Cannon Valley — paved Welch west return
Minnesota · Rail-trail
Walk to the designated main trail at the named public start. Follow the paved main trail west toward Cannon Falls for up to 2 miles and retrace. Do not head east through the closed Red Wing construction section or use a road detour. Stop before any current work barrier.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Welch · Minnesota
- Ride length
- Up to 4 miles return
- Ride format
- Out and back
- Surface
- Paved former-rail trail
- Road crossings
- Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure.
- Elevation
- Gentle railway course with bridge approaches and local ramps.
- Starting location
- Cannon Valley Trail public Welch Station trail access, Welch, MN
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Explicit selected public Welch Station place coordinates, not viewport or a surveyed parking stall. Reconciled with manager-recommended open-section public start.
Cannon Valley — paved Welch west return — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-22. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
A selected outing on a documented improved bicycle route. Follow the stated public start and course.
Start and parking
Start: Cannon Valley Trail public Welch Station trail access, Welch, MN.
Manager recommends Welch as a public starting point in the open section. Use signed trail visitor parking rather than private business spaces; the closed A.P. Anderson access is not an alternate.
Ride and distance
Selected ride: Up to 4 miles return. Format: Out and back.
Ride: Walk to the designated main trail at the named public start. Follow the paved main trail west toward Cannon Falls for up to 2 miles and retrace. Do not head east through the closed Red Wing construction section or use a road detour. Stop before any current work barrier.
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Surface and effort
Paved former-rail trail. Gentle railway course with bridge approaches and local ramps.
Crossings and shared use
Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure. Yield to pedestrians, keep right, and slow at blind corners. Stop at barriers; never use a traffic-road detour to bypass a trail closure.
Hours, costs and access
Use daylight and obey posted trail, park and parking hours. Manager currently requires a $7 Wheel Pass for users aged 18 and older; follow current purchase terms. Do not buy or ride into a closed segment.
Reviewed 2026-10-22. Manager’s October 19–25, 2026 update confirms mile 0–15.5 open, 15.6–19.7 closed and future unscheduled work at 14–15.5. Welch westward stays away from that eastern scope. No pets; maximum wheeled speed 20 mph. This is a source review, not a same-day inspection. Recheck the linked manager before travel.
Map and Directions
Use the named public start and its posted parking signs. The map reference identifies the facility or selected trail area; it is not a surveyed parking stall or navigable route line. Bicycle and e-bike rules can differ; only ordinary bicycle use is established unless noted.