Four Twin Cities Area Fall Color Rides

The Twin Cities metro area has miles of roads and trails that offer great views of the fall colors.  This is my favorite time of year to ride not only for the vivid change on the trees but cooler temperatures make riding much more comfortable.

Image Credit: MN DNR

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fall Color Map is now live and will be updated by State Park and State Recreation Area (SRA's) staff.  With the wet Spring Minnesota has had and a good growing season during the Summer, trees are very healthy and a magnificent color display is expected throughout the state now through mid-October.

Below are some of my favorites near the Twin Cities that I try to visit this time of year.  They will be posted as a RideWithGPS route that can be used to print cue sheets, download files* for your gps device or use with the RideWithGPS app.

*FIT is the best format for turn-by-turn directions on modern Garmin Edge Devices.
*TCX is compatible with most modern GPS units. Provides turn by turn directions including custom cue entries, but may consume more space than FIT.
*GPX is useful for any GPS unit. Contains no cuesheet entries, only track information (breadcrumb trail).

St. Paul Fall Colors Along the Mississippi River

21.3 miles

823 feet elevation gain
FIT Course (.fit)
TCX Course (.tcx)

GPX Track (.gpx)

Cuesheets

Lake Minnetonka Fall Colors Loop

35.2 miles

884 feet elevation gain
FIT Course (.fit)
TCX Course (.tcx)

GPX Track (.gpx)
Cuesheets

Tour of Hastings Fall Colors Ride

37.1 miles

1,214 feet elevation gain

FIT Course (.fit)

TCX Course (.tcx)

GPX Track (.gpx)

Cuesheets

UMore Park/Vermillion Highlands 

Mixed Surface Fall Colors Ride

31.3 miles

590 feet elevation gain

FIT Course (.fit)

TCX Course (.tcx)

GPX Track (.gpx)

Cuesheets

Note: "Vermillion Highlands is open to various hunting activities during specific times of the year. Trail users are advised to wear blaze orange clothing during these seasons. Please visit the Wildlife Management page or call the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at 651-322-4643 to learn more."

Don't delay as the fall colors won't stick around for long.  Take one or several of the rides mentioned in this post and experience some great Minnesota scenery on a bicycle.

Dakota County Parks Improving Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trailhead

Image Credit:  Dakota County Parks

If you haven't been to the Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trails at the West Trailhead recently you haven't seen the construction work being done as part of Dakota County Parks improvement for the park.

Image Credit:  Dakota County Parks

Currently new overflow parking is now complete and available in the old parking lot just to the north of the current trailhead parking.  Mountain bike and hiking trails will remain open during the construction improvements dependent upon the weather.

Image Credit:  Dakota County Parks

Improvement to include event and program space for demos and clinics, additional picnic tables and a fire ring, an expansion of the concrete patio pad around the picnic shelter, improved storm water management, as well as new turf & vegetation on the entire construction site.

Image Credit:  Dakota County Parks

The majority of the construction is scheduled (weather dependent) to be completed by August 18th.  These new facility upgrades will make the Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival on October 7th even better this year.

Dakota County Parks Visitor Services Coordinator Katie Pata is looking to connect with local professionals and mountain bike enthusiasts for their ideas to make this year's event the best ever.  You can meet with her in person at the Wild Ride Mountain Bike Fest event planning meeting at the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center on Wednesday, July 19th from 2:00-3:30pm.  Please RSVP to let Katie know you will be attending.  If you can't make and would like your ideas heard, please send her an email at Katie.Pata@co.dakota.mn.us.

Three Trail Grand Openings Set for this Spring

Two existing trails and one new one have some new mileage that will have Grand Opening celebrations later this Spring.

Mississippi River Regional Trail

Image Credit: Dakota County Parks

Dakota County Parks will hold the Mississippi River Trail Grand Opening on Saturday, May 20th from 9am to noon at Spring Lake Park Reserve/Schaar's Bluff in Hastings.  This newly completed 4.3 mile section is now open and contains three overlooks and two bridges spanning a total of approximately 570 feet with overlook decks on each.  Visit Dakota County Parks' Trail Construction page and the Project Overview Map page for more information about the trail.

Mill Towns State Trail

Image Credit: Dakota County Parks

Another new segment of trail made possible with cooperation from Dakota County Parks, Goodhue County and the Minnesota DNR is the part of the Mill Towns State Trail in Cannon Falls.  The Mill Towns State Trail Grand Opening takes place Saturday, June 3rd from 2 to 5pm.  "Festivities will include activity stations along the trail, naturalist programs, refreshments and a community bike ride. More information to come soon."
 

Minnesota River Greenway

The Minnesota River Greenway was made possible by Dakota County, the City of Burnsville, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Xcel Energy.  This new stretch of trail runs from HWY 77 to 35W (3.5 miles) along the south side of the Minnesota River.  The Minnesota River Greenway Grand Opening celebration is on Saturday, June 3rd from 10am to noon with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:15am.  The Grand Opening will be held at Minnesota Riverfront Park in Burnsville.  "Festivities will include activity stations along the trail, naturalist programs, refreshments and free bikes available for check-out."

Mountain Bike Patrol Team Volunteers Needed at Lebanon Hills

Dakota County Parks is now recruiting volunteers for their Mountain Bike Patrol Team at the Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trails in Eagan.  Volunteers must meet qualifications and complete all training required.  All details and requirements for these volunteer positions are listed below.

Qualifications:

• Minimum age 16 years
• Good physical fitness and customer service skills 
•  Adult/Child CPR Certification
• Basic First Aid Certification 
• IMBA National Mountain Bike Patrol Member 
• Intermediate riding skill level 
• Must provide own bike and helmet
•  Completion of all required training 

Required training:  (Volunteers must complete all training before working as patrol.)

• Volunteer Orientation (new volunteers only)
Thursday, Nov. 12, 6-7:30 p.m.
Lebanon Hills Visitor Center, Eagan

• IMBA National Mountain Bike Patrol Training
To be determined

• On the Trail Bike Repair Clinic
To be determined

• Annual All Patrol Meeting (all volunteers)
Thursday, Dec. 3, 6-8 p.m.
Lebanon Hills Visitor Center, Eagan 

CPR & First Aid Certification
Current certification through March 31, 2016 is required for all Mountain Bike Patrol volunteers. Volunteers may seek and register for these certification programs on their own, and Dakota County Parks will provide reimbursement for those qualifying certification programs.
Qualifying certification programs: Layman or Basic Adult/Child CPR and Basic First Aid certification.
Certification programs must be completed by Dec. 15, 2015 to be eligible to volunteer.
Those volunteers who have been previously certified within the past five years, who need to be recertified, can register for a Recertification Program coordinated by Dakota County Parks, at no cost:

• Recertification in Layman Adult/Child CPR & Basic First Aid
Thursday, Nov. 17, 6-8 p.m.
Black Hawk Middle School, Eagan 

Time commitment
The Volunteer Mountain Bike Patrol team is a one year commitment: Nov. 1-Oct. 31.  Volunteers are asked to commit to 30 hours per year.   

Sign Up
FYI, We’re still learning all the bells and whistles with a new volunteer software system…but soon you’ll see Mountain Bike Patrol as an option to sign up for.

• In the meantime, you can set up your own account HERE so you’re ready to go when we post the Mountain Bike Patrol position (hopefully by the end of this week).

Questions?
Contact Katie Pata at 651-554-6532 or katie.pata@co.dakota.mn.us