by Russ Lowthian
Starting in Minnesota’s pristine pine forest area, plan an adventure pedaling along the Mississippi River Trail (MRT)down through the Driftless Area. With the availability of e-bikes, it is now much easier to explore the first leg of America’s famous bike system. Along the way, make many memories as you follow ‘Old Man River’, enjoy many historic river towns, and the scenery along the way.
Pedal with family and friends at your own pace on this Bold North adventure.
The first leg of America’s famous 3,000-mile bicycle trail system uses bike-friendly roads and multi-use pathways. As you read this article, you will find some of my observations of interest. From several MRT bike tours I have led over the years, and references from my guidebook, Road Biking Minnesota, and the Minnesota Bike/Hike/Paddle Guide.
From the Mississippi’s headwaters near Park Rapids to the Iowa border, the entire Minnesota section is roughly a 620-mile journey. The following route description spans nine days to keep the daily mileage comfortable and allow plenty of time to visit the river towns along the way. Depending on how much time you can spend on a bike vacation, this overview makes it easy to break it apart for multiple bike getaways.
Please visit the embedded links for short video clips and maps of the Mississippi trail system. As you read the following, check out the video clips to get a better feel for what you will see and experience as you ride along the MRT. The information in these video clips and subsequent videos is made possible by the MN DNR, the MN Historical Society, Explore Minnesota Tourism, and the National Park Service.
MRT – Day 1, the Mississippi Headwaters to Bemidji
After enjoying a hearty breakfast at the historic Douglas Lodge in Itasca State Park, it’s time to begin your journey. First, you will need to pedal a few miles through the towering pines to where the Mississippi River begins. Here at the Headwaters parking lot walk your bike down the trail. There, dip your rear wheel in the stream to celebrate the beginning of your adventure. You may hear one of Minnesota’s loons calling out, cheering you on. Now, depart from the park’s north entrance and follow the internationally recognized Mississippi River Trail. The first leg takes you in a northeasterly direction for 30-plus miles, offering a beautiful rolling terrain. As you pass by patches of pine forests and an occasional old farm setting, enjoy the fresh air. Soon, you are pedaling into the first city on the Mississippi River.
Rolling into Bemidji
Arriving in Bemidji, the MRT enters on a city trail that connects to the Paul Bunyan Trail. As the river’s current flows into Lake Bemidji, consider spending your first evening here. While visiting, discover all this community has to offer.
A League of American Bicyclists (LAB) Bike-Friendly Community, it’s easy to get around and explore the city by bike.
In the downtown area, metal sculptures, murals, and historic architecture are found around every corner. Don’t forget to stop by the visitor’s center to have your picture taken with Paul Bunyan and Babe, his blue ox. See our Bike Bemidji article for lodging and other activities when not riding. You will find camping options in Lake Bemidji State Park.
MRT – Day 2 from Bemidji to Grand Rapids
Back in the saddle, the MRT takes the Paul Bunyan Trail north to where the Mississippi River pours out of Lake Bemidji. As the current flows east, enjoy the sites along the Great River Road as it rolls into Chippewa National Forest. This next stretch of the MRT to Grand Rapids is roughly 80 miles. To get a better feel for what’s ahead after leaving Bemidji, watch a video clip here.
With abundant wildflowers along the road, pedal through this forested area’s enchanted treasures. Along the way, notice a huge population of bald eagles and hawks as the Old Muddy meanders from one huge lake body to the next. Soon, the river flows into Lake Winnibigoshish (Lake Winnie), and the MRT takes a course around the lake’s south shoreline.
The first Federal Dam on the Mississippi
Passing several resorts, you may want to stop by the significant fish monument for a selfie. Riding up the east shoreline through towering pines, the MRT is soon up to the Federal Dam, where Lake Winnie spills back into the Mighty Mississippi. This dam was created in the late 1800s, making it the most significant river reservoir. Approximately 45 miles from Bemidji, there is a campground. You will find a restaurant and some lodging options a few miles east.
The MRT follows the river meanders, now in a southerly direction, passing through a Native American village called Ball Club. Here, the river dips and then flows to the east again. Soon, the MRT rolls into Schoolcraft State Park, where it meets back up with the Mississippi. This secluded park is the perfect place to take a break. Quiet and peaceful, the park offers a relaxing environment with a virgin white pine forest over 300 years old. Take a panoramic virtual tour of the area here, and then it’s on to some Wizard of Oz trivia.
Rolling into Grand Rapids
Judy Garland, from The Wizard of Oz, spent time here as a child. Today, the community offers visitors many fun options, along with the Judy Garland Museum. Once settled in, visit the Forest History Center and the local art scene. This area is rich in forested beauty and offers many art forms, including many bronze sculptures and historic architectural sites. Grand Rapids is also the western gateway to the Mesabi Iron Range and the Mesabi Iron Trail. Another LAB Bike Friendly Community, it’s easy to get around this river town and explore the city by bike. The mining communities along this Mesabi Trail are worth checking out if you have a few extra days. See our Bike Grand Rapids article for lodging and more things to do when not riding.
MRT – Day 3 from Grand Rapids to Aitkin
As the Mississippi River pushes against the western slope of the St. Lawrence Divide, it
flows south, and the MRT hugs the west bank as it rolls out of Grand Rapids. This stretch of the MRT is approximately 70 miles to Aitkin.
Approximately 20 miles south, you will come to a crossroads. Here, by taking a left and crossing the river, you’re in the town of Jacobson. If you turn onto this half-mile side-trip adventure, you will discover many pieces of unusual lawn art and a rest-stop option.
Rolling into Palisade
Back on the route, continue south, and you will soon be in a town named for the high banks on each side of the river, another intriguing place to stop. The community has a restaurant and a convenience store. Next to the river, the park is an excellent place for a picnic or an overnight stay in the campground. Back in the saddle, riding out of Palisade, there are two options to reach Aitkin.
You can depart on the Great River Road, now a hard gravel surface, for the next 15 miles,
enjoying a peaceful ride along the river.
Rolling into Aitkin
Here, roll into a community with a riverboat full of history. Once a popular meeting point for Native Americans and explorers, the town today offers excellent overnight options, including camping and lodging. After you settle in, check out the museum, which was once the Burlington Rail Depot. Here, you can learn about the town’s steamboat history and other interesting facts. For more things to do and lodging options, click here.
MRT – Day 4 from Aitkin to Little Falls
As the Mississippi flows, now in a westerly direction, the MRT rolls into Cuyuna Country. As the river passes on the north side of an iron range of the past, the MRT meanders around several abandoned open mine pits, now some of Minnesota’s newest lakes. The MRT rolls towards the Brainerd Lakes Area as the river bends southwest.
Rolling into Brainerd
Just imagine riding in an area called Paul Bunyan’s playground. Legend has it that Paul and his blue ox, Babe (remember that mythical figure you can take a selfie within Bemidji?) were having fun, wrestling around after a long rain spell. Stomping and tromping left many large depressions that eventually filled with water, creating the 464 lakes in the area. With the MRT and Paul Bunyan Trail merging in Brainerd/Baxter, you will find many fun adventures and good things to eat here. For more, see our Brainerd/Baxter article.
Back in the saddle, the trail and river both head south again. As the Great River Road rolls along the east bank, passing Crow Wing State Park, agriculture replaces the forested landscape. Further down the MRT, cross to the west bank and visit Camp Ripley, which offers a fascinating military museum. Here, see hundreds of exhibits showcasing vehicles and field equipment of Minnesota’s military past. It’s still ten miles of pedaling to reach the next river town, “where the river pauses.”
Rolling into Little Falls
For centuries, Little Falls has been a ‘gathering place’ for native inhabitants, early settlers, and recent visitors. Located where the Mississippi River pauses, this river community is the town of Charles Lindbergh’s childhood. After settling in, visit the town’s historic attractions and museums while experiencing its original murals and frescoes. While here, if interested, you can discover who helped finance the production of the “Wizard of Oz.” See our Bike Little Falls article for lodging and more things to do when not riding.
MRT Day 5 from Little Falls to Monticello
Cyclists will pass by Charles Lindbergh State Park at the edge of town, where his childhood home still stands. Then, the MRT passes by the Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum before the river valley floor opens up to more agriculture. To get a better feel for what’s ahead after leaving Little Falls, watch the 4th video clip here.
Rolling into St Cloud
The river offers several rapids through this stretch as the MRT rolls into St. Cloud. Another LAB Bike Friendly Community, it’s easy to get around this river town and explore the city by bike. While in this river community, check out some attractions, including the Munsinger-Clemens Botanical Gardens. See our Bike St. Cloud article for lodging and more things to do when not riding.
The MRT and the river swing back to the southeast, and the recommended MRT route is on the east side of the river. Leaving St Cloud, the route takes you to Clearwater on county roads paralleling several irrigated potato fields and the river. Then, crossing the Mississippi again, cyclists will notice the river is a bit wider here as they pedal to Monticello.
Rolling into Monticello
Here, you will find a river town full of charm tucked up against the Mississippi River and conveniently located between St. Cloud and the Twin Cities. This vibrant community, home to many scenic parks, is also home to thousands of geese and swans each winter. After settling in, check out the attractions in Monticello. For lodging options in the area, visit the local chamber here.
MRT – Day 6 from Monticello to St Paul
Leaving Monticello, the MRT crosses the river and meanders through the farm fields of specialty crops to Elk River. To get a better feel for what you will see as you ride into the Twin Cities, watch the 5th video clip here. Stopping in Elk River, cyclists passing through the downtown area will notice the fresco mural on Main Street. You will also find plenty of options for a rest stop here.
You will cross over the Mississippi River again on the Great River Road as you head out of Elk River. Soon, you will pass through Dayton and enter the northern edge of the Mississippi National River and Recreational Area.
In the following twenty-five miles, MRT enthusiasts will enjoy stopping at several Twin Cities Gateway community attractions.
From here, enjoy paved bicycle paths through Minneapolis before reaching the St. Paul suburb of Inver Grove Heights.
MRT Day-7 Inver Grove Heights to Red Wing
As the Mississippi River Trail leaves the Twin City Metro, watch the sixth video clip here to get a better feel for what’s ahead after leaving Inver Grove Heights. The MRT now connects to the Mississippi River Regional Trail, providing cyclists with a direct route to Hastings and then to Red Wing.
Rolling into Hastings
This new trail near Schaar’s Bluff is completed and will take cyclists into downtown Hastings’s historic district. You can find more about Hastings in our At-A-Glance article, as well as a place to stop for cool refreshments or a meal.
Leaving Hastings, the MRT follows the Mississippi, winding along the backwaters of the river and past the Prairie Island Indian Community. About ten miles further, the route enters Red Wing, the next river community on the Minnesota section of the Mississippi River Trail.
Rolling into Red Wing
As the MRT runs alongside the riverbank on the Great River Road, you will find the atmosphere in Red Wing both unique and charming. From the beautiful bluffs, historic sites, and world-famous boots and pottery, this river town also offers several dining opportunities to stop here. See Visit Red Wing for more options if you decide to spend the night.
Back on the Mississippi River Trail, it’s another 10 miles to Frontenac State Park for a camping night. The city is on the National Register of Historic Places and contains many homes dating back to the Civil War era. Here, you will find the Whistle Stop Café and a convenience store if you choose to camp in the state park for the evening.
MRT Day-8 from Frontenac to Winona
Back on the MRT, the route uses the wide paved shoulder of the Great River Road to Minnesota City. With a wide shoulder and rumble strip dividing you from the traffic, the Mississippi River is in sight, to your left most of the time. When you notice the river widening, the Mississippi flows into Lake Pepin, and you are close to the ‘Birthplace of Water Skiing.’
Rolling into the Lake City
Here, you can discover the quaint shops and restaurants next to the harbor in the downtown area of Lake City. This river town is also a popular place for touring cyclists. In addition to the Annual Tour de Pepin bike tour, the site offers several other mapped rides. See the Lake Pepin Area Bike Map and checkout. Visit Lake City for more options.
As the river flows out of Lake Pepin, the next river community on the MRT is a town known for the eagles that populate the area and ‘Grumpy Old Men.’
Rolling into Wabasha
The oldest city on the entire upper Mississippi River, this community has been thriving since 1826. As touring cyclists roll into town, they will find 50 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, if time permits.
Here, also enjoy their historic walking tour, and discover the stories that have made this town so unique. With Bald Eagles in abundance along the river, this is also home to the National Eagle Center. Also, with the famous movie “Grumpy Old Men” its sequel shot here, dine at Slippery’s Bar & Grill for a nostalgic look at this river town. You can find more options at Visit Wabasha.
Rolling into Winona
Leaving Wabasha, out on the back road through the village of Kellogg, it’s about 30 miles of pedaling to Winona along the bluffs. Arriving in this pristine river town, enjoy several views of the city in a valley bordered by bluffs along the Mighty Mississippi. There is plenty to discover here in Winona, with so many attractions and museums.
Be sure to visit the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. You will also notice that many downtown buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places, and self-guided history tours are available. Being a LAB Bike Friendly Community, it’s easy to get around this river town and explore the city by bike. See our At-A-Glance Winona article for more tour, dinner, and overnight options.
MRT Day-9 from Winona to the Iowa Border
Leaving Winona, the Mississippi River Trail creatively takes you up into the bluffs, past the historic Pickwick Mill, and then onto the Apple Blossom Drive Scenic Byway. Along this ridge route, cyclists can enjoy remarkable views of the Mississippi River Valley. Then, it’s a cruise down the Apple Blossom Byway into La Crescent.
From La Crescent, the last leg of the Mississippi River Trail in Minnesota is approximately 24 miles to Albin, IA.
Enjoy riding all or parts of the MRT for that unforgettable adventure.