Visiting the Arboretum: All members and visitors need to make a reservation in advance of their visit to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. We hope to see you soon!

Map highlighting the open portion of the new Highway 5 Regional Bike Trail from the Arboretum's Gatehouse to Lake Tamarack, which is about three miles round-trip.

By Liz Potasek

The new Highway 5 Regional Bike Trail connection that passes through Arboretum property offers another way to explore the Arboretum's Lake Tamarack, which is about one-mile west of the Arboretum's main entrance.

Lake Tamarack. Photo by Chris McNamara.

If you'd like to explore Lake Tamarack on your next visit to the Arboretum, simply park in the main parking lot, and then walk back to the Gatehouse on the left side of the entrance road. Check in with Gatehouse staff for a return entrance pass to the Arboretum before heading west on the newly opened portion of the Highway 5 Regional Bike Trail.

Highway 5 Regional Bike Trail boardwalk. Photo by Norbert Lucas.

The trail leads to a boardwalk over wetlands and a tunnel under Highway 5. Continue following the trail west to the Arboretum's Lake Tamarack property.

When you see this structure, you'll know that you've found the entrance road to Lake Tamarack. Photo by Aldo Abelleira.

To get to Lake Tamarack, you'll turn right down a gravel road that passes by an old building with a barn quilt. The gravel road leads to Lake Tamarack and connects with about 1/2 mile of trails through the property. The walk from the Gatehouse to Lake Tamarack is about 1.5 miles, so the entire round-trip is a satisfying three miles.