My TrailLink

West River Parkway
More of a connecting link than a destination trail

One of the oldest separated bike paths in Minneapolis, and it shows. The pavement is very rough in places, curb cuts are few and awkwardly placed, and the pedestrians will drive you nuts. Although there is a walking path a few feet away from the bike trail, the bike path is typically clogged with oblivious joggers and people pushing strollers or meandering along three abreast. The trail runs along the top of the river bluff, but it's not as scenic as you would expect. For the most part the view of the river is obstructed by a thick tangle of trees and underbrush. On the plus side, it is very shady and the River Road is only moderately busy.

The only reason I ride on this trail is if I'm trying to get from the Midtown Bike Path to Lake Street and I don't feel like riding down the Hiawatha corridor. If I were looking for a pleasant ride with a view from the river bluffs I'd ride on the east side of the river.

Glacial Lakes State Trail
Smooth but noisy

We rode from Spicer to a little past New London on September 23, 2008. It's an easy, comfortable ride. The trail surface is flawless smooth asphalt, and the terrain is mostly flat. Late September turned out to be the perfect time to ride for fall colors: lots of brilliant red sumac contrasting with meadow grass, fall wild flowers, and the pale yellow of little popples and birches just starting to turn. Most of this segment is in full sun, although there are some well-shaded areas near the lake on the north side of Spicer.

The main drawback is that the trail runs close to a busy highway for almost the entire way. Sometimes the trail is just 30 feet from the road with no tree cover at all. Other times there is a narrow band of second-growth forest, an embankment or even a small lake to provide some shield for highway noise. But you're never far enough from the road so that you can't hear it.

All in all, this was an easy and pleasant trail except for the road noise, especially recommended for early fall riding when the sumac is peaking.

Chippewa River State Trail
One of our favorites - we'll be back

My husband and I rode from Eau Claire to Caryville in June, 2008, and had a wonderful ride. I don't have a lot to add to Dennis's excellent and thorough review, but here are a few random notes.

This is a good summertime trip because there is quite a bit of shade, plus the cooling effects of the river. Even the section of trail that runs through Eau Claire is shady and pleasant, tracking right along the river near the college. There is an amazing variety of scenery on this trail, ranging from city to wetland to rolling prairie to the occasional soybean field. We were charmed to come upon a pair of enormous Sandhill Cranes spearing frogs in one of the swampy areas. We were also amused by what seemed to be hundreds of baby bunnies scampering frantically back and forth across the trail. And if you like bridges, this is your trail! I looked back at pictures I took on the trip and they seem to be one arty bridge shot after another.

Having read Dennis's description of the rest of the trail, I look forward to seeing more of it next year.

Harmony-Preston Valley Trail
This trail is a delight!

A beautiful trail, ranging from easy rolling hills to (reportedly) very challenging climbs at the ends where it climbs out of the river valley. We stayed overnight in Lanesboro and rode the trails near the town, which are rolling and scenic but not difficult. We were there in June, 2008.

Shade: at least 50% of the trail in this area is shaded - always a plus on a warm day. Scenery: unremarkable 2nd-growth Minnesota woodland, but the trail parallels, crosses and re-crosses the Root River, which raises the scenery rating to well above average. Trailheads are handsome, easy to find and have plenty of parking. Towns: Lanesboro is delightful – cute as a button, always bustling even on a Sunday evening. There are lots of places to eat and even entertainment. Preston is less welcoming, but does have a 24-hour grocery store and a sandwich shop (which must be open some time, but not when we were there). Smaller towns are typically right on the trail and offer at least a shady little park to rest in. Lodging: B&Bs galore, with reservations easy to make through an outstandingly good town website. They do tend to fill up early on the weekends, however.

Gandy Dancer Trail - Northern Section
A bit disappointing

We were a bit disappointed in this trail. We started at the south end, which meant a 2-mile climb out of the river valley. This part was scenic, but grueling. After that, it was flat and rather dull, running through farmland. After the first 2 miles the asphalt gives way to crushed rock (like most Wisconsin trails). It was not well-maintained, at least when we were there. Crushed rock is okay, but not when it is full of ruts from tractor wheels. There were also some puddles and lots of small branches down from a recent storm.

On the plus side, the small towns come along every 5 miles or so, offering a wide selection of taverns serving burgers and beer every day of the week (yay, Wisconsin!). We especially liked the “Glass Bar” in Centuria.

Duluth Lakewalk
Short but sweet

Asphalt trail along the waterfront from Canal Park (by the lift bridge) to a set of new condos that cut off the trail at about the point where I-35 turns into Highway 61. The waterfront park has been beautifully developed with flower gardens, statuary, murals and grassy frisbee fields. Smooth asphalt trail with rolling hills has loads of picture-taking opportunities. The trail ends abruptly with no notice at the lift bridge.

Central Lakes State Trail
The Alexandria portion of the trail - very scenic

We rode just a short portion of this trail in mid-September: Alexandria to Garfield. It's a really nice trail, and we'll probably go back for more. We started at the statue of Big Oley in Alexandria, on the shores of lovely Green Lake. We first went east, but lost the trail at a pretty lakeside picnic spot. So we turned around and rode back the other way. This section of the trail threads its way from one scenic lake to another. The trail is flat and smoothly paved and most of this section is well away from noisy roads. There's not a lot of shade, but some spectacular fall color with all the sumac and wild flowers. Very pretty, easy ride.

Root River State Trail
Ride these trails the easy way

Intrepid bikers can ride from end-point to end-point, but that reportedly involves significant hill work. For an easier trip and the full tourist experience, rent a room in Lanesboro and ride in a different direction each day. The middle parts of the trails around Lanesboro are rolling and pretty, but not terribly challenging. We rode from Lanesboro to Preston and back the first day (21 miles round trip) and the other direction the second day (no particular destination). It's a beautiful trail, paved all the way and mostly in good shape. The trail is quiet, largely shaded and very attractive as it wends its way across scenic bridges and along the river.

Lanesboro is a delightful town that has embraced the tourist trade while still holding on to its own small town identity. You can't throw a stone without hitting a beautiful, historic Bed and Breakfast. The main street is always hopping with restaurants, beer gardens, live music and theater even on a Sunday evening. Preston, by contrast, is pretty dull. There is just one sandwich shop (which wasn't open on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon!). However, there is a biker pit stop at the trail head with parking, rest rooms and snacks for sale.

The main drawback to this trail is its popularity. Try to go on a week day during high season, especially if you hope to get a last-minute reservation in a B&B. The Lanesboro website is highly recommended; best site I've ever seen for locating available lodging.

Old Abe Trail
Okay if you like cornfields

Pretty typical midwestern trail - easy, pleasant enough, but kind of boring in the scenery department. The trail surface is paved, but not well-paved. How do you get a washboard surface on an asphalt trail?? We rode in a light rain, and noted that the drainage wasn't very good either - the water pooled on the trail instead of running off to the sides. The trail is very flat and is probably moderately shady on a sunny day. Bottom line: a pleasant enough ride if you're in the vicinity anyway, but not worth a long drive to get there.

We rode the southern end of the trail, Chippewa Falls to Jim Falls.

Cannon Valley Trail
Easy, attractive and close to the Cities - what's not to like?

This trail is perfect for a relaxing day trip. The trail is gently rolling, with lots of shade and scenic river views, and only a couple of cornfields. There's a very nice pit stop at Welch Depot at the half-way point with water, toilets and a shaded picnic ground. Ride 1/4 mile to the tiny town of Welch for an ice cream cone or even an impulsive tubing trip on the Cannon River. There's a short run available that takes about an hour. Incredibly refreshing on a hot day! Intrepid bikers can ride the trail both ways for a 40-mile ride. Wussy bikers (like me and my husband) can turn around at Welch for a total of 20 miles, or stay in one of the lovely B&Bs at either end for an easy 2-day bike trip.

If you're only biking half the trail, I'd recommend the Cannon Falls end. It's a bit more scenic and it's definitely the shadier end of the trail. Cannon Falls is a little higher than Red Wing, but the difference in elevation isn't very noticeable. On the other hand, Redwing has more choices for food and lodging, so you might prefer to end up there.

Midtown Greenway (MN)
This trail has transformed south Minneapolis

The Greenway is more of a bike freeway than a recreational trail, but what a magnificent bike highway it is! Located in an old railroad trench, the trail lets you zip across the city from border to border without ever having to stop for traffic. The asphalt trail is wide, smooth and well-lit with a separate lane for pedestrian traffic. So far, it has been impeccably maintained and kept very clean. On the western end, the trail connects seamlessly with the Southwest LRT trails that take you through Hopkins and all the way to Lake Minnetonka or the Minnesota River. The eastern end connects to the path bordering the light rail line, which provides an off-road trail all the way to the West Bank and over the freeway into downtown. Or you can continue east to the Mississippi River, which has its own set of trails. Tip: you can ride across the showy but completely unnecessary "flyover" bridge at Hiawatha, but it's actually faster and easier to just cross at the light.

The only downside is the limited access. The portion of the trail that is down in the trench can only be reached via ramps that are located 1/2 mile apart. Some of the access points are tricky to locate and they don't all connect to good bike routes (specifically, the Nicollet ramp, which is best avoided). On the other hand, the trench traverses some sections of town that I would rather not ride through, and I feel much safer down there than on the surface streets. Speaking of safety, this trail is very heavily used, even at night. You're never alone down there, and I've never seen dubious looking characters lurking under the bridges (something I worried about a little bit when the trail first opened). The lights are on all night and there are also emergency phones every half-mile or so.

Best place to stop for lunch: the Midtown Global Market in the old Sears Building.

Best new addition to the trail: Freewheel Bikes has opened a small storefront right on the trail by the Midtown Market that offers a juice bar, public toilets, bike lockers, and even showers! Plus bike paraphernalia, of course.

Gandy Dancer Trail - Southern Section
LaCrosse to Milltown - disappointing

We rode the southern 10 miles or so of this trail in the spring of 2008. Frankly, it was a bit disappointing. The first two miles were a nice asphalt surface, but this whole section is one enormous uphill as it climbs out of the river valley. Scenic, but we're not super hill bikers and found it pretty exhausting. After that, the surface changed to crushed limestone and the trail became pretty much a tour of the local cornfields with a very thin line of small trees along the trail. This part was flat enough, but the trail surface was poor. The downed tree branches and puddles were no doubt due to a recent storm, but the deep tractor ruts had clearly been there for a while.

Other reviews mention the the frequent small towns as a plus, and from what we saw this is the case. We very much enjoyed our beer and burger at the Glass House Bar in Centuria. We're from Minnesota, and appreciate the welcoming and ever-available taverns that you find in small-town Wisconsin! And of course, the two miles of hill was a lot more fun when we were coasting down it on the way back to our car. But overall, this trail is not going to be one of our favorites.

Mesabi Trail
A spectacular trail

My husband and I biked 3 sections of this trail during and just after Labor Day weekend. It's a beautiful trail, wide and smooth and remarkably scenic. Not a lot of facilities at the trail heads, but all the little towns have pit stops of one sort or another. It is noticeably hillier than the other rail trails we've ridden in Minnesota. Bring lots of water and be prepared for some long climbs with occasional steep grades. We found the signage at the trail itself to be very good, although it is still a little confusing trying to find some of the trail heads. Trail usage was surprisingly light considering how beautiful the weather was. Maybe this trail just hasn't been discovered yet.

Virginia -> Mountain Iron (4.5 miles)
We rode this trail segment just before sunset and thoroughly enjoyed it. Getting out of Virginia was a little messy, but after about a mile of crossing and re-crossing the same busy street we found ourselves on a beautiful wooded trail that occasionally opened out to breathtaking fields of wildflowers. Just before you get to Mountain Iron there is a long dip down, then a longer hill up past the Wacootah Ore Pit, which is full of deep blue-green water. Mountain Iron itself is worth a quick tour. It's the site of the first mine on the Mesabi Range, and fiercely proud of the fact. This would be a great ride on a hot day, since the trail has lots of shade. On the other hand, coming into Mountain Iron just at sunset was a beautiful sight, with the sunset glinting off the historic town hall, the town founder, and the little steam shovel in the park.

Chisholm -> Hibbing (10 miles)
If you can only ride one segment of the trail, this is the one to pick, especially if you're interested in the local history and culture. The town of Chisholm is big enough to have a hotel and some places to eat but small enough to be charming. And the Hull Rust Mine at the Hibbing end of the trail is absolutely jaw-dropping. You can skip Iron World, but you don't want to skip the World's Largest Open Pit Iron Mine. The trail in between is scenic, including a perfect photo op of the beautiful gorge between Chisholm and Hibbing. The trail is far enough from the highway to be very quiet, and the ore dumps are overgrown with wild flowers from May through September. There is one big hill; the rest is gently rolling. There is, however, no shade. We rode on a perfect autumn day with temps in the 60's so this wasn't a problem. If you're riding in the summertime, I'd recommend this segment as an early morning or evening ride.

Here's how to find the downtown Chisholm trail head. The main street of Chisholm is called Lake Street, and is easy to find - just keep driving towards the water tower until you come to the street with all the storefronts. Go downhill on Lake Street until you come to the town lake. Right where the Bridge of Flags starts is the trail head kiosk. If you start at this trail head and ride to the Hull-Rust mine the trip is 10 miles each way, not 7. If you're staying at the Chisholm Inn, ride east and north on the frontage road and pick up the trail at the south end of the lake, right where it crosses the busy north-south street.

Chisholm -> Buhl (4-5 miles)
Perfectly nice ride, but not as pleasant as the other two segments we rode. The trail was wide and smooth, but ran close enough to the road so that the traffic noise was noticeable. Several long, steep hills, including one back-breaker close to the Chisholm end. And there's no shade at all. The one redeeming feature of this stretch of trail is the view of Chisholm from the top of the big hill.