Three separate projects will close parts of the Dakota Rail Regional Trail around Mound between now and the end of March. Measured in miles and months, the Xcel Energy closure west of downtown is the biggest. For the winter routine, it matters least, because most of that trail went unplowed last winter. The closure that cuts into a cleared winter route is the shorter one in Orono, and it doesn't start until December 1.
The difference comes down to one detail on the Three Rivers Park District maps. Each closure lands on a different part of the plowing list.
The Three Closures, Side by Side
Three Rivers posted all three on its Dakota Rail Regional Trail page, and Hennepin County lists the Commerce Boulevard work on its road maintenance projects page.
| Closure | Dates | Who and why | Plowing status of that area on the 2025–26 list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commerce Boulevard crossing, Mound | October 5 through early November | Hennepin County, rebuilding pedestrian ramps to ADA standards | Mound listed as plowed |
| Shoreline Drive in Mound to Westonka Recreation Park in Minnetrista, about 2.5 miles | October 15 through the end of February | Xcel Energy, replacing the high-voltage transmission line beside the trail | Minnetrista listed as not plowed |
| North Shore Drive to Orono Orchard Road, Orono, about 2 miles | December 1 through March 31 | Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, installing a new sewer line | Orono listed as plowed |
The last column comes from Three Rivers' winter trail maintenance page, which is still headed "2025–26 Winter Snowplowing on Regional Trails." It shows last season's arrangement, not a confirmed plan for this winter. Plowing is handled through a partnership between Three Rivers and local cities.
The Longest Closure Mostly Covers Trail That Wasn't Plowed
Three Rivers says the Dakota Rail is plowed in Mound only from County Road 110 to Seton Channel, along with Spring Park, Minnetonka Beach, Orono, and Wayzata. "Other segments of the trail are not maintained," the page says. County Road 110 is Commerce Boulevard. That puts Mound's cleared stretch on the downtown-to-Spring Park side of the crossing. The Xcel closure starts at Shoreline Drive and runs west past Gale Woods Farm into Minnetrista, where the trail was listed as not plowed.
So the 2.5 miles closing from October 15 through February are mostly miles that went unplowed last winter anyway. In practice, the closure takes away mainly late-fall walks and rides toward Gale Woods. Three Rivers says it scheduled the work for fall and winter because "use of the trail decreases significantly during the winter months."
The work itself is a full rebuild. Minnesota's transmission planning report calls it "Rebuild 0735 St Bonifacius to Mound." It says the existing structures are at end of life with numerous defects and that load growth means the line needs more capacity. The project also adds optical ground wire. The Laker Pioneer reported that construction is expected to run from this fall through spring 2028. An Xcel spokesperson told the paper that "most work will take place along the existing right-of-way" and that service interruptions are not expected. The state report lists December 2026 as the in-service target. The trail closure covers October 15 through the end of February. These are three different milestones on one project. The trail dates are the ones that affect a walk.
Minnetrista is hosting part of the staging. The city signed a three-year lease with Xcel for city property where construction materials will be stockpiled. The Laker Pioneer reported that the lease brings in about $3,600 a year, similar to earlier agricultural leases on the site, and that the city expects several hundred thousand dollars' worth of site improvements, including grading that could support future parking.
The Commerce Boulevard Closure Is Timed to Finish Before Plowing Starts
The crossing just south of Shoreline Drive is the one people are dealing with right now. Since October 5, Commerce Boulevard has been closed in both directions there, and so has the trail crossing. Hennepin County is rebuilding the pedestrian ramps to ADA standards, and its posted driving detour uses Shoreline Drive, Willshire Boulevard, and Bartlett Boulevard. Unlike the two longer closures, this one comes with a posted trail detour map for walkers and riders.
The county says ramp projects like this "typically take a few weeks," and this one is scheduled to wrap up in early November. The trail page says winter maintenance generally runs from mid-November through March. If the schedule holds, the crossing reopens with new ramps at about the time the plowed in-town stretch needs it.
The Orono Sewer Closure Removes a Plowed Link
The Orono closure covers fewer miles over fewer months than Xcel's, and it's the one that removes trail that was cleared last winter. From December 1 through March 31, about two miles will close between North Shore Drive and Orono Orchard Road. Three Rivers lists Orono as a plowed community on the Dakota Rail. That means the closure falls almost exactly on the months when plowing is what keeps the trail usable.
The trail stays open on either side of each closure, but Three Rivers says there will be no posted detour around the closed sections. From Mound, that means the cleared winter route toward Wayzata ends at North Shore Drive until spring.
The Met Council calls the work the Orono Interceptor 7113 Improvements. It's a new regional sewer pipe from lift station L59 toward Orono Orchard Road, and from Brown Road the route follows the Dakota Rail northeast. Overall construction is expected to start in late 2026 and finish in spring or summer 2028. The trail itself gets something out of it. Three Rivers says the sections affected by the sewer work will be repaved as part of the project.
What Stays Open Through the Winter
With the Xcel and Orono sections closed, the stretch left in the middle is Mound's in-town trail running east toward Spring Park. Last season, both cities were on the plowed list. Three Rivers' designated parking for the Mound section is at 5515 Lynwood Boulevard. At the Spring Park end, Back Channel Brewing runs its taproom at 4787 Shoreline Drive. Back toward downtown, the city's Surfside Park & Beach sits at 2670 Commerce Boulevard.
Gale Woods Farm, at 7210 County Road 110 West in Minnetrista, sits along the closed Xcel segment. Three Rivers describes a trail closure past the farm and says nothing about a road closure. It doesn't explicitly confirm driving access either, so it's worth checking before you go. The grounds are open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The farm store keeps Monday through Saturday hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and opens at noon on Sundays. In winter, the farm has 4.2 miles of ungroomed snowshoe trails and seasonal snowshoe rentals when conditions allow. Three Rivers advises reserving to guarantee a rental.
The farm's calendar runs straight through the closure window:
- October 9: Spirit of the Season: Hard Cider
- November 7, 3 to 6 p.m.: the 13th annual Tonka Brew Fest, with sampling from 15-plus Minnesota breweries, music, and BBQ
- November 21, 9:30 a.m. to noon: Sheep Shearing and Holiday Gifts
- December 19: Tomte Solstice Magic
- February 10: Farm to Fiber Art and Wooly Wonders
Three Rivers' activity search has the full program list and registration.
The Xcel closure is scheduled to run through the end of February. The Orono closure runs through March 31, and the sewer crews' work areas are set to be repaved afterward.
At The Fowke Weber Team, we follow the projects that shape everyday life in Mound and around the lake, from trail corridors to the work going on beside them. If you'd like to talk through how projects like these fit into your own plans along the Dakota Rail, we'd be glad to hear from you. Get in Touch.
