History
In 1983, when the Chicago Great Western railroad line announced its intention of abandonment, private citizens realized the recreational potential of the line. With the assistance of the Minnesota Parks Foundation (now known as the Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota), the right-of way was purchased with donated funds. The citites of Cannon Falls, Red Wing, and Goodhue County jointly manage this rail-trail. The CVT is one of only 2 trails in the state of MN that is not state owned. The Trail was dedicated May 31, 1986.
Specialties
Cannon Valley Trail is a regional bicycle hiking trail and is recognized as a National Recreation Trail. The Trail has 19.7 miles of paved surface that takes you through prairies and wood lands and offers splendid views of the Cannon River and bluffs between Cannon Falls and Red Wing. Trail accesses can be found in Cannon Falls, Welch and Red Wing.