Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park — Attraction in Princeton

I just completed a 3 Day Bikepacking Trip the Entire Length from Mississippi River to Illinois River and back. Over 200 miles logged. This is just what I was looking for! Many complain about condition of the Trail, I am a Mountain Biker so it's perfect! I don't want easy, smooth pavement! If you are looking to do this on a Racing, lightweight Touring Bike with skinny, smooth tires don't bother! I went through long stretches without seeing a soul, PERFECT! My only complaints are not enough fresh water stops, but I carry a 4 liter water cell in my frame bag, so no big deal! Also, they should allow Boondocking! I'm a YouTuber and have 4 Episodes from this Trip on my channel. Check it out! Just search for Steve McFate. Lots of good, usable info and content of you are interested in bikepacking or...

We came here to ride the Hennepin Canal Trail. The Visitors Center was not open even though the schedule stated it was supposed to be open. Oddly, the Visitor Center schedule is not open on weekends but says it has hours open Monday through Friday. The water was not turned on at the water fountain, even though it's the middle of the summer. Maps of park and canal trail were available. Pit toilets were available. The scenery on Trail was beautiful and we didn't meet any cyclists or walkers but saw a few fisherman. Lock 22 had a campground and pit toilets but the water wasn't turned on there either! A lot of signage was missing and the oil/chip trail had a lot of loose gravel. Illinois needs to start maintaining all...

I love the beauty of the Hennepin canal and love riding my bike on the towpath. The towpath can be a combination of grass, dirt, gravel and sometimes paved. Maintenance on the trail is the bare minimum and some people may consider it too rough and overgrown. You will see lots of wildlife while riding on the towpath from birds and turkeys, to squirrels and rabbits, raccoons & deer just to name a few of the animals I have seen while on the trail. It's very peaceful & a good place to fish, and is dog friendly. Fresh drinking water is hard to find along the trail so make sure to have plenty of drinking water on hand and don't forget your bug repellent sometimes those mosquitoes and biting flies can...