Bloomington's mountain bikers now have a date to plan around, though it's a ways off. Three Rivers Park District's latest timeline sets construction of the new singletrack trail at Hyland Bush Anderson Lakes Park Reserve for April 2027 through May 2028, with the trail targeted to open in spring 2028. The district wants the final design done in November 2026.
The most recent public step was a draft design open house at Hyland Lake Park Reserve on Aug. 25, 2026. The district has posted the draft for public review, along with a Hyland Singletrack Trail Draft Design Survey, and says community feedback will help shape the final version. The plan calls for a mix of beginner, intermediate and advanced trails with some technical sections. The district is developing the trail with the One Track Mind Foundation. It hasn't released a trail length yet. Questions can go to Luke Skinner, the district's associate superintendent, at [email protected], and the draft and updates are posted on the project page.
Here's how it got this far. A 2025 cooperative agreement handed Three Rivers management of several park units Bloomington used to run. After looking over the property, the district concluded the reserve could support a destination-quality mountain biking facility. Public engagement ran from February to March 2026, and design development followed from April to July. On June 30, the city announced that the district was in the final design phase. The goals, per the city, are to preserve natural habitat, keep impacts on neighbors and other park users low, protect the existing cross-country ski infrastructure and build trails riders of every level can use. The trail will rely on parking, restrooms and drinking water already at Hyland instead of adding new ones.
Skiers can relax. Per the district, the singletrack will close in winter to protect the cross-country ski infrastructure, so bikes and skis won't be competing for the same trails in the same season.
The trail announcement was part of a wider city push this summer to get people out to Bloomington's parks. The city counts 97 parks and green spaces and more than 50 miles of trails. They range from the 0.8-mile natural loop at Girard Lake Park (8401 France Ave. S.) to the overlook at Pond Dakota Mission Park (401 E. 108th St.), which traces 12,000 years of human history at the site. Hyland Lake Park Reserve covers more than 2,600 acres, with access through Richardson Nature Center, the Bush Lake parks, Normandale Lake Park and Tierney's Woods. For longer rides or walks, the city says the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge has more than 46 miles of trail across 5 access points in the area.
If you use the Nine Mile Creek corridor, note that the city scheduled major renewal work there from late summer into early fall 2026, closing Harrison Park and other trailheads. Moir Park, at 10320 Morgan Ave. S., stays open as an alternative. Questions about any of it go to the Parks and Recreation Department at 952-563-8877 or [email protected].
