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Trail Day Essentials
Minnesota is famous for its lakes, and it also has some of the best paved rail-trails in the Midwest. You can circle Minneapolis on the 51-mile Grand Rounds, ride through bluff country along the Root River, cross the north woods on the 121.7-mile Paul Bunyan State Trail or test yourself on the red-dirt singletrack of Cuyuna.
We’ve grouped the trails below into four regions: Minneapolis and St. Paul, Southern Minnesota, Central Minnesota and the Lakes, and Duluth, the North Shore and Iron Range. Each card lists the trail’s surface, length and type, with a link to the map, directions and the official trail page, so you can pick a ride that fits your bike and your legs.
Minnesota Bike Trails Map
All 16 Minnesota Bike Trails at a Glance
Sort by any column or search by trail name, county or region. Lengths are in miles; click a trail name to jump to its details.
| Trail | Region | Counties | Length (mi) | Surface | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rounds Scenic Byway | Minneapolis & St. Paul | Hennepin County | 51 | Asphalt | Greenway |
| Midtown Greenway | Minneapolis & St. Paul | Hennepin County | 5.5 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Luce Line State Trail | Minneapolis & St. Paul | Hennepin, Carver, McLeod & Meeker Counties | 76.7 | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Grass | Rail-Trail |
| Gateway State Trail | Minneapolis & St. Paul | Ramsey & Washington Counties | 18 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Theodore Wirth Park | Minneapolis & St. Paul | Hennepin County | 6 | Dirt, Roots | Mountain Bike |
| Root River State Trail | Southern Minnesota | Fillmore & Houston Counties | 42.1 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Cannon Valley Trail | Southern Minnesota | Goodhue County | 20.9 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail | Southern Minnesota | Blue Earth, Le Sueur & Rice Counties | 39.3 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Paul Bunyan State Trail | Central Minnesota & the Lakes | Crow Wing, Cass, Hubbard & Beltrami Counties | 121.7 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Heartland State Trail | Central Minnesota & the Lakes | Hubbard & Cass Counties | 49 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Central Lakes State Trail | Central Minnesota & the Lakes | Douglas, Grant & Otter Tail Counties | 55 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area | Central Minnesota & the Lakes | Crow Wing County | 50 | Dirt, Rock | Mountain Bike |
| Duluth Traverse | Duluth, the North Shore & Iron Range | St. Louis County | 40 | Dirt, Rock | Mountain Bike |
| Gitchi-Gami State Trail | Duluth, the North Shore & Iron Range | Lake & Cook Counties | 33.5 | Asphalt | Greenway |
| Mesabi Trail | Duluth, the North Shore & Iron Range | Itasca & St. Louis Counties | 155 | Asphalt, Gravel | Rail-Trail |
| Willard Munger State Trail | Duluth, the North Shore & Iron Range | Pine, Carlton & St. Louis Counties | 71.4 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
Minneapolis & St. Paul
A 51-mile parkway loop, a below-grade bike highway, a long rail-trail heading west, a paved route out of St. Paul and urban singletrack minutes from downtown.
Grand Rounds Scenic Byway
The Grand Rounds is a 51-mile loop of parkway trails that circles Minneapolis in seven segments: the Downtown Riverfront, the Mississippi River, Minnehaha, the Chain of Lakes, Theodore Wirth, Victory Memorial and Northeast Minneapolis.
Highlights include the Stone Arch Bridge near St. Anthony Falls, the riverbank trail along the Mississippi, Minnehaha Falls and Lake Nokomis, and the lake loops around Bde Maka Ska, Lake of the Isles and Lake Harriet. The route is easy to break into shorter rides from almost any neighborhood.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- About 51 miles
- Greenway
- Hennepin County
- Cycling
Midtown Greenway
The Midtown Greenway is a 5.5-mile paved trail on an old rail corridor that runs east to west across south Minneapolis, mostly below street level, so riders pass under the city’s busy cross streets.
It links the Cedar Lake Trail on the west end with the West River Parkway along the Mississippi on the east, and the Martin Olav Sabo Bridge carries it over Hiawatha Avenue. A bike shop near the Midtown Global Market makes it an easy commuter route as well as a city tour.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 5.5 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Hennepin County
- Cycling
Luce Line State Trail
The Luce Line follows the former Electric Short Line Railroad for 76.7 miles from Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis west to Cosmos, passing lakes, marshes and farm country along the way.
The surface changes by section: paved from Plymouth into Minneapolis and between Winsted and Hutchinson, crushed limestone between Plymouth and Winsted, and crushed granite and mowed grass farther west. Wider tires are the best choice if you plan to ride past the paved stretches.
Trail facts
- Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Grass
- 76.7 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Hennepin, Carver, McLeod & Meeker Counties
- Cycling
Gateway State Trail
The Gateway State Trail is an 18-mile paved trail on an old Soo Line Railroad grade, running from St. Paul through Maplewood, North St. Paul, Oakdale and Mahtomedi to Pine Point Regional Park north of Stillwater.
The grade is gentle and the trail is accessible, which makes it a good family ride close to the city. At Duluth Junction it connects to the Browns Creek State Trail into Stillwater, and the western end links to the Bruce Vento Regional Trail.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 18 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Ramsey & Washington Counties
- Cycling
Theodore Wirth Park
Theodore Wirth Park, the largest park in Minneapolis, has about 6 miles of singletrack only a few minutes from downtown. The trails are built and cared for by Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists (MORC) with the Minneapolis Park Board.
Most of the riding is intermediate, with tight, technical sections on the north loop and bypasses around the harder features. In winter, the trails are groomed for fat bikes, and the Luce Line and Grand Rounds both pass the park.
Trail facts
- Dirt, Roots
- About 6 miles of singletrack
- Mountain Bike
- Hennepin County
- Mountain biking
Southern Minnesota
Paved rail-trails through limestone bluff country, along the Cannon River to Red Wing and past the lakes between Mankato and Faribault.
Root River State Trail
The Root River State Trail is a 42.1-mile paved rail-trail from Fountain to Houston in Minnesota’s bluff country, passing through Lanesboro, Whalen, Peterson and Rushford.
It follows the Root River past tall limestone bluffs and hardwood forest, and it is mostly level apart from a short hilly stretch near Houston. Near Isinours, it meets the Harmony-Preston Valley State Trail, and every trail town has a bike repair station.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 42.1 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Fillmore & Houston Counties
- Cycling
Cannon Valley Trail
The Cannon Valley Trail runs 20.9 miles on the old Chicago Great Western Railway grade from Cannon Falls through Welch to Red Wing, following the Cannon River past bluffs, wetlands and farmland.
The trail drops about 115 feet from end to end, so it’s an easy ride in either direction, and it was named a National Recreation Trail in 2018. Riders 18 and older need a Wheel Pass from April through October, and pets aren’t allowed.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 20.9 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Goodhue County
- Cycling
Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail
The Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail is a 39.3-mile paved rail-trail between Mankato and Faribault. It opened in 1980, and its name comes from a Dakota word meaning “singing hills.”
The mostly flat, partly shaded route passes several lakes and runs for about 3 miles through Sakatah Lake State Park. Pavement is smooth near Faribault, but some stretches near Waterville are rougher, and there is a short signed detour on town streets.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 39.3 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Blue Earth, Le Sueur & Rice Counties
- Cycling
Central Minnesota & the Lakes
Long paved trails through lake country, a pioneering rail-trail in the north woods and the red-dirt singletrack of the old Cuyuna iron mines.
Paul Bunyan State Trail
The Paul Bunyan State Trail is a 121.7-mile paved rail-trail from Crow Wing State Park near Brainerd north to Bemidji, which makes it one of the longest paved rail-trails in the country.
It passes more than 20 lakes and 10 rivers and streams, with trail towns like Nisswa, Pequot Lakes, Hackensack and Walker every 8 to 10 miles. Watch for the Paul Bunyan statues along the way, and in Walker the trail connects to the Heartland State Trail.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 121.7 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Crow Wing, Cass, Hubbard & Beltrami Counties
- Cycling
Heartland State Trail
The Heartland State Trail runs 49 miles from Park Rapids to Cass Lake. It opened in 1974 and was one of the first rail-trail conversions in the country.
The route crosses the north woods past lakes, rivers and small resort towns such as Dorset, Nevis, Akeley and Walker, and bald eagles are a common sight. It is mostly flat except for a hillier 4-mile section north of Walker.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 49 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Hubbard & Cass Counties
- Cycling
Central Lakes State Trail
The Central Lakes State Trail is a 55-mile paved rail-trail, 14 feet wide for its whole length, from Fergus Falls through Alexandria to Osakis on an old Burlington Northern corridor.
It passes lakes, prairie remnants, woods and farmland and is a good bird-watching ride during the waterfowl migration. In Osakis, it joins the Lake Wobegon Trail, which continues south toward St. Joseph.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 55 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Douglas, Grant & Otter Tail Counties
- Cycling
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area
Cuyuna Country, near Crosby and Ironton, has about 50 miles of singletrack on old iron-mining land, where flooded mine pits are now clear lakes. The International Mountain Bicycling Association rates it a Silver-level Ride Center.
The trails range from beginner skills areas to expert-only lines, with flow and jump trails winding over the old mine waste piles. Trails close after rain until they dry, and about 40 miles are packed for fat biking in winter.
Trail facts
- Dirt, Rock
- About 50 miles of singletrack
- Mountain Bike
- Crow Wing County
- Mountain biking
Duluth, the North Shore & Iron Range
A trail that crosses the whole city of Duluth, paved riding above Lake Superior, the long Mesabi Trail through mining towns and a rail-trail from Hinckley to Duluth.
Duluth Traverse
The Duluth Traverse is about 40 miles of two-way singletrack along the hillside above Lake Superior, from Chambers Grove Park to Lester Park. It is a joint project of the City of Duluth and the Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores (COGGS).
It is mostly beginner-to-intermediate flow trail with a few rocky sections, and it links trail networks such as Mission Creek, Piedmont, Hartley and Lester Park. Together they give Duluth over 90 miles of trail inside the city limits.
Trail facts
- Dirt, Rock
- About 40 miles of singletrack
- Mountain Bike
- St. Louis County
- Mountain biking
Gitchi-Gami State Trail
The Gitchi-Gami State Trail has 33.5 paved miles open in five segments along Lake Superior’s North Shore. When it is finished, it will run 88 miles from Two Harbors to Grand Marais.
The longest segment, 17.6 miles from Gooseberry Falls State Park to Silver Bay, passes Split Rock Lighthouse and has the best lake views, along with some steep grades. Shorter segments run from Schroeder to Tofte, from Tofte to Lutsen, and through Grand Marais.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 33.5 miles in five segments
- Greenway
- Lake & Cook Counties
- Cycling
Mesabi Trail
The Mesabi Trail is a mostly paved trail of about 155 miles across the Iron Range, from Grand Rapids east through Hibbing, Chisholm, Virginia, Eveleth, Biwabik and Aurora toward Ely.
It passes old water-filled iron pits and working mines, including the Hull Rust Mine overlook in Hibbing. Expect real hills and long gaps between towns for water, and buy a Wheel Pass, which pays for trail upkeep.
Trail facts
- Asphalt, Gravel
- 155 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Itasca & St. Louis Counties
- Cycling
Willard Munger State Trail
The Willard Munger State Trail is a 71.4-mile paved rail-trail from Hinckley to Duluth. The old railroad helped people escape the Hinckley and Cloquet fires of 1894 and 1918.
The southern miles pass General C.C. Andrews State Forest, and the last 15 miles drop past rocky cliffs and the St. Louis River gorge beside Jay Cooke State Park. Some sections have cracks and patches, so check conditions before a long ride.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 71.4 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Pine, Carlton & St. Louis Counties
- Cycling
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