The Twin Cities 3-Day is coming up this weekend, and as you get ready for the event, we have a preview of what to expect! For those who are familiar with the route, you will see a lot of our favorite sights of the Twin Cities. If you’re new to the walk this year, you will love seeing all the natural beauty of Minnesota, as well as getting to know Minneapolis and St. Paul better.
Our walk this year begins at Southdale Center in Edina. It has been a local staple since 1956 and is the perfect jumping off point for sixty miles of fun. This was the original Mall of America!
From there, much of our first day of walking will be the route we have used in years past. We will leave Edina and walk through many parks and trails in the area. Event Production Manager Eileen Barnick promises you will see “many beautiful lakes and trails! If you’re into nature you’re going to love this walk!”
Those views include a trail between Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun!
Grab & Go A will be at Father Hennepin Bluffs. You will see the name Louis Hennepin all around the area. He was a famous missionary explorer during the Lewis and Clark era, so a lot of the known history of the Twin Cities we know because of him!
After lunch at Loring Park, walkers will cross the Stone Arch bridge, which is great for photos! This year there will also be a spot by the Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center. It was under construction last year, but this year it will be another great spot for photos. We will end Day One at the University of Minnesota campus before bussing to camp.
Our camp will be at Harvest Park, and walkers will have a mile walk on a quiet trail both in and out of camp, so it’s a little secluded.
“It’s really quiet, with no car traffic, so it’s totally our own little village for the weekend! Perfect for beauty sleep!” says Eileen.
Day Two will take place in the suburbs of the Twin Cities. We will start out on a trail and then go through some beautiful local neighborhoods before heading back into nature!
After lunch, we will hit the amazing St. Paul Utility Trail between two lakes in Vadnais Snail Regional Park.
Per Eileen, Day Two has “a good mix of streets and trails on this day, but the Vadnais Park is breathtaking!”
Day Three is a favorite of Coach Kiki Setterlund’s, thanks to the Indian Mound Park in the heart of St. Paul. It will be about 70-80% of street walking on Sunday, but Indian Mound Park overlooks St. Paul for epic views. Walkers will then go down a hill towards the water.
“You’ll have great views as you walk through the city, and then you’ll come up to the Closing Ceremony!”
Eileen echoes that sentiment, saying that crossing Wabasha Bridge towards Closing Ceremony at Harriet Island is like a “victory march” to end the 3-Day.
The Closing Ceremony site on Harriet Island is another one of Kiki’s favorite spots.
“It is our third year there, and the beautiful backdrop of St. Paul has great views of the Mississippi River!”
All in all, there will be plenty of scenic views over the course of all sixty miles, and the whole Twin Cities 3-Day team is hoping for some sunshine so walkers can enjoy them!
Kiki promises, “The local staff has sent in a memo to Mother Nature to request blue skies and sunny weather! It looks like we might get finally that after a few years of tough weather in the past. We are hoping that Mother Nature will work with us. We can’t wait to have you all on the route this year and in our gorgeous city!”
For more of our favorite sights from the Twin Cities 3-Day, check out our photo slideshow!
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What are you looking forward to most on the Twin Cities 3-Day? Tell us in the comments! And, if you have any more questions, your Twin Cities 3-Day coaches are here to help!