Gateway Trail
Description: This trail follows an abandoned rail line from just north of downtown St. Paul to a park just north of Stillwater. At nearly 18 miles, it's one of the longest trails in the Twin Cities metro area. The western section of the trail (between Highway 35E and Highway 694) goes through suburban areas and mostly residential neighborhoods, while the eastern section is more rural and goes through pastures, farmland, and nature preserves.
Getting there:
Oakdale trailhead - From St. Paul or Minneapolis, take Highway 36 east through North St. Paul to the Hadley Avenue intersection. Turn right (south) on Hadley, then take the first left. The parking lot is about half a mile down on the right side. From other suburbs, take Highway 694 to Highway 36, then exit west on 36 and go about half a mile west to Hadley, then continue as above.
Length: The western section of the trail is about 8 miles long. The eastern section is just over 10 miles from the Hadley Avenue parking lot to Pine Point Park.
Other nearby trails: The western part of the trail connects to the Phalen and Keller Lake trails. There is also an intersection in Maplewood with another trail (the Phalen Creek Trail?) that follows the old Burlington Northern right of way north and south.