Minneapolis Lakes, alongside the Mississippi River, and finishing along Summit Avenue. First weekend of October.
Great River - Ragnar Relay Series. Part of the popular Ragnar Relay Series established in 2004. Teams of 6 or 12 members competing in a relay. Start at Winone on the banks of Mississippi. Includes both rural and urban running.
Get in Gear. Annual event about to celebrate their 40th anniversary. Offers something for every runner, featuring 2K, 5K, 10K and a half marathon. Takes place in April.
Hot Dash. Taking place in March, featuring 5K and 10 miles. Suitable for beginners and competitive runners alike. Has one of the top post-race beer gardens in the America.
Weather
The Twin Cities has a climate of extremes. Summer temperatures are comparable with other nearby major cities, such as Chicago. Temperatures from May to August are warm to hot with very high humidity. Winter temperatures, in turn, can be very cold and well below Chicago’s averages due to arctic air masses blowing from Canada. Wind chill values can be dangerous. Autumn and spring are the windiest times of the year in Minnesota.
