Find the top rated bike trails in Austin, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Offering a pleasant path along the southern side of Cascade Lake, the Cascade Lake Trail allows cyclists and pedestrians to explore the grounds around the lakeshore and Cascade Lake Park, home to a...
Spanning over three miles along the side of Highway 52 as it runs through Rochester, the North Frontage Trail provides a space for cyclists and pedestrians alongside all the nearby automotive traffic....
The Northern Link Trail provides a pleasant walking and biking experience in Faribault County. The hard surface trail forms a V-shape, starting at the Two Rivers Park parking area in the east and...
A suburban sidepath trail that runs along the western edge of Rochester, Minnesota, the West Circle Drive Bike Path provides an important link in the city's expanding trail network. The path runs...
Largely constructed on a former rail corridor running north/south out of the city of Waseca, the Loon Lake Trail is a short but sweet trail that provides residents with off-road access to important...
One of Rochester's many suburban sidepath trails, the Overland Drive Trail runs along a roadside near the northern limits of the city. Passing over rolling hills and through the edges of residential...
The Ridge View Manor Trail is a short trail that branches off from the Douglas State Trail, connecting the popular recreation pathway with growing suburban developments in northwestern Rochester. The...
This multiuse trail is named in honor of a man who worked to make sure Rochester residents had safe places to walk and cycle. John Wellner was the city's infrastructure manager for 18 years, during...
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The great thing about Rochester's extensive trail system is that it gives you the best of both words: not only are the trails great for recreation out in nature, they are also convenient for commuters...
Forming a circuit around a suburban development in southern Rochester, The Gardens Trail offers a dose of natural beauty and recreation just off of the busy nearby highway. The trail branches off from...
The Douglas-Cascade Trail extends 2 miles southeast towards downtown Rochester from the southern terminus of the Douglas State Trail. The paved trail, a portion of which follows the former Chicago...
The Charley Western Recreational Trailway provides a useful off-road route around the outer limits of Charles City. Built on the site of the former Charles City Western Railway, the trail runs along...
The Bandel Road Path is an asphalt sidepath that runs primarily in a utility corridor along the side of Bandel Road in northern Rochester. The pathway provides an alternative option for cyclists to...
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The best place to begin the Trolley Trail is in Mason City in Ray Rorick Skate Park, located adjacent to the 81-acre Lester Milligan Park, which has two fishing and swimming ponds, hiking and biking...
The Bear Creek Cutoff Trail serves as a short connector trail, allowing cyclists and pedestrians access to and from the southern end of the Bear Creek Trail. The asphalt pathway spans from 11th Avenue...
The Hanson Trail is a paved, off-road alternative to State Route 9 in Forest City, Iowa. The trail parallels the road for its entire length through fertile farmland. Forest City and the Winnebago...
On the northwestern edge of Rochester, the 50th Avenue Bike Path runs across over two miles of rolling hills, an asphalt sidepath trail that follows the west side of the road as it passes through open...
The Wapsi–Great Western Line Trail is a 27-mile pathway on the former Chicago Great Western Railroad. The trail passes through a plethora of backdrops, including wide, rolling landscapes, Iowa...
The Cedar River Greenbelt Trail snakes along the west side of the river between Osage and Mitchell. The limestone trail is suitable for walking, jogging, biking and horseback riding. The trail is open...
A short sidepath trail that runs through a neighborhood in the southern reaches of Rochester, the Hart Farms Trail offers a pleasant asphalt path for local residents. Sharing the roadside with a row...
A short neighborhood trail that runs through Summit Pointe Park in northwest Rochester, the Summit Pointe Trail provides a great outlet for cyclists and pedestrians to get some exercise and outdoor...
Located within the wooded acres of Quarry Hill Park, a popular recreation destination in Rochester, the Quarry Hill Family Trail is a flat, paved multi-use trail that serves as a connection in the...
The Harry Cook Nature Trail runs for 2 miles from the edge of the small city of Osage, Iowa to the city's public Spring Park. The trail, which opened in the early 1990s, occupies the bed of an...
Paralleling South Broadway and 16th Street in the heart of Rochester, the Graham Park Trail provides a nice alternative to the busy roadways for cyclists and pedestrians, leading trail users along a...
The Lincolnshire Trail is an asphalt pathway that shoots off from the longer Douglas State Trail, providing a short spur that gives cyclists and pedestrians access to the Lincolnshire-Arbor Glen...
Closure notice: Beginning Tuesday, May 26, a 6 mile portion of the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail will be closed for reconstruction. The portion of trail affected by this closure is from 5th St. NW...
Stretching for over five miles along the south fork of the Zumbro River, the Zumbro North Trail acts as part of the backbone of the city of Rochester's fantastic network of trails and bike paths,...
The Wapsi–Great Western Line Trail is a 27-mile pathway on the former Chicago Great Western Railroad. The trail passes through a plethora of backdrops, including wide, rolling landscapes, Iowa...
The NIACC Trail in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, connects the campus of North Iowa Area Community College with the edge of downtown Mason City. The trail provides a convenient and safe alternative to...
The East 55th Street Path is an asphalt sidepath that runs along the side of 55th Street through a suburban stretch of northern Rochester, providing a key connection in the area's bike and pedestrian...
Faribault is a city about half an hour south of Minneapolis-St. Paul, and the eastern endpoint of one of Minnesota's 40-mile Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail. In addition to the regional trails, the...
A short offshoot of the longer Zumbro North Trail, the Elton Hills Run Trail provides a quick and convenient connection to the neighborhoods to the west of the river, as well as the small local park...
The great thing about Rochester's extensive trail system is that it gives you the best of both words: not only are the trails great for recreation out in nature, they are also convenient for commuters...
Linking some of Rochester's most popular parks and recreation sites, the Cascade Creek Trail follows its namesake creek for over three miles, from Manorwoods Lake and Cascade Lake in the west, to the...
The Straight River Trail forms a backwards L as it runs north-south through Faribault and then curves west. The paved trail begins at the Cannon River Reservoir, then travels through woodlands in Two...
Largely constructed on a former rail corridor running north/south out of the city of Waseca, the Loon Lake Trail is a short but sweet trail that provides residents with off-road access to important...
The Todd Park Bike Trail makes use of an old railroad grade to connect recreational destinations in Austin. The paved trail links Todd Park to Mill Pond on the Cedar River. The trail traverses Todd...
The Winnebago Trail provides the residents of Mason City with a safe, off-road link to nature, winding 3.7 miles from East Park and through residential areas to the Lime Creek Nature Center as it...
The Goodhue Pioneer State Trail is a work in progress as part of a planned 47-mile trail linking the cities of Red Wing, Goodhue, Zumbrota, Mazeppa, Bellechester, and Pine Island along an inactive...
Running through the Meadow Park neighborhood in southern Rochester, the Meadow Park Bike Path provides a convenient connection for residents of the nearby neighborhoods to reach popular local parks...
Covering a residential section of northwestern Rochester, the West 55th Street Path helps connect neighborhood residents with the rest of Rochester's expansive trail network, including the lovely and...
The 40th Street Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that follows its namesake roadway through a lightly developed stretch of southern Rochester, coasting over rolling hills and the edge of woods to...
Forming a circuit around a suburban development in southern Rochester, The Gardens Trail offers a dose of natural beauty and recreation just off of the busy nearby highway. The trail branches off from...
The great thing about Rochester's extensive trail system is that it gives you the best of both words: not only are the trails great for recreation out in nature, they are also convenient for commuters...
Named in the memory of Arianna Celeste Macnamara, a 7-year old girl who was tragically killed when she was struck by a car while crossing a nearby intersection, the Arianna Celeste Macnamara Memorial...
The Bandel Road Path is an asphalt sidepath that runs primarily in a utility corridor along the side of Bandel Road in northern Rochester. The pathway provides an alternative option for cyclists to...
The Blazing Star State Trail is located in Albert Lea, near Minnesota’s southern border. The town is known as “The Land Between the Lakes,” and the trail begins on the northern shore of one of the...
At one time, flour and grist mills dotted the Cannon River Valley. These mills formed the backbone industry for a number of towns. The Mill Towns State Trail seeks to honor this legacy with a planned...
This multiuse trail is named in honor of a man who worked to make sure Rochester residents had safe places to walk and cycle. John Wellner was the city's infrastructure manager for 18 years, during...
The Essex Park Trail is a short, paved trail that connects neighborhoods in northern Rochester with the verdant grounds of Essex Park, home to playgrounds and plenty of open recreation space. The...
The Prairie Farmer Recreational Trail follows part of the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad corridor, which traces its origins as far back as 1866. Its history lives on in...
The Todd Park Bike Trail makes use of an old railroad grade to connect recreational destinations in Austin. The paved trail links Todd Park to Mill Pond on the Cedar River. The trail traverses Todd...
The Northern Link Trail provides a pleasant walking and biking experience in Faribault County. The hard surface trail forms a V-shape, starting at the Two Rivers Park parking area in the east and...
A short neighborhood trail that runs through Summit Pointe Park in northwest Rochester, the Summit Pointe Trail provides a great outlet for cyclists and pedestrians to get some exercise and outdoor...
Offering a pleasant path along the southern side of Cascade Lake, the Cascade Lake Trail allows cyclists and pedestrians to explore the grounds around the lakeshore and Cascade Lake Park, home to a...
Spanning over three miles along the side of Highway 52 as it runs through Rochester, the North Frontage Trail provides a space for cyclists and pedestrians alongside all the nearby automotive traffic....
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Charles City's Riverside Trail runs for a little over a mile along the banks of the Cedar River, providing gorgeous views and recreational opportunities, as well as access to several city...
Although short, the River Bend Trail provides access to a recreational gem, the River Bend Nature Center, a 750-acre park with woodlands, prairie, rivers, and ponds. Along the way, the paved trail...
The Harry Cook Nature Trail runs for 2 miles from the edge of the small city of Osage, Iowa to the city's public Spring Park. The trail, which opened in the early 1990s, occupies the bed of an...
Running alongside Marion Road in southern Rochester, the Marion Road Bike Path provides an asphalt sidepath trail for cyclists and pedestrians to use - together with the Bear Creek Trail and the...
Grade the trail! This review serves as a guide so that you know what condition the trail is in before you go. Here is the code:
A – Excellent condition, new or like-new.
B – Very good condition, not new, but still a great trail.
C – Fair condition, starting to see a fair amount of ruts, bumps or heaves.
D – Poor condition, lots of ruts, bumps or heaves.
F – Very poor condition, would not recommend riding this trail at all.
From Leroy to Taopi = D/F – in need of lots of repairs. From Taopi to Rose Creek = B. I have not ridden the section from Rose Creek to Nicolville, but would assume it is fairly new like the section from Taopi to Rose Creek.
Overall rating of 3 stars because of the bad section.
This is a fun trail to ride but is in serious need for some maintenance. It had been several years since we had done this ride and I was surprised at how much it had deteriorated. The restaurants in Harmony were non-existent but we found a Kwik Trip which served some food to go.
This is the best trail in the Rochester area- only occasionally have to cross a lightly used road. Great natural surroundings with no close parallel highway. Path is pretty straight and level, and at 12 miles in length it’s the longest in the area. I Highly recommend it
Spent the day riding this trail. Really enjoyed myself. Will make it back in early fall to see the color change.
Great evening ride after 7 hours in the car. Riding a Trek Domane w/ 33x700 tires, Susan riding Trek Checkpoint. Yes the trail could use a little work, especially the bridge approaches. Still felt smoother than portions of I-90. The curves and short hills were a delight. We ride in the mountains of eastern Washington where our typical ride involves 2500-3000 vertical feet of climbing, so not really hills.
This trail wonders through tree tunnels, bridges over train tracks, grassy fields full of wildflowers and spotted several groups of deer. Many places along the route however have bad cracks and yes I worried about my spokes as did the 2014 reviewer. Was surprised to see the 2017 review said it was newly paved. Beautiful ride just watch the road.
I rode from Pine Island to a park in northern Rochester and back, total of 22 miles R/T. 95% of the ride was under tree canopy, so perfect trail for you "shade worshippers" like me (having recently been diagnosed with skin cancer). Condition of trail is not perfect (which trails are?), but certainly very good. A few spots are rough and in need of some maintenance. Very flat and comfortable ride. Weren't a lot of "creatures" along the way, but did see squirrels, gophers, Baltimore Oriole and a lone deer.
Only negative comment I have is that there were several road crossings that slowed me down, but they were gravel roads with minimal vehicle traffic.
Definitely near the top of my "best" list.
My 14 year old daughter and I rode this trail from Mankato to Elysian and back. There are a few places where the trail was out in the open sun, but it was mostly shaded and in good shape. There were a few short patches close to Mankato where they appear to be resurfacing. It would be dirt or rock for about 20 feet or so. No big deal as the rest of the trail was in great shape. There are not a lot of services on this segment of the trail. A port-a-potty in Madison lake. No water until Elysian. It seems the trail was slightly uphill heading east. My daughter struggled a bit on the way to Elysian -- there was also a slight headwind. But the return trip was smooth sailing.
In Elysian there was a wonderful ice cream shop called Scoops right off of the trail. They had plenty of tables outside in the shade, good ice cream and there were other riders there to chat with. Highly recommend this stop!
One thing to note: the trail endpoint in Mankato doesn't have parking and we couldn't find the trail. Instead go to the first parking marker on the Mankato end which is about .5 miles from the actual endpoint.
I went from Fountain to Houston on Monday. Left my car in the lot and pedaled to Houston. Wow, what a beautiful trail! Having been on many trails I rate this in the top for sure! Heading east from Fountain is a breeze as it is almost 9 miles of downhill. More challenging at the end of 42 miles heading east on the return. The hills west of Houston are fun too.
I stayed at the Sawmill Inn in Houston (super comfy!!!!) and return biked Tues am.
Highly recommend this trail!
We parked at the trailhead parking lot on Lime Valley Road in Mankato. If you use the address 193 Lime Valley Road you’ll find the trailhead. We cycled to Madison Lake before turning around. We have hybrid bicycles. Total round trip about 19 miles.
The trail is under a canopy of trees for the most part with the first two miles or so being heavily shaded. This is quite a change for us who spend most of our time in the desert southwest! There has been recent trail work in the first mile. Two or three very, very small sections of the trail were being repaired and waiting to be repaved. We’re talking maybe a couple of 50’ sections now on dirt but very passable. There was one road crossing where the actual road (not the trail) was being resurfaced so you had to walk your bike across the street. Overall, the surface of the trail was pretty good. There were a couple of spots where there were cracks across the entire trail but was manageable. As a previous reviewer mentioned, there are no trail markers on this trail so the bike odometer comes in handy. No amenities on the trail. There were a couple of new housing developments springing up alongside the trail so you find locals walking or jogging in those areas. I would recommend this segment of the trail.
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