Favorite Fall Rides In and Near the Twin Cities-Part 1

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year to ride and right now the leaves in and around the metro are starting to change color.  We have many trails and roads in Minnesota that are perfect for seeing all sights that Fall has to offer by bicycle.  There's something here for every type of cyclist whether you're a mountain biker, trail rider or gravel enthusiast.  Get out there soon as this opportunity comes and goes quickly.   Below are some of my favorites near the Twin Cities that I try to visit this time of year.

Lebanon Hills

One very popular spot for mountain bikers in the Twin Cities is Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trails.  With the majority of the trails in a hardwood forest, this is a prime spot to ride right among the changing colors.  Lebanon Hills has over 12 miles of beginner to expert level trails making it a great ride for mountain bikers of all abilities.  Fall's wet weather does present some challenges though so make sure the trails are open before heading out to there for a ride. Visit the Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trail Facebook page or the MORC Trail Conditions page for the latest updates on trail conditions and closings.

Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail

The Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail is a 12 mile long aggregate trail that runs from Hopkins to Chaska.  It passes through several parks and offers great views of the changing colors around the Minnesota River Valley.  A portion of the trail is closed between Pioneer Trail in Eden Prairie and Highway 101 in Chanhassen due to trail washout from mudslides in 2014 so plan your ride here accordingly and follow the posted detour.

Big Rivers Regional Trail

The Big Rivers Regional Trail in Dakota County is only 4 1/2 miles long but offers great views of the river valley at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers.  Trail access is available at the East Trailhead on Lilydale Rd. in St. Paul and along Hwy. 13 at I-494, Pilot Knob Rd., Hwy. 55 and I-35E.  The Big Rivers Regional Trail also links to many other area bikeways along both sides of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers.  Visit Google Maps to plan out your ride in this beautiful river valley area and make a day of it.

Mississippi River Regional Trail-Dakota County

The south/east segment of the Mississippi River Regional Trail in Dakota County is one of my favorite new trails to ride for great views of the Mississippi River Valley and the hardwood forest that surrounds it.  Access to this part of the trail is available at the Lower Spring Lake Park Reserve Trailhead/West Trailhead, the Schaar's Bluff Trailhead and the Lock and Dame No. 2 Trailhead.  This segment of trail also continues on to the city of Hastings.

For a longer ride, I like to start in Hastings at Levee Park and follow the trail past Lock and Dam No. 2 all the way to the Lower Spring Lake Park Reserve Trailhead/West Trailhead and back for a 21 mile round-trip ride.  A map of this segment of trail can be found here.

Welch Gravel

The Cannon River Valley in and around Welch is a favorite of mine for riding gravel this time of year.  With deep ravines, big climbs, fast downhills and magnificent scenery along the way, this area showcases the Fall colors at their best.  I have returned to this area many times since I first got into gravel back in 2013 and some of these roads are part of the Miesville 56 course which is a gravel rider's favorite.

I have two routes that I like to ride in this area, one on the north side of the Cannon River and one on the south side.  Both of these rides start at the Welch Station on the Cannon Valley Trail.  The Welch-North Loop is a 16 mile ride that is just under 1,000 feet of climbing and the Welch-South Loop is also 16 miles with just over 750 feet of climbing.  Do both loops together for a longer ride, more climbing and plenty of great views that the Cannon River Valley has to offer.  Try mixing it up and doing these routes in reverse for a completely different ride.

Don't delay as the Fall colors don't stick around for long.  Visit one of the areas mentioned in this post if you haven't before and experience Minnesota Fall on a bicycle.  I will add five more of my favorite Fall rides soon in a second segment of this post.