Join the hiking group for a hike on Dakota County's "Big Rivers Trail" along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, on a late 1800's rail bed converted to a hiking/biking/rollerblading trail.

The trail is built on the rail bed of the Minnesota Central RailRoad, one of Minnesota's oldest railroads. In 1857, the Minnesota Central RailRoad was incorporated by a special act of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature and was an early predecessor of the Milwaukee Road. The Minnesota Central RailRoad was built by Selah Chamberlain (1812-1886), who also was its president, and who also built the Rutland & Burlington RailRoad in Vermont, built parts of the Lake Champlain RailRoad, and engaged in the construction of the Cleveland & Pittsburg RailRoad. In 1865, the Minnesota Central RailRoad became the first railroad to serve the Minneapolis West Side Mill District along the Mississippi River. In 1867, the Milwaukee & St. Paul RailRoad bought the Minnesota Central RailRoad, changed the name of the merged railroad to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul RailRoad in 1874, and later shortened the name of the railroad to the Milwaukee Road.

Directions: Take I-35E from St. Paul across the Mississippi River and exit at Highway 13. Take Highway 13 east (turn left) about 1/4 mile to the intersection with Lilydale Road and turn south (right) on Lilydale Road. Lilydale Road winds down a steep hill to the St. Paul Yacht Club. Park in the trail parking lot, located off of Lilydale Road, just south of the railroad underpass, before reaching the Yacht Club.

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This page was last updated on February 28, 2017.