Cycling day trip from Mendota Heights to Minneapolis

Go west on Randolph to Mississippi River Blvd. There is a bike path or the road. Turn right and continue on Miss. Blvd until you reach the Lake Street Bridge. Cross the Lake Street Bridge on the north side of the bridge. After crossing the bridge turn right and take West River Pkwy. Bike path or roadway. Follow W. River Pkwy. under the Franklin Bridge down the hill along the Mississippi River until you reach S. 4th Street. (Once the 35W bridge is reopened you would continue on West River Parkway until you reach the Hennepin Avenue Bridge. At Hennepin take a bike ramp up to Hennepin Avenue and go south 4 blocks to 300 Nicollet Mall) Turn left and go up the hill to the University of Minnesota West Bank. At 19th Avenue turn right and go to Washington Ave. S. Turn left and follow Washington Avenue west until you reach Nicollet Mall. Turn left one block to 300 Nicollet Mall.

1.  Take 54th St east to Minnehaha. Take Minnehaha Ave  bike path northwest all the way to Lake Street. Cross Lake Street as Minnehaha Ave changes to 26th Ave S and continue north to 26th Street. At this point you can either continue on 26th all the way through to Riverside and 26th.  26th is safe, but there is no bike lane.  The route that is mapped is on more bike paths, as follows Take a left onto 26th St. and look for the light rail trail bike path (which appears right before Hiawatha Ave). Take a right onto the trail, and follow the path until it ends at 11th Avenue. 6.  Take a left onto 11th, and follow the bike lane to 5th St. 7.  Take a right onto 5th street.  (note: 5th St is without a bike lane but traffic should be manageable.  Also, veer to the left of the LRT once given the option to choose a side of the tracks). 8.  Take 5th up to Portland and take a left into the bike lane. 9.  Take Portland to 15th St, and take a right. Take 15th over the bridge and to the stoplight, where you can only turn left (because it ends in a pkg lot). 11.  Turn left (onto 16th St) and follow the curve to the right.  You will see your first right turn is 3rd Ave S. 12.  Take a right onto 3rd Ave S which takes you to your destination.  Note: Once you turn off of Portland, there are no more bike lanes on this route, but there aren't any other options unforunately.  The traffic is usually manageble in this area, though, and there are wide shoulders. Another option for step 12 is: Continue on 16th Street to Nicollet, take a right.  Take Nicollet Ave to 12th st, and turn into the bike lane there.  

Take Highland Parkway (just north of Ford Parkway) to Mississippi River Blvd, and take a right. Take Mississippi River Blvd north until you reach the Marshall/Lake Bridge.  Continue biking under the bridge, then take the first right after the bridge to back track up to Marhshall Ave.  Take a right to head west across the bridge.  Once on the west side of the bridge, take a right onto W River Pkwy.  Continue on W River Pkwy until you reach 11th Avenue, where you take a left and take the bikelane to 5th St (Just past the Metrodome).  Take a right onto 5th St, bike past the Metrodome onward a few blocks to Portland Avenue (note, 5th St does not have a bike lane but the traffic is usually navigable).  Take a right on 5th AVENUE to 4th street (1 block). Take a left onto 4th St and walk your block the final block to your destination.

Take Mississippi River Blvd north until you reach the Marshall/Lake Bridge.  Continue biking under the bridge, then take the first right after the bridge to back track up to Marhshall Ave.  Take a right to head west across the bridge.  Once on the west side of the bridge, take a right onto W River Pkwy.  Continue on W River Pkwy until you reach 11th Avenue, where you take a left and take the bikelane to 5th St (Just past the Metrodome).  Take a right onto 5th St, bike past the Metrodome onward a few blocks to Portland Avenue (note, 5th St does not have a bike lane but the traffic is usually navigable).  Take a left on Portland ( which has a bike lane) to your destination.

note: at 28th and Hiawatha, take the amazing new pedestrian bridge or cross at 28th street.

Bike north on Minnehaha towards Hiawatha.  Cross Hiawatha at the light - just past Hiawatha is "West River Parkway".  Take a left onto West River Parkway which will quickly turn into Minnehaha Avenue. Continue on Minnehaha Avenue/West River Parkway.  You will reach a roundabout.  Carefully go half-way around the roundabout in order to continue "straight" on Minnehaha Avenue which has a bike lane.  However, take caution with some patches that have pot holes. You will cross Lake Street and Minnehaha will briefly turn into 26th Avenue.  As you near 28th Street (just about 1 or 2 blocks past Lake) you can take a left onto the Greenway.  If you reach 26th Street, you've gone too far. Follow the Greenway over the bridge over Hiawatha and continue on the Greenway heading west.  You will then reach the Midtown Global Market/Allina.

Take St. Paul Av. to Cleveland. Continue on Cleveland to Highland Pkwy. Turn left on Highland Pkwy and continue to Mississippi River Blvd. Turn right and follow Mississippi Blvd. north to the Lake St. Bridge. Go under the bridge and turn right up the ramp to the bridge. Cross the Mississippi River to Minneapolis and West River Pkwy. Turn right and to on to the Parkway. Continue north until you reach E. 27th St. The entrance to the Greenway is on the left up the ramp. Take the Greenway Bike Trail west to Park Avenue. At Hiawatha Avenue you can either cross at the 28th Street signal crossing or continue on the bike path north to the new Martin Sabo bike bridge. Very cool at night with the blue lights. Continue on the Greenway. Take the ramp up to Park Avenue and go north (right) on the one-way. The bike lane is on the left. Take Park Avenue to 7th Street and turn left to another one-way street. Continue on 7th Street to Hennepin Av. and turn right one block to 6th Street. At 6th Street turn right and you are at your destination.

Take St. Paul Avenue to  Cleveland. Turn left at Ford Parkway. Take Ford Parkway across the Mississippi River to East 46th Street. Take Edmund Blvd to the right. At 44th Street make a slight right turn to West River Parkway. There is a bike path along the river or ride in the road. The road is narrow and some car drivers don't like bikers in the roadway. If you are fast the road might be better. Follow West River Parkway north under Lake Street to E. 24th Avenue. Turn left and follow 24th Avenue to 26th Avenue. Turn right at 26th Avenue to Franklin.

Take St. Paul Avenue to Cleveland. Cleveland north to Highland Pkwy. Highland Pkwy to Mississippi River Blvd. Follow Mississippi Blvd to the Lake Street Bridge. Cross the Lake Street Bridge and turn right on to West River Road. Continue north on West River Road to E. 25th Street. Turn left and continue on E. 25th Street to 26th Avenue South. Turn right to block to Franklin.