Five Twin Cities Trails to Beat the Heat

The dog days of summer can get pretty hot and steamy in Minnesota but that doesn't have to mean an uncomfortable ride.  The Twin Cities area has quite a few trail systems that run through the cool shade of the woods that I frequent during hot days.  Below I will share some of my favorites to ride to beat the heat.

Brown's Creek State Trail

The Brown's Creek State Trail is a 5.9 mile long rail trail that runs from Grant to Stillwater through a canopy of trees that keeps riders cool on a hot day.  Trail users will parallel Brown's Creek for about two miles and the St. Croix River for another mile as they make their way along this scenic trail.  For those looking to get in some extra mileage, the trail connects to the Gateway State Trail, local trail systems and the newly opened 4.7 mile St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail.  Parking for the Brown's Creek State Trail can be found in Downtown Stillwater, the Brown's Creek Nature Preserve and under the Gateway State Trail bridge in Grant.

Dakota Rail Regional Trail

The Dakota Rail Trail has been a long time favorite of mine for its scenic ride through woods and along lakes and wetlands.  This 14.84 mile paved trail connects Wayzata with Lake Waconia and extends another 12.5 miles (Carver County segment) to the county line just west of New Germany.  A frequent stop along the trail for me is Cathy Mackenthun's Meats & Deli in St. Bonifacius for a quick lunch and to stock up on some of their award winning smoked meats, bratwurst and jerkey.  Parking is available at numerous locations along the trail making it easy to pick the round trip distance you would like to ride.

Mendota Trail

When I want to get in some dirt riding through the cool of the woods, the Minnesota River Bottoms' Mendota Trail in Fort Snelling State Park is my "go-to" spot.  This trail travels 6 miles along the Minnesota River's south bank from underneath the 77 Bridge in Eagan to the Sibley House Historic Site in Mendota. With connectors like the 494 Bridge, Mendota Bridge, Big Rivers Regional Trail and Minnesota River Greenway, different mileage route options for a multi-surface ride are quite numerous.  Parking can be found in Mendota and underneath the 77 Bridge in Eagan.

Gateway State Trail

The 18 mile Gateway State Trail takes cyclists northeast from St. Paul to Pine Point Park just outside of Stillwater.  With plenty of connections including the Bruce Vento Regional Trail and Brown's Creek State Trail and numerous parking locations along the trail, varying routes can be planned for the mileage you would like to do.  The scenery changes from urban to rural as riders pass lakes, woods and wetlands on the way towards Stillwater.  With plenty of trees along the trail this is one ride that will help you stay cool on those hot summer days.

Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail

The Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail has been a longtime favorite of mine for its scenery as well as shade on hot days.  This 15.92 mile aggregate trail stretches between Hopkins and Carver Park Reserve in Victoria as it passes by Lake Minnetonka and through numerous communities along the way.  Make sure to stop in Excelsior for a pint at Excelsior Brewing or Sebastian Joe's Ice Cream at Tommy's Tonka Trolley on the waterfront.  For those that like a little longer ride, take a trip around Lake Minnetonka by traveling through Carver Park Reserve to St. Bonifacius and jumping onto the Dakota Rail Trail on your way to Wayzata and back to Hopkins.  Parking can be found at numerous locations along the trail but I tend to start near the Depot Coffee House in Hopkins at the junction of the Cedar Lake Trail and the Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail.

Favorite Fall Rides In and Near the Twin Cities-Part 2

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.

Minnesota River Bottoms

The Minnesota River Bottoms network of trails have always been a Fall favorite of mine for riding my fatbike.  The floodplain forest offers great views of the river and wildlife that inhabit this area.  However, with all the rain we have had recently some areas are too soft to ride or are underwater due to flooding.  The Bluffs section between 35W and Mound Springs Park has a high enough elevation where flooding shouldn't be a problem.  Other segments are rideable but there will be some spots that are muddy or under water and you may have to turn back.

The trail conditions in a floodplain are constantly changing so check for updates by visiting the MORC Trail Conditions page or see and hear about other's ride experiences on the MN River Bottoms Ride Report Facebook group.

Cannon Valley Trail/Hay Creek/

Goodhue-Pioneer State Trail

The Cannon Valley Trail is a little over 19 miles long and has trail access in Cannon Falls, Welch and Red Wing.  The trail was built on a former railway grade and offers beautiful views of the Cannon River, woods and prairies along the way.

The ride doesn't have to end in Red Wing.  Hop onto the city trail that follows along Hay Creek and it will lead you to the Goodhue-Pioneer State Trail which also follows Hay Creek with awesome views of  the changing colors as you roll through the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest.  Follow the trail until it ends in the little town of Hay Creek which is the turn-around point.  Make a day of it and start at the Cannon Falls Trailhead and ride to the town of Hay Creek for a 52 mile round-trip ride.

Fort Snelling State Park

Fort Snelling State Park has trails to ride through the woods on both sides of the Minnesota River.  Near the historic fort on the north side of the Minnesota River there is plenty of parking and once you head down the hill on the trail near the fort you will come across both paved and unpaved trails on Picnic Island and around Snelling lake.  There is also the paved Minnehaha Trail that follows the Mississippi River north through the woods to Minnehaha Park.

Some of you may be very familiar with the Mendota Trail that follows along the Minnesota River on the south side from Mendota all the way to the Cedar Ave. bridge.  This section of natural treadway trail offers many views of the river as it meanders along through the woods past creeks, lakes and marshes.  With all of the rain we have had recently, some sections of the trail are very wet and/or underwater so keep that in mind.  Updates and photos for this section of trail can be found at the MN River Bottoms Ride Report Facebook group page.

Lilydale/Harriet Island Regional Park

The paved trails that run through Lilydale Regional Park and Harriet Island Regional Park are a joy to ride this time of year.  These trails pass through the floodplain forest along the south side of the Mississippi River from 35E in Lilydale all the way to Harriet Island in St. Paul.  The views of the changing colors along the way are spectacular and it's hard to believe that it's so close to downtown.  These trails also connect in Lilydale to the Big Rivers Regional Trail making for a longer ride along the river and multiple other trail options.  For a better view of the trails in this area, visit Google Maps to plan out your Fall color ride.

Umore Park/Vermillion Highlands

A place I continue to ride year after year in the Fall is close to home for me.  The Vermillion Highlands and UMore Park in Rosemount have paved and gravel roads that take you through part of what used to be the Gopher Works Ordinance plant during World War II and a wildlife management area.  Some of these roads I used to ride have been closed to the public by the University of Minnesota but there are still a lot of areas to see the Fall colors and experience nature.

Explore old paved roads with light car traffic throughout UMore Park on the north side of 160th St. E. and then venture into the Vermillion Highlands on the south side.  Some roads to ride include Station Trail, Annette Ave., 190th St. and Blaine Ave.  Just off of Station Trail is the entrance to Whitetail Woods Regional Park that has a picnic area and restrooms. 

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.

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.

The MN DNR Wants Your Input for Year Three of its Winter Fat Bike Pilot Project

Fort Snelling State Park Muli-use Trail

 
The Minnesota DNR has just set up an online survey to get feedback from fatbikers and specifically, those that have used the Fat Bike Pilot Program trails over the past two years.  The 21 question survey was designed to help the MN DNR improve upon the existing Winter Fat Bike Pilot Program trails and, who knows, with a very large response to this survey, maybe even add some new Winter fatbike destinations around the state.

Yawkey Unit at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area

Please take the time to participate in the survey and share with your fatbike friends so they can do the same.  More fat bike trail access is what the MN DNR must be considering after the huge success of the Cuyuna Mountain Bike Trails and other trail systems in the previous year's pilot programs. This is your opportunity to tell the MN DNR what you think about the pilot program trails you have ridden and how they can make the experience better.

Cuyuna Lakes State Trail

I rode some of these trails last winter and it is nice to be able to give some in-detail feedback on what I liked and what I thought needed improvement.  Let the MN DNR know what your thoughts are and help expand and improve their efforts for fatbike trail access around Minnesota.

Resources for Planning a Minnesota Summer Biking Vacation

Summer is just around the corner and now is the time to start planning your Summer biking vacation(s).  With so many biking destinations around our great state you may want to get more information to help you decide where to go and where to stay.  There are so many resources available at your fingertips that planning your trip has become easier than ever.  Cities and regions around Minnesota are competing for your travel dollars this summer and they have made it easy to find more information about their destinations to attract you.

Minnesota has a lot to offer cyclists whether your discipline is road cycling, mountain biking, gravel, trail or bikepacking.  A great place to start is the Explore Minnesota website.  There is a lot of information here to help you plan the kind of rides you would like to take.  It contains an array of brochures that you can download, view online or have mailed to you.  Quite a few free regional brochures are listed for all areas of the state that can also be selected for mailing.  Go to the Explore Minnesota Travel Guides page to access these brochures.  There are also planning tools beyond just the website, Explore Minnesota Tourism staffs a travel information center with travel counselors that will help you with customized information (by phone, mail or e-mail) for planning your trip.

The 2015-16 Pedal MN Minnesota Biking Guide is another great place to start.  This free publication is available to view online, download or have mailed to you.  It is full of information on paved trails, on-road touring and mountain biking around the state.  It also contains links to trail maps, events and biking destination areas.  Another useful source of Minnesota cycling information is the Pedal Minnesota website that is filled with upcoming events, places to ride, trail information and trip planning resources.

If you have a destination in mind for your trip, try heading to the tourism or visitor's bureau website for that area or city.  Sites like Visit Duluth, Iron Range Tourism, Cuyuna Lake Chamber of Commerce and Root River Trail Towns are full of information that will help you find lodging, dining, attractions, events and area trails.  You may also visit my MN Tourism Resources page for a huge listing of online resources throughout the state.

The Minnesota DNR website contains all sorts of information on biking including State Trails, State Parks & Recreation Areas, State Forests, camping/lodging and other biking opportunities.  If you're looking to get off the beaten path, do some bikepacking or ride somewhere with great scenery, the DNR website is a great choice to get you started.

Summer is right around the corner, so use the wealth of information available on the Internet to make planning your next biking trip a breeze.  For easy to find trail maps and trail information for the Twin Cities Area, Southern MN, Central MN and Northern MN, don't forget about MN Bike Trail Navigator.  I have already done the research to find the links so you don't have to.

New Fatbike Trails Opening Up Around Minnesota

With the ever-increasing popularity of fatbikes, Winter trail access in Minnesota is growing.  The Minnesota DNR issued a News Release last week adding 58 new miles open to fatbiking in Minnesota State Parks and on State Trails.  These are not the only new places to ride in Minnesota this Winter, more are popping up around the state.

Twin Cities Area

The City of Golden Valley has partnered with the Three Rivers Park District and will groom two multi-use trails at Brookview Golf Course that will be open to fatbiking.  Trail lengths will be 3/4 mile and 3 1/2 miles of unlit corduroy that will be maintained through late February.  The Brookview Grill will be open for food and cocktails Friday through Sunday until February 16th.  For more information see my post Brookview Golf Course Opens to Fatbikes This Winter.

Lake Elmo Park Reserve has 2.5 miles on the Big Bluestem Trail that will be packed multi-use and includes fatbiking.  A Washington County Parks Vehicle Permit is required on all vehicles entering the park.  More information can be found in the Washington County Parks Winter Trails-Lake Elmo Park Reserve Brochure.

Cleary Lake Regional Park in Prior Lake grooms trails for cross-country skiing and according to Explore Minnesota it also has a "fat tire" trail with bike rentals available during the winter.  Call Cleary Lake Regional Park (763-694-7777) for more information.

As part of the announcement from the Minnesota DNR last week, Fort Snelling State Park has added 6 new miles of packed multi-use trails.  The Luce Line State Trail is groomed for multi-use including fatbiking from Vicksburg Lane to Stubbs Bay Road.  The Gateway State Trail is plowed from Cuyuga Street to Jamaca Avenue opening up 11.9 miles of trails to all winter biking.

Southern MN

CROCT (Cannon River Offroad Cycling and Trails) opened their first mtb trail at Sechler Park in Northfield on November 15th.  The 1.2 mile two-way singletrack runs through the wooded floodplain along the Cannon River and is open to Winter biking.  For the latest trail conditions follow @CROCTconditions on Twitter.

Sechler Park River Bottoms Trail

The Mankato Area Mountain Bikers (MAMB) have finished the two loops of mountain bike trails at the Kiwanis Recreation Area and they are open for Winter fatbiking.  The short loop is a 1 mile beginner-rated trail and the long loop is a 4 mile intermediate-rated trail.  For updated trail conditions at the Kiwanis MTB Trail, visit the MAMB Facebook page.

Kiwanis Mountain Bike Trail

The Winona Area Mountain Bikers (WAMB) will be grooming the trails at the top of Cherry Hill and portions of Holzinger Lodge this Winter.  According to a post on the MORC Trail Conditions Forum for Holzinger Lodge, "WAMB has come to an agreement with the City of Winona to groom portions of the trail that are accessible by snow machine. This will include the Low Rollers and the Wildwood Loop at the top. Cistern, Horse Trail and Quarry will not be groomed due to the rough terrain."  For updates on these two trails, visit the WAMB Facebook page.

The Minnesota DNR has opened 13 miles of groomed trails from Pine Island to Rochester on the Douglas State Trail to fatbiking as well as 6 miles of groomed trails at the Blazing Star State Trail/Myre-Big Island State Park.

 

 
Central & Northern MN

Isanti County Parks has added over 15 miles of multi-use (hiking, snow shoeing, fat tire biking or cross country skiing) groomed trails this Winter.  These include 5 miles at Springvale County Park, 3 miles at Becklin Homestead County Park, 3 miles at Irvin and John Anderson County Park, 2 miles at Vegsund Family County Park and 2 miles at Wayside Prairie County Park.  For the latest trail conditions, visit the Isanti County Parks Facebook page or call 763-689-8220.

Image Credit: Stearns County Parks

Stearns County Parks has opened up fatbiking on its multi-use (Winter Walking/Dog Walking/Snowshoeing/Fat Tire Biking) trails in five parks. These parks include Kraemer Lake–Wildwood County Park, Lake Koronis Regional Park, Mississippi River County Park, Quarry Park & Nature Preserve and Warner Lake County Park.  For more information contact Stearns County Parks at 320-255-6172 or by email at parkinfo@co.stearns.mn.us.

Soo Line West

Soo Line East

The Morrison County Board of Commissioners recently reviewed its rules for recreational trails including the use of fatbikes.  The Recreational Trail Rules and Regulations Ordinance that will affect the Soo Line East and Soo Line West trails would allow snowmobiling, fat-tire bicycling and cross country skiing from December 1st through March 31st as long as there is snow cover of three or more inches on the trail.  This will provide 36 miles of trail for fatbiking.  The ordinance also states “the trail is closed and may not be used for any purpose (hiking, biking, skiing, ATVing or snowmobiling) from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30 of each year.”  For more information or questions regarding the use of these trails should contact the Morrison County Public Works Department at 320-632-0121.

COGGS (Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores) will be grooming six miles of newly completed trails at Mission Creek and “purposeful snowshoeing” the trails at Brewers Park in Duluth to pack the trails for fatbike riding.  Brewer Park consists of Brewer Park (beginner), Homebrew, Lollygagger and Kissing Booth and links up with Piedmont across Haines Road.  For trail conditions at Mission Creek visit @COGGSMissionCrk and Piedmont/Brewer Park visit @COGGSPiedmontTC.

Maplelag Resort in Callaway announced last week it will have their snowshoe trail and the three miles of Twin Lakes Singletrack packed and open for fatbiking.  Forest roads in the area will also be another option for fatbike riding.  For more information or questions contact Maplelag Resort by calling them at 218-375-4466 or sending an email to maplelag@tvutel.com.

The Minnesota DNR has 20 miles of groomed trails at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area.  New trails include 5.4 miles of groomed trails at Jay Cooke State Park and 8.7 miles of groomed trails for fatbikes and ski skating at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.

Remember to always follow IMBA's Fat Bike Best Practices and help give our sport a good name to gain more trail access in the future.