Lake Marion Trail

Trail Gap Study - Sunset Pond Park to Williams Drive

Recent Events: Virtual Open House

On March 3 we held our third and final open house for the Lake Marion Trail Gap Project, an engineering study to determine the route for a proposed trail and improvements between Sunset Pond parking lot and Williams Drive. 

View the recorded session below.

The next step is to complete an application for federal funding to provide the financial funding for construction of the project, which is due in April. If the City is successful in receiving this funding, construction would be expected in 2024 or 2025.

Watch the City Council review of the plan at the Feb. 15 City Council Work Session (starts at the 2 hour, 9 minute mark)

View the Nov. 15 Parks and Natural Resources Commission meeting project discussion

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Review the Project Maps


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View our Interactive Map of the project area

*The interactive map is now closed for new comments but remains viewable.

Project Background:

The project is for a proposed bike trail to fill the gap on the Lake Marion Trail Greenway.

The Lake Marion Greenway is a 20-mile corridor connecting the Minnesota River Greenway in Burnsville to the Vermillion River Greenway in Farmington. Since 2017, Dakota County and the City of Burnsville have partnered on completing 3.25 miles of the Lake Marion Greenway within Burnsville. A proposed Joint Powers Agreement would provide preliminary design for the remaining 1.5 miles.

The Rose Bluff Trail was constructed three years ago and the Lake Marion Trail - Kelleher Segment is constructed now, with punch list items remaining. If the City/County can fill the gap from Rose Bluff Trail to the Sunset Pond Park parking lot there will be a 4.75 miles of the Lake Marion Greenway section within the City of Burnsville from Rudy Kraemer Nature Preserve to Kelleher Park.

The best way to get the funding to construct this gap is to complete this engineering study and preliminary plan/cost estimate in preparation for an anticipated federal grant program which is expected to be open for submissions in early summer of 2022. This will allow us to complete community outreach, show a preferred alternative, begin railroad coordination and determine any other challenges that may exist to construct the new trail. Completing a study like this will increase the odds of receiving federal funding.

Burnsville Trail Segments

  • North Segment (Rose Bluff): 0.5-mile trail segment from Kraemer Nature Preserve to Williams Drive - Completed 2018
  • South Segment: 1.6-mile segment from Sunset Park to Kelleher Park - Completed 2021
  • Middle Segment: Approximately 1.5-mile segment connecting the North and South segments - Planning Stages

Click here to download Lake Marion Greenway Master Plan (PDF) (18.5MB) 

Updated Project Map Based on Public Feedback

Marion Lake Trail Project Area Map

*The Lake Marion Trail in Burnsville gap study project is in partnership with Dakota County.