Cannon Valley Trail
Encyclopedia
The Cannon Valley Trail is a paved, multiple-use trail that follows the Cannon River in southeast Minnesota
.
The trail follows an abandoned Chicago Great Western Railway
corridor for 20 miles (32.2 km) between Cannon Falls, Minnesota
and Red Wing, Minnesota
. In the spring, summer, and fall months, the trail is open to hiking, biking, and inline skating. A "Wheel Pass" for bicyclists, inline skaters, and users of other wheeled recreational devices is required, at a cost of $3. In the winter months, the trail is groomed for cross-country skiing.
Local private citizens purchased the railroad right-of-way for a recreational trail in 1983 following the C&NWs (the successor to the CGW
) decision to abandon the line. The trail is managed by a joint powers board consisting of representatives from Cannon Falls, Red Wing, and Goodhue County, Minnesota
.
Points of interest on the trail include the Cannon River, wildlife management areas, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) mountain-bike trail, Welch Village ski area, and the Red Wing archaeological preserve. Camping is available at the Hidden Valley campground near Welch.
The Cannon Valley Trail is quite scenic, with farmland along its western half and descending into river bottomland along its eastern half. The river valley has substantial bluffs, including the site of Welch Village Ski Area about midway along the trail. The keen observer will also notice milepost markers along the south side of the trail placed there over the years when the CGW operated the rail line in the corridor. The mileposts indicate the distance from Mankato - the original western terminus of the CGW along the route.
from Faribault
to Mankato
is now the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail
. The section of the Chicago Great Western
between Faribault
and Cannon Falls
is being developed by the Mill Towns Trail Association which would result in the former route of the entire Chicago Great Western
(originally the Central Railway Company of Minnesota and later the Wisconsin, Minnesota & Pacific) from Mankato
to Red Wing
being converted to trail use.
In Red Wing
, the trail connects to the Goodhue Pioneer State Trail
.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
.
The trail follows an abandoned Chicago Great Western Railway
Chicago Great Western Railway
The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. It was founded by Alpheus Beede Stickney in 1885 as a regional line between St. Paul and the Iowa state line called the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad...
corridor for 20 miles (32.2 km) between Cannon Falls, Minnesota
Cannon Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,795 people, 1,550 households, and 996 families residing in the city. The population density was 946.4 people per square mile . There were 1,611 housing units at an average density of 401.8 per square mile...
and Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
. In the spring, summer, and fall months, the trail is open to hiking, biking, and inline skating. A "Wheel Pass" for bicyclists, inline skaters, and users of other wheeled recreational devices is required, at a cost of $3. In the winter months, the trail is groomed for cross-country skiing.
Local private citizens purchased the railroad right-of-way for a recreational trail in 1983 following the C&NWs (the successor to the CGW
Chicago Great Western Railway
The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. It was founded by Alpheus Beede Stickney in 1885 as a regional line between St. Paul and the Iowa state line called the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad...
) decision to abandon the line. The trail is managed by a joint powers board consisting of representatives from Cannon Falls, Red Wing, and Goodhue County, Minnesota
Goodhue County, Minnesota
Goodhue County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 46,183. Its county seat is Red Wing. Nearly all of Prairie Island Indian Community is within the county.-History:...
.
Points of interest on the trail include the Cannon River, wildlife management areas, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) mountain-bike trail, Welch Village ski area, and the Red Wing archaeological preserve. Camping is available at the Hidden Valley campground near Welch.
The Cannon Valley Trail is quite scenic, with farmland along its western half and descending into river bottomland along its eastern half. The river valley has substantial bluffs, including the site of Welch Village Ski Area about midway along the trail. The keen observer will also notice milepost markers along the south side of the trail placed there over the years when the CGW operated the rail line in the corridor. The mileposts indicate the distance from Mankato - the original western terminus of the CGW along the route.
Extant
The section of the Chicago Great WesternChicago Great Western Railway
The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. It was founded by Alpheus Beede Stickney in 1885 as a regional line between St. Paul and the Iowa state line called the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad...
from Faribault
Faribault, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,818 people, 7,472 households, and 4,946 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,644.8 people per square mile . There were 7,668 housing units at an average density of 605.8 per square mile...
to Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
is now the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail
Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail
Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail is a paved multi-use rail trail connecting Faribault and Mankato, Minnesota, USA.It is maintained by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which converted it from a railroad line. The name comes from the Dakota people who lived in the region; "Sakatah"...
. The section of the Chicago Great Western
Chicago Great Western Railway
The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. It was founded by Alpheus Beede Stickney in 1885 as a regional line between St. Paul and the Iowa state line called the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad...
between Faribault
Faribault, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,818 people, 7,472 households, and 4,946 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,644.8 people per square mile . There were 7,668 housing units at an average density of 605.8 per square mile...
and Cannon Falls
Cannon Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,795 people, 1,550 households, and 996 families residing in the city. The population density was 946.4 people per square mile . There were 1,611 housing units at an average density of 401.8 per square mile...
is being developed by the Mill Towns Trail Association which would result in the former route of the entire Chicago Great Western
Chicago Great Western Railway
The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. It was founded by Alpheus Beede Stickney in 1885 as a regional line between St. Paul and the Iowa state line called the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad...
(originally the Central Railway Company of Minnesota and later the Wisconsin, Minnesota & Pacific) from Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
to Red Wing
Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
being converted to trail use.
In Red Wing
Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
, the trail connects to the Goodhue Pioneer State Trail
Goodhue Pioneer State Trail
The Goodhue Pioneer State Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail in southeastern Minnesota, USA. The of trail currently exist in two segments, separated by a gap. The northern segment is a paved trail running from Red Wing, Minnesota to the Hay Creek section of the Richard J. Dorer...
.