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This bike pic Thursday brings back memories of stopping along the trail for a song. These two biker dudes join in on a melody with a gentleman playing the accordion along their bike route.
So, adjust to the cooler temps, dress in layers, and get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors for that #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 today’s bike pic
As we roll into our 21st year as an outdoor 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. To be considered, the photo (s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide. 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 our 15th annual mobile-friendly MN Bike Guide, a handy booklet full of maps of fun places to bike and hike.
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 fun as we pedal into the fall with fond memories!
The farther you drive north, the more you’ll be surrounded by lakes and never-ending trails. And the Brainerd Lakes Area is no exception. Here, you are in luck when you want to escape the city to taste the come-stay-for-a-while vibe of relaxing by the lakeside in northern Minnesota.
It’s a slowed-down pace, and no better way to enjoy the great outdoors than visiting Brainerd, MN. Plus, if you’re looking for a one-tank getaway, it is easy to park your car and get around on your bike. Also, the number of lakes in the area makes finding a place to drop a line in the water easy.
More about the bike-friendly Brainerd Lakes Area
With many bike-friendly street routes to get you to and from the area hotels in the Brainerd-Baxter. You will also find the famous Paul Bunyan Trail, which takes you all the way to Bemidji, and easy access to the Mississippi River Trail is also here.
When not touring the lakes area, there are plenty more ways to make everlasting memories. You can walk around Paul Bunyan Land, head to Pirate’s Cove for some mini-golf, or take a tour of the area on a zip line at Mount Ski Gull.
The area also caters to those wanting to cool down with an indoor activity or have a more relaxing evening. You can enjoy a great meal and a view of North Long Lake or Gull Lake simultaneously with one of their lakeside restaurants. If you want more local culture plenty of art exhibits, plays, and more are shown in the area. And don’t forget the shops, either. There are plenty of unique shops where you can find the perfect souvenir.
Biking opportunities in the bike-friendly Brainerd Lakes Area
Get your bike and get ready to pedal. Brainerd has plenty for you to do. You can take on some mountain bike trails, start the journey up Paul Bunyan Trail, and use road loops to explore the area on your own.
Paul Bunyan Trail
The Paul Bunyan trail in the Brainard Lakes Area is fun for the family.
Starting in Brainerd and winding around some of its lakes is the Paul Bunyan Trail. You’ll get a grand tour of the northern country life of Minnesota. There are three sections to the trail, or you can take the entire 120 miles to Bemidji, where you can see the famous statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Ox.
Cuyuna Lakes State Trail and Mountain Bike Park
Just east of town, you’ll come upon the natural beauty of the Cuyuna Lakes area. There, you have a couple of options. There’s a 20-mile trail that takes you northeast to the Croft Mine Trailhead. This trail will take you through Minnesota’s north countryside, full of lakes prime for fishing and swimming and beautiful forests full of trees. It’s a freeing experience you won’t soon forget. You can also take on the mountain bike trail system. Each trail varies in difficulty depending on how much of a challenge you want. Obstacles include rocks, wooden paths, and more. You’ll want to come back.
Road biking opportunities galore!
There are plenty of trails and loops to help you make your way around Brainerd and the surrounding area. You can take West Baxter or Sylvan, which take you both deeper into the heart of Brainerd and to its perimeter, which also takes you by a couple of lakes. Then there’s Merrifield and Gull Dam Trail that take you north of town and around several of the area’s lakes. The South Long Lake Trail takes you southeast and gives you a little view of South Long Lake. Starting just southeast of the town, you can take Camp Jim Trail, which travels north and loops around the town. Plus, there is plenty of fun for those who won’t ride an MRT section (Mississippi River Trail).
With more than 4,000 miles of paved Minnesota bike trails, the state has become a world-renowned bicycle touring destination for all to enjoy. Making considerable strides in connectivity, so in some areas, you can pedal distances of up to one hundred and fifty miles without leaving the trail. For example, in southeastern Minnesota, the Root River Trail connects to the Harmony-Preston trail for 60 miles of scenic enjoyment. In central Minnesota, the Central Lakes Trail connects to the Lake Wobegon Trails for over 120 miles of Rail-to-Trail touring pleasure.
As you plan your next adventure, look through the following list of Minnesota bike trails for miles of fun memories. Many of the trails listed are available in the Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide maps for your riding pleasure.
It’s fun riding with friends on all the Minnesota Bike Trails
With Minnesota’s bike trails listed here, find your next adventure
The Blazing Star State Trail is paved and runs from Albert Lea Lake in Albert Lea to Myre-Big Island State Park, approximately six miles. The trail currently connects to Albert Lea’s city trail system.
The Cannon Valley Trail follows the Cannon River in southeast Minnesota to the Mississippi River, using the abandoned Chicago Great Western Railway corridor from Cannon Falls to Red Wing.
The Casey Jones State Trail consists of three segments, with the most extended section of former railroad grade between the city of Pipestone and the Pipestone/Murray county line. The segment from Pipestone to County Road 67 is paved, and the third portion of the trail offers a paved loop between Lake Shetek State Park and the city of Currie.
This trail begins in the city of Fergus Falls. It ends in the city of Osakis, where users will enjoy the many different landscape views, ranging from open grassland/prairie, lakes, wetlands, farmland, and forested rolling hills. Towns to visit along the trail include Evansville, Brandon, Garfield, and Alexandria. The Central Lakes Trail at Osakis connects to the Lake Wobegon Trail for another 65-mile stretch to St. Cloud.
This trail, abandoned by mining companies over 35 years ago, runs from Crosby to Riverton, inside the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area. Many of the lakes along this trail system were former mine pits and now offer a world-class single-track mountain bike trail system around them.
This trail stretches 165 miles from Grand Rapids to Ely and intersects with the David Dill/Arrowhead State Trail just west of Lake Vermillion. The first six miles from Grand Rapids are paved for biking and in-line skating and connect to the Mesabi trail.
The popular east metro trail begins in St. Paul, travels northeast through Maplewood, North St. Paul, and Oakdale, through Washington County, and ends at Pine Point Regional Park. Here, the Browns Valley Trail connects and runs to the city of Stillwater. Located on a former Soo Line Railroad bed, the trail is generally level and wheelchair accessible.
This trail is considered a moderately challenging route and features one scenic view of Lake Superior after another. The trail parallels Highway 61, using the road’s wide 10-foot shoulder along undeveloped segments. The opportunity to spot wildlife is also a common occurrence here.
This trail is popular with hikers, bikers, horseback riders, and snowmobilers. Currently, there are two sections of the trail. The northern portion is a paved trail between Red Wing and the Hay Creek Unit of the Richard J. Dorer State Forest and connects with Red Wing city trails and the Cannon Valley Trai. The southern segment of the trail features 4.5 miles of paved trail and is used by hikers and bikers. This segment starts in the city of Zumbrota and connects to the city’s trail system.
Located in the beautiful southeastern Minnesota river valley, this trail system follows a former railroad grade with picturesque views of river bluffs. The trail is generally level and accessible and is famous for bicycling, hiking, and in-line skating. Currently, the trail begins in Plainview, traveling south through the town of Elgin, and ends at County Road 9.
This was one of the first rail-to-trail projects in the country. The trail is located entirely on a level abandoned railroad grade, with the 27-mile segment connecting Park Rapids and Walker and the 22-mile segment connecting Walker and Cass Lake. The Park Rapids to Walker segment also has a parallel natural surface trail for horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking. The Heartland State Trail also connects with the Paul Bunyan State Trail and other regional trail systems.
The trail runs west from St. Cloud, through Waite Park, Avon, Albany, Freeport, Melrose, Sauk Centre, and up to Osakis, where it joins the Central Lakes Trail and continues to Fergus Falls. At Albany, a paved spur heads north to Holdingford, then to the Mississippi River Trail below Little Falls.
This former railroad-grade trail stretches across the varied landscapes of metropolitan and rural Minnesota. Primarily crushed limestone surface with a parallel Treadway.
The gravel-surfaced trail passes through forests linking St. Croix State Park with Chengwatana, St. Croix, and Nemadji state forests. The entire trail is open to hiking in the summer. Mountain biking is allowed in some sections of St. Croix State Park.
You will find many trail towns along the Mesabi Trail
Mesabi Trail– 150 paved miles (Rail Pass Required)
Stretching from the Mississippi River in Grand Rapids to the Boundary Waters near Ely, the Mesabi Trail is like no other in the country. Cutting through the forests of northeast Minnesota, your adventure will take you past lakes, creeks, and ponds, by vast red pits of old iron ore mines now filled with emerald green water.
This trail currently connects with the city of Northfield trails system near Babcock and Riverside Park on the north end and follows the Cannon River to the city of Dundas, where the trailhead connects to other local trails.
Not far from the Twin Cities. Watch for wildlife as you travel the multi-use trail, which is paved for six miles from Shakopee to Chaska and unpaved from Chaska to Belle Plaine.
The scenery along the Paul Bunyan Trail can add to the experience.
The Paul Bunyan State Trail is 115 miles long, not including a couple of short on-road connections through the cities of Baxter and Bemidji. Extending from Crow Wing State Park to Lake Bemidji State Park, it is the longest of Minnesota’s state trails and the longest continuously paved rail-to-trail in the country. It connects with the 8-mile Heartland State Trail. At Lake Bemidji State Park, it connects to the Blue Ox Trail, an unpaved motorized trail for snowmobiling and off-highway vehicle riding that extends northeast to International Falls.
Discover the dramatic bluff lands of southeastern Minnesota on this popular trail. Very accessible, except for some hills near Houston on the east end. Along the trail west, visit the towns of Rusgford, Peterson, Whalon, and Lanesboro before reaching the western trailhead at Fountain. Before Fountain, the Root River Trail connects to the Harmony-Preston Valley State Trail.
Come and enjoy Minnesota hospitality, southeastern style. The paved Harmony-Preston Valley State Trail is a beautiful 18-mile-long multiple-use trail connecting Harmony and Preston communities with the existing Root River State Trail. Main summer uses are hiking, biking, and in-line skating. The trail is groomed for cross-country skiing in the winter.
The Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail is a paved, 39-mile multiple-use trail developed on an abandoned railroad grade. The trail begins at Lime Valley Road near State Highway 14, joins the Minnesota River Trail in Mankato, follows a signed route on city streets through Waterville, passes through three miles of Sakatah Lake State Park, and ends east of Interstate 35 in Faribault. It is generally level and wheelchair accessible. Horses can use a parallel treadway, from Lime Valley Road to the County Road 12 bridge.
The Shooting Star State Trail is currently paved for about 29 miles between LeRoy and Austin. It begins in the city of LeRoy, travels north through Lake Louise State Park, then west toward the communities of Taopi, Adams, and Rose Creek. There is a short break in the trail in Rose Creek between City Hall and Rose Creek Wayside Park. It picks up again in Rose Creek Wayside Park and travels west and north, primarily in state and county highway right-of-way, until it reaches the intersection of 28th Street NE and I-90. Just across the 28th Street bridge over I-90 is a paved path connecting to the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center in Austin. When complete, the trail will also connect with the community of Lyle (south of Austin) and the Wapsi-Great Western Trail in Iowa (south of Taopi).
You will want to stop often along the Willard Munger Trail for the spectacular scenery.
This 70-mile Willard Munger State Trail segment is a completely paved trail. Beginning south of Hinkley, the trail first passes through the towns of Finlayson, near Banning State Park, then Rutledge, Willow River, near General C.C. Andrews State Forest, Sturgeon Lake, Moose Lake, and Moose Lake State Park, and Barnum. At Carlton, the northeast portion of the trail transforms, offering some spectacular scenery at Jay Cooke State Park and along the St. Louis River, to the twin ports of Duluth and Superior.
This Bike Pic Thursday, fat bike fun while riding the mountain bike trails in the Pillsbury State Forestry, near Brainerd, MN. With both the Mississippi River Trail and the Paul Bunyan Trail passing through this bike-friendly community, single track riders will find several trails to shred, like the area at Cuyuna Lakes Recreational Parks, nearby.
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 in one of Minnesota’s HaveFunBiking Destinations. An now, check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 16th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, our goal is to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places for you to 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]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the pic was shot? Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continue to encourage 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 into our 13th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.
Remember, 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. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.
This bike pic Saturday, check out Godbolt Lake and Hanson Lake Loops, near Walker, MN, south of Leech Lake for some mountain biking fun.
Get into the zone and plan your next bike outing with family and friends. Check out the latest Iowa and Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide; there are many bike-friendly maps inside for your #NextBikeAdventure.
Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Bike Pic’
Now rolling into our 15th year as a bike media, our goal is to encourage more people to have fun. In this expanded e-guide issue, we have added more free bike maps to review for planning your next adventure.
As we continue to showcase more destinations you can explore, we are all about capturing fun photos to capture those memories. Hopefully, some worth a grin. As you scroll through the information and stories we have posted, enjoy!
Share your adventures at HaveFunBiking.com
Do you have a fun bicycle related bike pic of yourself or someone you may know that we should post at HaveFunBiking (HFB)? If so, please send your bike pic to [email protected]. Please include a brief caption (for each), who is in the photo (if you know?), and where you shot the picture. Your photo submitted should be at a medium resolution or more, for consideration. Please share your biking adventure pic’s with us on our Facebook page, on Twitter, or on Instagram at #NextBikeAdventure.
As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your next bike adventure. Here you will find all the information you will need when visiting one of our Community Map Partners, accessible on your mobile-friendly devices.
Autumn Is Minnesota’s Peak Riding Time: Northern Minnesota
With the summer season officially off the calendar, fall is a great time to extend your bike riding adventures here in Minnesota. As the trees change colors along the miles of paved and mountain bike trails, cyclists will find a kaleidoscope of colors along the way. With the abundant rainfall this year, colors are predicted to be spectacular. If the weather remains mostly sunny during the day and cool at night, conditions will favor a stunning ride while exploring Minnesota. It’s no surprise that Minnesota’s peak riding time is fall.
Each year the fall color peak normally arrives in the northern one-third of the state in mid-September to early October. Granted, there is an exception to that rule if you are looking at biking in the Arrowhead region along Lake Superior. If you are, then the peak fall colors normally arrive about a week later than inland areas due to the warming effect of the lake. In the central one-third of the state, wooded areas become colorful between late September and early October. For the southern-third of Minnesota, colors peak early to mid-October. This year the peak cycle, statewide, is running a week or so later than normal due to ideal summer conditions – so enjoy!
To get a more accurate gauge to the change in colors in areas of Minnesota that you would like to visit, a color report is available online or through a weekly e-newsletter from Explore Minnesota Tourism each Thursday afternoon during the fall season.
This section is part one of a three part series.
Northern Minnesota Trails To Enjoy Peak Colors
Northeastern Minnesota
Gitchi-Gami:This trail along the North Shore now has a 29 mile segment. This segment goes from Gooseberry Falls State Park through Split Rock Lighthouse State Park to Beaver Bay. For more information on visiting the area see Heart of the Northshore Tourism Association.
Mesabi: This is one the most interesting trails in the state with 120 miles completed so far between Grand Rapids and Virginia/Biwabik. Built only partly on old rail lines, it dips and climbs around bogs and mine-pit lakes. Then, it continues around slag heaps and natural lakes highlighted by aspen and pines. See more at Grand Rapids Tourism on the west end and the IronTrail Tourism for the east end of the trail.
Willard Munger: This 75 mile trail between Hinckley and Duluth is one of the oldest and longest paved trails in the nation. The trail starts in Hinckley, Minnesota 61 and then goes to Carlton. For more information on the south end of the trail see: Hinckley Tourism and at the northern end. For near Jay Cook State Park, see Carlton Tourism.
Sunrise Prairie/Hardwood Creek: These county trails, just north of the Twin Cities and parallel of Interstate 35W, starts from Washington County’s Hardwood Creek Regional Trail at Forest Lake. Then, the trail changes to Sunrise Prairie Trail at Stacy for another 16 miles up to North Branch. See more information at Sunrise Trail Prairie Trail or Hardwood Creek Trail.
Northwestern Minnesota
Paul Bunyan: This 120 mile trail winds through lake country from Brainerd/Baxter to Bemidji. The southern trailhead is in Baxter, off Minnesota 371 at Excelsior Road (parking is near Northland Arboretum). The trail takes you up through the Chippewa National Forest then to Akeley (7¾ miles to Walker on the Heartland Trail). Afterwards, the trails continues onto Bemidji. Then, it goes to Bemidji State Park. See more information on the south end of the trail at Brainerd/Baxter/Nisswa Tourism and Bemidji Tourism at the north trailhead.
Heartland: There are lots of towns to explore on this 49 mile ride. The trail takes you between Park Rapids to Cass Lake, through Walker and connects to the Paul Bunyan Trail. For At-a-Glance Tips see: Leech Lake Tourism on the east end and Park Rapids Tourism at the west end of this trail.
Migizi: This scenic U.S. Forest Service loop ride around Pike Bay is 17 miles if you count the spur to-and-from Norway Beach Recreation Area on Cass Lake, streets in the town of Cass Lake, and the three miles that run south of Cass Lake along Minnesota 371. See Cass Lake Tourism for more information.
Trip Tips: To Enjoy Minnesota’s Peak Riding Times by Bike
Before you go:
Always check the MnDNR website for a trail map or to see if road construction or flooding has closed a portion of that area.
Also, each Thursday afternoon during the fall season a color report is available online. You can also receive it through a weekly e-newsletter at Explore Minnesota Tourism.
Staying safe:
Even on off-road trails, bicyclists need to wear helmets. Since you are much more likely to fall on your head by locking wheels with another bike or by stopping suddenly than you are to be hit by a vehicle, make sure to wear helmet.
Don’t forget to stop at stop signs on the trail, even if it’s just a driveway or gravel road.
Also, ride with a buddy, especially on isolated stretches.
Have Fun and check back this Thursday for part two of Minnesota’s Peak Riding Time!
