by Russ Lowthian, HaveFunBiking

Living in the upper Midwest with four unique seasons, fat biking can be a fun way to pass the time in the winter while getting a good cardio workout. Many studies state the benefits of staying active in cold weather, and riding a fat bike will do that. As an avid cross-country skier, with climate change affecting us all, the fat bike is a great alternative to stay active throughout the winter when the ski trail turns into a bobsled run.

Don’t get me wrong; I have not nailed my skis to the wall as decoration. I still loved the thrill of kick-an-gliding through the rolling forests and open fields. However, climate change is a growing concern, making the trails icy and sometimes baron of snow for skiing. We have seen more freeze/thaw temperature swings in the last several years, making x-c skiing occasionally hazardous. If you are like me and want to stay active when the trails are icy or sparse of snow, the fat bike is a great option. Maybe with the addition of studs on the tires. Here are some places to ride the trail.

Fat biking trails are waiting for you in northern Minnesota

Please note: check before you head out. Not all federal, state, county, township, or city trails are open to fat biking, but the list is growing.

Here, north to south, are some Minnesota trails waiting for you as we enter the winter season:

Split Rock State Park Trails, northeast of Two Harbors. Here on the shore of Lake Superior, ride 8.7 miles of groomed trails, perfect for fat biking and skate skiing. Currently, access is only allowed near Beaver Bay.

Giants Ridge Trail, east of Biwabic, is a resort on the edge of the towering Superior National Forest that offers several fat tire biking adventures. Ride their 37-mile-plus Nordic trail system or experience downhill fat biking via their high-speed chairlift!

Redhead Trails is at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm. This new park offers nearly 25 miles of hand-crafted mountain bike trails for fat bikers of all skill levels. Here, you will find an oasis of fun riding through the diverse terrain around the old open mine pits.

Suomi Hills Trail in the Chippewa National Forest is north of Grand Rapids. Here, you will find a 19-mile remote and stunning trail system in a semi-primitive, non-motorized area. While in the area, you will also find several other primitive trails to explore in this National Forest.

Lester River Trail, in Duluth. Fat bikers will find this 12.5-mile trail one of the most beginner-friendly trails in the area (especially riding back down). Other trails in the Duluth area are rated intermediate to advance for the steady incline/descent and rocks/roots.

Jay Cooke State Park Trail in Carlton. Nestled along the St. Louis River, the state park groomed 5.4 miles of fat biking trails allow you to ride through and possibly spot white-tailed deer as they winter in this area. The trail here is intermediate, with uneven terrain and small hills.

Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area in Crosby/Ironton. A rugged park of old open mining pits, now lakes, with stockpiles of discarded quarried rocks scattered to create over 50 miles of groomed fat biking trails. Here, you will find a few loops for beginners. Most trails here are designated for intermediate to advanced skill sets.

Detroit Mountain, in Detroit Lakes. The bike park here features approximately 4 miles of downhill flow trails that make the most of the natural landscape in the park. The trails mimic a rollercoaster, with fast and flowing sections that take you up and down the mountainside.

Fat Biking Trails in the Twin Cities

Come November, it’s a perfect time of the year to jump on a fatty. Anoka Nature Preserve, north of Anoka. The nature preserve here is nestled along the bank of the Rum River with over five miles of double-wide trails. It is the perfect trail system for the novice fat-tire biker looking to enjoy nature in the winter and preserves gently rolling terrain.

Elm Creek Trail, west of Chaplin, in the north metro of the Twin Cities, is a 4,900-acre park featuring amenities for many outdoor activities. These include trails for fat biking, built to accommodate riders of all skill levels. So grab your fat for 10 miles of fast-flowing groomed trails of winter fun.

Gateway State Trail, in North St. Paul. A favorite for a quick getaway from the city, this section of the popular trail offers almost 12 miles of riding for fat bikers in the winter. From Cayuga Street to Jamaica Avenue, the plowed trail is perfect for beginners taking you out to the open fields of Ramsey and Washington County.

Theodore Wirth Park Trail, in North Minneapolis. Winter fat bike enthusiasts flock to the woods of this north metro park for seven miles of tightly twisting singletrack and a skyline-view pump track.

Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, in Salvage. This peaceful wilderness park in northeast Scott County has its wild side. Another challenging trail intertwined in glacial ridges, hilly terrain, and heavy forests. Riding a fat bike here in the winter is a fantastic off-road experience.

Minnesota River Valley Trail, in Bloomington. Affectionately known as the “River Bottoms,” the trails attract a variety of nature lovers, bird-watchers, hikers, and mountain bikers throughout the year. The River Bottoms is a fat bike paradise perfect for beginners, intermediates, and those looking to race in the winter.

Fort Snelling State Park, in south Minneapolis. Located in the heart of the Twin Cities, where the Minnesota River meets the Mississippi River, this park offers 6-miles of groomed for fat biking. Most of this state park is on the Minnesota River’s floodplain. It is easy to ride the trail along the river’s braided channels and see white-tailed deer, foxes, and wild turkeys.

Lebanon Hills Reginal Park, in Eagan. With nearly 12 miles of a single-use, one-way trail system, winter fat bikers are discovering the park’s popularity as one of the go-to trails in the metro area. The trails feature riding for all skill levels and world-class facilities to enhance your riding experience.

Central Minnesota mountain bike trails to shred

Alexandria

Lake Brophy County Park: 6.5 miles

This Central Minnesota gravity flow mountain bike trail system is perfect for beginners and experts, too, and offers 200 feet of elevation change. The top overlooks the entire park and the city of Alexandria and has a prairie landscape. Here, find dock jumps, drops, and a rock garden on the more technical, expert sections on the west side of the trail system. The eastern part is a cross-country ride with long straightaways and sweeping turns. There are bathrooms, beach access, and a playground. The paved Central Lakes Trail skirts the park and provides bike access.                                                                                                                                                            Map

Kensington Rune Stone Park: 7.5 miles

Beginner to intermediate, dedicated singletrack. The park has a visitor center with bathrooms. Gromed for fat bikes in the winter.
More Info

Cuyuna Lakes State Recreation Area: about 70 miles

An IMBA Silver Level Ride Center, the Cuyuna one-way singletrack trails are marked from easy/beginner to hardcore/expert. Along the trails, enjoy stunning views from the top of overburdened piles left from the area’s mining days. Deep mine lakes offer refreshing dip after a hard ride. At the trailhead, dive in or take the kayak out for a paddle. The town of Cuyuna also has a pump track.  Lots of trails are groomed for fat biking in the winter, including the paved Cuyuna Lakes State Trail, which runs through the heart of the system and connects many of the mountain bike trail clusters. Look for the new 7.5-mile adaptive trail that accommodates hand cycles.                                                                                                                                               Map

Fergus Falls

Ferber Park: 2.2 miles

A mix of rolling hills and flat terrain in wooded and grassy areas with less difficult to more challenging trails. Trails were developed by volunteers with help from the City of Fergus Falls and continue to be improved. Look for additional trails in the future.
Map

Glenwood

Barsness Park: 7 miles

The park offers a single-track system for beginners and those with intermediate skills. Two challenging climbs take you to panoramic views of Lake Minnewaska near downtown Glenwood. This system packs many rollers, berms, and fun flowy sections, including rock obstacles.
Map

Hutchinson

Stahl’s Lake Park: 3 miles

Moderate terrain with some small hills, a balance beam, and seesaw.
Map

McGregor

Savanna Portage State Park: 10 miles

Here find a  mixture of grass and dirt double-track trails. The park offers varied topography in its several loops, with a challenging climb up the Continental Divide with an awesome view as a reward.
Map

Milaca

Milaca City Trails: 14 miles

Located near the Rum River, this system offers a variety of

Most of the park’s trails are singletrack and go through a mix of woods, hills, and fields. In the winter, the trails are groomed for fat biking.
Map

Brainerd Lakes Area

Pillsbury State Forest: 27 miles

The State Forest trails are a mixture of gravel, grass, and dirt logging roads, The trails wind and twist through the forest and past lakes with rolling terrain. All trails are multi-use. You may encounter some horseback riding activity.
Map

Pine River

Cut Lake Trail: 10 miles

Find grassy trails through the forest around Deer and Cut Lakes, perfect for beginner to intermediate skill levels. Great backcountry riding when you are looking for solitude.                            Map

Saint Cloud

North Loop – Jail Trail: 7.5 miles

Beginner to intermediate with advanced options. Singletrack trail runs through dense woods with sections along the fence of the Minnesota Correctional Facility. Groomed for fat bikes in the winter.
Info

Plum Creek – River Bluffs Regional Park: 3 miles

Beginner singletrack loop near the Mississippi River. Groomed for fat bikes in the winter.
Info

Quarry Park: 2 miles

The new Quarry Park trail system has been cut by hand by Mid Minnesota Cycling Club (MMCC) members over the last few years. Trails are a mix of gravel, dirt, and grass around some granite outcroppings. Passing through a heavily wooded area with a few fairly technical sections where you bike over billion-year-old bedrock. There are many other trails at the park to create an enjoyable MTB trail experience for all rider skill levels. The entrance to the new trail is near the gated entrance. Just follow the fence line to the trailhead.                                                                      Map

Spicer – Willmar

Prairie Woods ELC: 4.5 miles

Easy singletrack trails at the Environmental Learning Center start at the parking lot and wind through a mix of open prairie and deciduous woods. The Oak Savannah Trail has a seesaw; other trails have short boardwalk sections and bridges. The Kandi Trail Riders maintain these trails and groom for fat biking in the winter.                                                                         Info

Wadena

Black’s Grove: 8 miles

Beginner to advanced scenic trails that wind through a wooded setting and along Oak Creek. Groomed for fat biking and skiing in the winter.                                                                                Map

South Minnesota fat bike trails are waiting

Kaplan’s Woods Singletrack, in Owatonna. For the avid fat biker, you will find 5-miles of fun loops. With a tight singletrack trail system winding through the hardwood forest next to the Straight River, climbs are short and punchy, leaving you breathless on each descent.

Bronk Unit Plowline Trail, a part of the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest, is north of Winona. The fat biking trails of varying difficulty consist of a south loop and a north loop for 6.5 miles. Both loops generally follow the woods’ edge, or the plow line, as they go around the ridge, rising and falling, giving them a “more difficult” rating.

Do you have a fun trail for fat biking that we missed?

If you have a fat bike trail that you want to see added to this list, please send us the location to [email protected] – Thanks!