Welcome. We're your premier source for fun places to explore by bicycle or on foot. Offering guides, maps and articles on road and trail riding for the novice to seasoned cyclist - helping you find your #NextBikeAdventure
So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.
As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly in our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.
Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.
With the heat picking up, you may see something of interest when rolling your bike into the shade for a break. This photo was taken as this biker dude was coming off the Mississippi River Trail in the Twin Cities Gateway.
So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.
As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly, as we enter our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.
Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.
Have a great day with a safe and memorable summer!
This bike pic Tuesday, a fun experience is biking along Ol’ Man River, on the Mississippi River Trail (MRT), through Minneapolis Northwest (Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park. This segment of the trail, a part of a National Park, offers the perfect round-the-river bike loops with a 13 and 26-mile option, using the Coon Rapids Dam as a crossing. A great choice for nature lovers and families alike, showcasing some of the best the river offers.
So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly, as we enter our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.
Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.
Have a great day with a safe and memorable summer!
Named after the creek that meanders through the area and flows into the Mississippi River, just below the dam, Coon Rapids offers a great mix of wildlife viewing spots here. Two of my favorite trail systems, especially in the spring and fall, are the Coon Creek Reginal Trail and the Mississippi River Trail below the dam. Both trail systems, when the foliage is minimal, offer some spectacular birding and wildlife viewing. In the winter months, the trails are great for fat bike riding, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing to view birds of prey and other wildlife along the waterways. Look for signs of the abundant wildlife that live in or visit the areas described below (mink, beaver, hawks, osprey, deer, turtles, and river otters, to name a few).
Riding the trails and roads of Coon Rapids
Fun on the MRT, viewing nature, east of the Coon Rapids Dam
Herewith a great mix of paved trails and bike corridors with wide shoulders, You can navigate the city on your bike pretty easily. Just use this handy Coon Rapids bike map and take a tour of the area. It’s easy to connect from your hotel to Bunker Hills Regional Park or the Coon Rapids Dam through the Coon Creek Trail.
The Sand and Coon Creek Trails
A north/south paved nature corridor and waterway offer many viewing spots along the way. The Sand Creek/Coon Creek Trail System stretches over 15-miles from Bunker Hills Regional Park down to the Coon Rapids Dam. In Bunker Hills, you’ll find another trail system winding through beautiful prairie areas with patches of Oak Savanna forests.
You will find miles of paved trails running through the Bunker Hills Regional Park.
The lower portion of the Coon Creek Trail takes you through Erlandson Nature Center and Robinson Park before reaching the Coon Rapids Dam and the Mississippi River Trail.
The Mississippi River Trail (MRT southern loop)
The Coon Rapids Dam Visitors Center is a picturesque place to stop and gather more information.
Below the Coon Rapids Dam and Park Area is another favorite of mine. Using the paved trail (MRT), you are surrounded by a mix of nature. Forests running into both prairie and wetland environments, only minutes away from the main road. The trail here is very well marked with MRT signage, so getting lost won’t be an issue. At the south end of the park, along the trail between the Dam and the riverfront neighborhoods, is a favorite haunt.
Where to eat, stay and play when visiting Coon Rapids
After exploring the trails, the next adventure is finding the perfect dining option in the Twin Cities Gateway.
The options are endless when spending time visiting Coon Rapids and the other eight neighboring Twin Cities Gateway communities in the north suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Similar to the early 1800s, when Coon Rapids was a stopping point on the Oxen Trail from the Red River Valley to St. Paul, hospitality is still key, along with its wildlife corridors, though the trails have changed. Check out their website here, and enjoy!
With rain showers threatening many outdoor activities this bike pic Saturday, take a moment to reflect, while planning your #nextBikeAdventure. This photo was shot as this biker chick and her friend were riding the Mississippi River Trail, in the Twin Cities Gateway.
View all the fun ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa Bike Guide or the Minnesota Bike/Hike edition. Then plan your next outing with family and friends at one of the HaveFunBiking Destinations
Thanks for viewing our Saturday Bike Pic here at HaveFunBiking (HFB).
Now, rolling into our 15th year as a bicycle media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As we search for more fun photos worth a grin, share your stories so more can find their next adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, be prepared to smile. You never know where our cameras will be and what we will post next!
Submit your photos
Do you have a fun photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us publish? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know?) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be at least 900 pixels wide for us to use them. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
See our blog
As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please see our media to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated – At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for in the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Bike/Hike Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of bicycle tourism information available for mobile devices where you may see some additional bike pics – maybe of yourself so.
Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in one of the next photos we post.
You’ve got your bike and you’re all set. Now, what do you do and where to ride? Luckily, Coon Rapids in the north metro of the Twin Cities Gateway has plenty for you to do and see. Not only does the area offer many bike-friendly roads and miles of paved trails to explore it also does a bang-up job celebrating the 4th of July.
Riding the Trails of Coon Rapids
You can navigate the city on your bike pretty easily. There’s a great mix of paved trails and bike accessible roads that will get you just about anywhere you need to go. Just use this handy downloadable Coon Rapids bike map and take a tour of the area. It’s easy to connect by trail from places like Bunker Hills Regional Park or the Coon Rapids Dam.
It’s easy to get around on your bike on the roads in the Coon Rapids Area, with wide shoulders and friendly motorists.
You can even expand your time exploring the area by boarding the North Star Commuter Rail Line with your bike at the Park & Ride Station. Then, ride the train up to Anoka or down to Fridley and bike back on the Mississippi River Trail (MRT).
Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park
The Coon Rapids Dam Visitors Center is a picturesque place to stop and wander around.
The Coon Rapids Dam and Park Area might be the easiest part of the MRT to start on. It’s home to a section of the Mississippi River Trail that is fairly flat and takes you through a picturesque residential area along the river. The trail here is very well marked throughout your ride so getting lost won’t be an issue. At the south end of the park, the ride gets a lot more exciting with some twists, turns, and small rolling hills. Even with a semi-challenging climb, there is always a fun descend that follows.
The Coon Rapids section of the trail also surrounds you with a mix of natures forests running into a mix of prairie and wetland areas that are just minutes away from the main road. Here you can even ride your bike or walk across the beloved dam with breathtaking views of Old Man River.
Bunker Hills Regional Park
You will find miles of paved trails running through the parks here and along major roads to get around.
You can get to Bunker Hills from Coon Rapids Dam using a mix of roads and trails. Once you get onto the trails, you’ll find that many of them connect to other trail options, so explore! In Bunker Hill, you’ll find an exciting trail system that twists and turns, taking you through some beautiful natural prairies area with patches of Oak Savanna forests. Bunker Hill also boasts a fun water park if you need to cool off.
Concerts in the Park
Concerts in the park in Coon Rapids provide live music each Thursday night, throughout the summer.
After a long day of exploring the trails, there is nothing better than an evening of outdoor music. Enjoy an evening of free entertainment provided by local bands in the area. This summer concert series is scheduled every Thursday night at 7 p.m. Performances are at the pavilion at Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.
Mini Golf
The Lilli Putt Miniature Golf Course.
At some point, you’ll need a break from riding. Why not play a friendly round of mini golf? Each hole at Lilli Putt Miniature Golf is different and will make putting here fun with every stroke. There are also go-karts and a bumper boat ride available here.
Coon Rapids 4th of July Celebration
One shot of some of the spectacular fireworks at the Coon Rapids 4 of July Celebration.
The 4th of July is a celebration for everyone and Coon Rapids knows how to celebrate the holiday properly. There are many events scheduled throughout the weekend. You can enjoy the carnival, eat great food, tap your feet to live music and watch the annual parade. Don’t forget to cap it all off with one of the best fireworks shows in the area.
As you look around the Minneapolis Northwest area you are dazzled with options! Here there are city streets and major highways as far as the eye can see around this northwest suburb of Minneapolis. You will find plenty of fast food eateries and strip malls amongst the trees and greenery in this suburban setting. So, how can this possibly be an attraction for those looking to take in some of Minnesota’s nature’s beauty in the Twin Cities?
Have no fear as there are plenty of options for outdoor recreation in the Minneapolis Northwest area. You just have to look closer below or look at our At A Glance Minneapolis Northwest link.
The Minneapolis Northwest area is made up of three suburban communities: Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, and Maple Grove. Where you will find plenty of ways to enjoy the great outdoors activities, including hundreds of mile of paved trail. You will also find some exhilarating riding in the Elm Creek Park for some mountain biking.
More About the Bike-Friendly Minneapolis Northwest Area
Tucked into the communities are substantive parks that offer the feeling of remoteness while visiting. If you want take a break from pedaling one of many trails there, you will find many options. You can meander along the trails by foot, channel your inner Robin Hood and learn archery or disc golf while learning more about the natural world around you.
While pedaling this three-city community there comes a point where you may need a break to enjoy some other activities available. Luckily, each community offers plenty to do. Whether it’s a game of bowling or trying your luck at Dave & Buster’s arcade games in Maple Grove. There are even plenty of chain and locally owned eateries throughout the area to satisfy whatever it is you crave. You will even find several movie theaters in the area and easy to get to on your bike from your hotel.
Biking Opportunities in the Minneapolis Northwest Area
Riding the scenic trails here in the Minneapolis Northwest Area you find many trails that safely cross over or under the busy roads.
In this area the opportunities for riding your bike are endless. In this three city area you will find quite a few parks that connect to trails for a lengthy ride. If you don’t want to stick to the meandering trails, then there are plenty of bike friendly streets and the Mississippi River Trail that will allow you to share the road with other vehicles. Here are some of the parks to bike too:
Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park
On a warm day crossing the Coon Rapids Dam from Minneapolis Northwest you can feel the cool mist rising in the air as you cross.
Find your way to the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park via the Rush Creek Regional Trail. At the park, a part of the National Park System, you can connect to the Mississippi River Trail. If you want to discover what’s on the other side of the dam you can easily connect to the Twin Cities Gateway side of the park, crossing the paved trail across this massive water barrier.
Elm Creek Park Reserve
Here in Elm Creek Park the mountain biking is fun and exciting, with trails for all skill levels.
This park is full of biking opportunities for multiple kinds of riders. There are many miles of paved multi-use trail that take the rider on a very scenic journey of the park. It passes by several of the park’s lakes. The trails here have plenty of slightly rolling hills to give you a little challenge as you ride and enjoy the many picture taking opportunities. You can also take a break for a swim, try your hand at archery, and more. For mountain bikers there’s plenty of singletrack trails depending on your preferred level of skill. While some are bike-only, others are multi-use trials.
Medicine Lake Regional Trail
This is a paved trail of over 13 miles and connects you to many parks such as French Regional Park. You can also catch views of Rice Lake in Maple Grove and Medicine Lake if you take the trail into Plymouth. The trail also has connections to Bassett Creek Trail, Luce Line Regional Trail, and many other community bike trails.
Rush Creek Regional Trail
This trail links Elm Creek Park Reserve to Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park. The path is smooth, wide, and mostly flat. Its abundance of signage makes it usable many different cyclists. If you’re looking to encounter wildlife, it’s recommended you get on the trail in the early morning. Pedaling here you will also pass through residential areas, but the trail here is shielded by trees which gives the rider a remote feel. The other side of the roadway slowly turns into farmland after you cross Highway 169. It ends at Elm Creek Park Reserve where it links to other trails such as the Medicine Lake Regional Trail.
Shingle Creek Regional Trail
This branches out of the Rush Creek Trail at Noble Parkway. The trail takes you through mostly residential areas and follows Shingle Creek for a while. It tapers off to wind through the greenery and marshes of Palmer Lake Park. The trail ends at 45th Memorial Parkway in Minneapolis. It’s a paved trail and provides access to various points of interest. Crossings are above and below grade when crossing some of the major highways.
Road Biking Opportunities
In the Minneapolis Northwest there are many ways to get around on your bike. The three communities here offer a mix multi-use trails that parallel most major roads. So its easy to get around safely and connect to other parts of the metro area. So bring your bike and spend a day, a weekend or a lifetime exploring this north west section of the Twin Cities.
Biking across the Coon Rapids Dam on the Minnesota MRT (Mississippi River Trail) loop ride that starts in the Twin Cities Gateway. Here, in this photo, riders from the Hiawatha Bicycling Club rode a 32-mile loop passing through the towns of Anoka, Blaine, Fridley, and Ham Lake in the gateway communities.
Thanks for viewing the Coon Rapids Dam Bike Pic of the Day.
Now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun. While showcasing all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more place to have fun we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. As you scroll through the information and stories we have posted, enjoy.
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each), of who is in the photo (if you know?) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we do use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continues to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your next bike adventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing the guide.
So bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure. And don’t forget to smile, while you are riding and having fun. We may capture you in one of our next photos that we post daily.
They say the best part of fishing is when your line is in the water. This is especially true if the lake or stream is close enough that you can ride your bike and fish more often. Here in the Twin Cities Gateway we found several opportunities to wet a line and catch some fish in Minnesota. So get your family and friends together, plan a route, and enjoy nature while fishing the shorelines in the these north Twin City Metro locations.
Fishing at the Coon Rapids Dam
At the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park you will find one of the most popular fishing spots in the Anoka County Area. Here, as the mighty Mississippi River flows over the dam, anglers can test their fishing tackle and luck. Fish to catch includes: Bass, Crappies, Carp, and more. With the recent high waters, a report says anglers are catching Crappies using jigs and minnows. The shoreline hot spot is above the dam, in the back waters, near the bike trail.
The Coon Rapids Dam is a fishing hot spot in the Twin Cities Gateway.
A boat ramp is located behind the Visitor Center and there is no launching fee. However, there is a fee to enter the park unless you enter the park on your bike or walk. The Visitors Center also has some bait items available.
Fishing on Ham Lake
One of the many shoreline fishing hot spots in the Twin Cities Gateway.
Largemouth Bass brings most anglers to Ham Lake, even though the abundant population of small Northern Pike present in this lake can be frustrating. You will also find that the Bluegill (Sunfish) here are abundant and are usually biting, whereas the Crappies are hit or miss.
This lake is located east of Highway 65 and north of 153rd Street N.E. in the City of Ham Lake, Minnesota. If you don’t have a boat, you can head over to the city park where there is a fishing pier adjacent to the boat ramp that can be promising.
Two Fishing Options on the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes
Fishing on George Watch Lake
On the Chain, just south of the city of Lino Lakes, is George Watch Lake which has Walleye, Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Bullheads, and Catfish. And, if Northern Pike are your game fish of choice, reports have it that there are plenty of them and that they are of good size.
Using a canoe or kayak is another option for fishing the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes in the Twin Cities Gateway.
In the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve, operated by Anoka County, there is no boat access. However, canoe rentals are available at Wargo Nature Center. Anglers are allowed to fish from shore, but it may take a hike to reach some great sites. Fishing is also permitted from the shoreline along County Road 14. Another option, with the paved trails in the park, is to use a bike to get to other parts of the lake’s shoreline.
Fishing Peltier Lake
Across the road from Wargo Nature Center is another hot fishing spot on Peltier Lake. Here Northern Pike and Panfish are the primary target of most anglers fishing here. Walleye are present and Channel Catfish yearlings provide additional opportunities for anglers. Plus, Muskies are starting to migrating in from other lakes on the Rice Creek Chain.
This lake has good shore fishing facilities. The County has a fishing pier in the southwest corner of the lake near the boat access. Anglers often fish from the shoreline of County Road 14 near the connection with Centerville Lake. The most popular shore fishing spot may be on both sides of the dam, both upstream and in the pool downstream.
Here cyclists enjoying the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) with the BikeMN angel (van) looking out for their safety. This HFB photo was taken on June 25, as riders rode back from Big Lake, MN to Minneapolis on the Train & Trail Tour. See all the photos at HaveFunBiking’s Facebook Page Photo Gallery.
BikeMN (Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota) has a vision to make “Minnesota a place where bicycling is a easy, safe, and fun for everyone.”
Thanks for viewing the Bike Pic of the Day here at HaveFunBiking (HFB).
Now rolling into our 10th year as a bicycle tourism media source, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As HFB searches and presents more fun cycling related photos, worth a grin, scroll through the information and stories we have posted that may help you Find Your Next Adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, next to the route you regularly commute on, or at an event you plan to attend, be prepared to smile. You never know where our cameras will be and what we will post next!
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us post? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to: [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know?) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 800 pixels wide or larger for us to consider using them. If we do use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please reference our blog and the annual print and quarterly digital Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide to Find Your Next Adventure. We are proud of the updated At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for at the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of information, now available for mobile devices.
So bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in one of the next photos we post.
