Minnesota River Bottoms Community Run
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Minnesota River Bottoms Community Run
The Minnesota River Bottoms Community Run is a self-supported community trail run held in Minneapolis along the Minnesota River Valley urban trail corridor on December 12. Participants may choose their own turnaround point and route length, up to a full 50K.
The route begins at Minnehaha Falls, follows the stream to the Mississippi, continues to Coldwater Spring (Mni Owe Sni) through prairie trails, then follows the bike path to the Thomas C. Savage Visitor Center. From there the course crosses Mendota Bridge, passes the Sibley House historical site, and proceeds along the flat Minnesota River Bottoms. Notable features include a board-planked tree trunk crossing near mile 5, the Old Cedar Ave Bridge (parking and porta pottie present), the Lyndale Ave Parking Lot (no facilities), and a raft crossing about a mile past the halfway mark for the 50K. The trail can extend to the Bloomington Ferry Trail Bridge, where a parking lot is available but no facilities are present.
Distances
- 50K full out-and-back option
- 23 miles Falls to Old Cedar Ave Bridge round trip
- 43 miles round trip to Hwy 169 / Bloomington Ferry Bridge
This event is run as a completely self-supported effort. There is no continuous water on the route; a cooler of gallon water jugs will be placed at planned points and participants are advised to carry supplies, a water filter for emergency refills, appropriate layered apparel for early winter conditions, and a headlamp for pre-dawn running. Porta potties are noted at Snelling Visitor Center and Old Cedar Ave Bridge. One-way route options and a post-run shuttle back to parked cars are mentioned, as well as an informal after gathering at a nearby brewery with pizza or food truck arrangements. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
