Victoria's trail map grew this September. Carver County finished a paved trail of about 1.2 miles along the east side of Bavaria Road, between Highway 5 and County Road 18, also called 82nd Street or Lyman Boulevard. A few weeks earlier, county crews paved a new trail along the west side of Highway 11 between the Huntersbrook neighborhood and Marsh Lake Road. Both are open now.
The timing matters more than the mileage. In 2027, Carver County plans to close Highway 5 from spring into winter and shut part of the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail for stretches of the year. This fall the new connections are finished and the big closures are still a season away. A walk or ride out of Victoria picks up more pavement now than it loses to construction, and that won't be true next year.
The Bavaria Road trail came early
On September 10, the City of Victoria listed the Bavaria Road trail as a future project "expected to be completed in 2027." Three weeks later, on October 1, the city announced it was done. Carver County had finished it in September. That beat the city's own estimate by at least a few months. The city's trail-connections page still calls the segment under construction, so the October 1 notice is the newer word.
This wasn't a minor link. Victoria says residents asked for it again and again, and it ranked as the city's top trail-connection priority. It fills a gap in the regional network and helps people get toward Chaska, Carver and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The word "toward" is accurate. The new pavement runs from Highway 5 to County Road 18 and doesn't reach the Arboretum's gates by itself. It does remove the part of Bavaria Road that used to send walkers and cyclists into traffic.
The Highway 11 trail came in slower. Crews finished sewer work and grading in spring 2026. Then the trail sat unpaved for four months so the ground could settle before paving in early September. It runs near the southwest side of the Highway 11 and Highway 14 roundabout. That roundabout opened to traffic in August 2025 with better lighting and marked pedestrian crossings. For the Huntersbrook side of town, this trail is the first paved link toward the rest of Victoria's system.
What's open and what's closed this October
New pavement doesn't mean every route is clear. Three trail segments in the Highway 5 project area are closed right now, plus one boardwalk near Lake Auburn.
| Segment | Status | Expected through |
|---|---|---|
| Bavaria Road trail, Highway 5 to County Road 18 | Open, finished September 2026 | Open |
| Highway 11 trail, Huntersbrook to Marsh Lake Road | Open, paved early September 2026 | Open |
| Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, Steiger Lake Lane to Rolling Acres Road | Closed for culvert replacement since Sept. 23, no detour | About three weeks, so roughly mid-October |
| Trail at the northeast corner of Highway 5 and Highway 41, 78th Street to Century Boulevard | Closed | Through fall 2026 |
| Trail on the east side of Rolling Acres Road, Tamarack Trail to Interlaken | Closed for private utility work | Through fall 2026 |
| Six Mile Creek boardwalk near Lake Auburn | Closed during replacement; nearby trails open | Trail work tentatively done by end of October; railings in December |
The Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail closure matters most. Three Rivers Park District describes the full trail as 15.8 miles of aggregate surface, open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Carver County runs and maintains the western three miles inside Victoria. The county says the culvert work started September 23 and should take about three weeks. Because of where the work sits, there's no detour. The county hasn't posted a firm reopening date, so check before heading out on the stretch near Steiger Lake Lane.
The Six Mile Creek work is part of the East Auburn Wetland Restoration Project, run by the City of Victoria and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. The crews are adding a small water control structure to keep the wetland's water level steady, which improves water flowing into Lake Auburn. The old boardwalk is being replaced with a new smooth-surface one in the same spot. The trails between Buttercup Court, Duck Trail and Island Point are open. Only the boardwalk stays closed until it's safe to use.
Where the open routes lead this fall
The new links matter because of what's at the other end. Here are the dated reasons to get outside before November, in calendar order:
- Pumpkin Palooza at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Oct. 3–31. More than 500 kinds of pumpkins, squash and gourds go on display, as part of the larger Scarecrows, Pumpkins & Harvest Fun season running daily through Nov. 1. The Arboretum recommends reserving admission in advance to guarantee entry.
- Fall Colors Kayak at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park, Oct. 11, 1–2:30 p.m. Carver County's outing is for ages 10 and up.
- Black tupelo color at the Arboretum, early to mid October. The Arboretum's September 28 curatorial post also says ornamental grasses hold on into October and November, and blueberry foliage turns red in the same weeks. The grounds have more than 12 miles of trails.
- Full Hunter's Moon Hike, Oct. 26, 6:30–9:30 p.m. It's an after-hours walk on the Arboretum grounds under the October full moon.
- Victoria's downtown Halloween, Oct. 31. The free celebration includes trick-or-treating through the business district and games at Bayfront Park.
- Northern Lights at the Arboretum, from Nov. 20. The new display runs nightly through Jan. 3, 2027, from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. It's closed Nov. 26, Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. Public tickets go on sale Wednesday, Oct. 7.
Arboretum hours change with the season. Through October, the grounds are open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. From November through February, they close at 5 p.m. That's two hours of grounds access gone just as the evening events start. Most fall afternoon visits will happen in October.
Getting from Victoria to the Arboretum on foot or by bike still isn't one continuous ride. The county's Highway 5 Regional Trail runs about 10 miles from the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail in Victoria toward Dell Road, passing the Arboretum along the way and connecting to Chanhassen's trails. The city also plans a 0.7-mile link between 78th Street and Applewood Circle to connect the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, the Minnesota River Bluffs Trail and the Arboretum. Victoria lists it as long-term planning.
Why 2027 looks different
The 2026 closures listed above are short, or they're tied to one corner. Next year's work is bigger. Carver County plans construction from winter 2026 through autumn 2027. This year's work focuses on the north-south roads, the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail and Highway 5 near the Arboretum's current entrance. In 2027, work moves onto Highway 5 itself between Victoria and Chanhassen. The county says access to the Arboretum, downtown Victoria, businesses, homes and local roads will stay open throughout.
The county's staging overview says all roads will be open during the winter break between the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Final restoration is set for 2028, with no road closures that year. The schedule is labeled preliminary, and the county plans another open house before the 2027 season to share timing and access routes. Victoria adds that schedules may change.
That's where the trail network comes in. The city's October 1 notice lists what the construction will leave behind:
- New trail underpasses at the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail and Madelyn Creek Park
- A trail overpass at 78th Street
- A new trail link between an underpass and Rolling Acres Road
- Paving a section of the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail
The September 10 notice says that paving runs from the Stieger Lake Fish Pier entrance to Rolling Acres Road. That overlaps the corridor closed for culvert replacement right now, between Steiger Lake Lane and Rolling Acres Road.
A park on the Highway 11 side
Construction on Huntersbrook Park at 10200 Creekside Lane also starts this fall, with a grand opening expected in late summer 2027. Plans include an all-ages playground, a bike pump track, a sports court and a multi-use lawn. Expect more heavy trucks and noise during daytime work hours. Plans for Marsh Hollow Park, half a mile away at 5485 Creekside Lane, are on hold until funding comes through. The new Highway 11 trail runs through this same part of Victoria. The neighborhood got its trail link this September and gets its park next summer, during the same season Highway 5 is closed.
If you're sorting out how next year's Highway 5 and trail closures affect your street, your daily routes, or the timing of a move, let's talk it through before spring. Karin Rice Duncanson follows these projects block by block. Let's Connect.
