Minnesota's State Parks are a great natural resource containing miles of scenic trails providing ample opportunities to both paved trail cyclists and mountain bikers. These State Parks, with their connections to State Trails and terrain for mountain biking, should not be overlooked when picking a new place to ride this summer.
Southern MN
- Camden State Park contains 4.2 miles of mountain biking trails. Camden State Park map
- Lake Louise State Park provides access to the 14.2 mile long Shooting Star State Trail which begins in the town of Leroy, travels through the park and on to the county park in Adams. Lake Louise State Park map Shooting Star State Trail map
- Myre-Big Island State Park has 7 miles of mountain bike trails and is the starting point for the Blazing Star State Trail which travels 6 miles to the Frank Hall Park in Albert Lea. Myre-Big Island State Park map Blazing Star State Trail map
- Sakatah Lake State Park provides access to the 39 mile long Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail which runs a length from Faribault to Mankato. Sakatah Lake State Park map Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail
- Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area is a 5000 acre area abandoned by mining companies more than 30 years ago leaving behind mining pit lakes and rock piles. This site contains 25 miles of some of the best mountain bike trails in the state, 10 miles of winter Fat Bike trails and access to the 6.1 mile paved Cuyuna Lakes State Trail. This place is definitely a mountain bikers paradise. Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area map Sagamore Unit Fat Bike Winter Trails map Cuyuna Lakes State Trail map
- Glendalough State Park contains 5.5 miles of mountain biking along the Annie Battle Lake Trail and the Lake Emma Trail. Glendalough State Park map
- Hayes Lake State Park contains 5 miles of trails suitable for mountain biking that begin at Hayes dam. Hayes Lake State Park map
- Itasca State Park has 16 miles of paved trail, 6 of which are off road, the remainder are shared with automobiles along the Wilderness Drive Loop. Itasca State Park map
- Lake Bemidji State Park contains the northern trailhead of the Paul Bunyan State Trail that stretches 112 paved miles to Brainerd. There is also 5 miles of mountain bike trails within its boundaries. Lake Bemidji State Park map Paul Bunyan State Trail map
- Lake Bronson State Park has 2 miles of paved trail and 5 miles of mountain bike trails that start just north of the beach area parking lot. Lake Bronson State Park map
- Red River State Recreation Area has 7 miles of paved bike trail passing through the campground. Red River State Recreation Area map
- Gooseberry Falls State Park has 8 miles of mountain bike trails and 2.5 miles of paved trail that connects to the Gitchi-Gami State Trail. Gooseberry Falls State Park map Gitchi-Gami State Trail map
- Jay Cooke State Park has 8 miles of paved trail that starts in the town of Carlton and runs into the park and also connects to the Hinckley-Duluth segment of the Willard Munger State Trail. There are also 13 miles of mountain bike trails here. Jay Cooke State Park map Willard Munger State Trail map
- McCarthy Beach State Park has several mountain biking opportunities available. There are 17 miles of park trails and low maintenance roads located in the park. The Taconite State Trail that passes through the boundary of the park can also be explored. McCarthy Beach State Park map Taconite State Trail map
- Moose Lake State Park has a 2 mile connecting trail that brings you to the 63 mile long Willard Munger State Trail. Moose Lake State Park map Willard Munger State Trail map
- St. Croix State Park has 5.5 miles of paved trail that starts at the park campground and leads to the Lake Clayton beach. The Munger Boundary Trail provides 21 miles of mountain biking within the park but does not connect with the Willard Munger State Trail. St. Croix State Park Map
- Savanna Portage State Park provides mountain bikers with 10 miles of dirt trails within its boundaries. Savanna Portage State Park map
- Split Rock Lighthouse State Park provides trailage for both paved riding and mountain biking. In the park there are 6 miles of mountain bike trails and it also contains the longest finished segment of the Gitchi-Gami State Trail, 14.6 miles. This section of the Gitchi-Gami State Trail starts at the Gooseberry Falls State Park and ends in Beaver Bay. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park map Gitchi-Gami State Trail map Gooseberry Falls State Park map
- Fort Snelling State Park is located at the convergence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. This State Park has 5 miles of paved bike trails that connect to the Big Rivers Regional Trail and the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway at Minnehaha Falls. For the mountain bikers, there are 10 miles of gravel trails on the Dakota County and Hennepin County sides of the river. On the Dakota County side, these gravel trails connect to the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Fort Snelling State Park map Big Rivers Regional Trail map Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway map Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge map
- Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area contains 6 miles of paved trail known as the Chaska/Shakopee Bike Trail and follows along the Minnesota River. For mountain bikers there are 35 miles of trails following the meandering river from Chaska all the way to Belle Plain. Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area map
This summer make sure to take advantage of all of the great biking opportunities that our Minnesota State Parks have to offer. For information on contacting the MN DNR with questions regarding Minnesota's State Parks go to the Contact the DNR page on their website.
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