Cycling in Minneapolis, MN

Encircling the entire city of Minneapolis, this 55-mile urban loop, composed of 7 interconnected sections, takes you through some of Minneapolis’ most vibrant neighborhoods.

The Gateway State Trail is an 18-mile rails-to-trails conversion route that takes you from north St. Paul to Pine Point Regional Park.

Linking the western suburbs of Minneapolis with the rural communities in Carver and McLeod Counties, Dakota Rail Regional Trail features 44-miles of paved, relatively flat trails for long-distance walkers, runners, in-line skaters, and bicyclists.

Offering an awesome 42-mile route, The Root River Trail takes cyclists and runners alongside the riverbank, beside 300-foot limestone bluffs, hardwood forest, and flower meadows.

After a 12-mile ride around the Chain of Lakes, there is nothing better than cooling off at Cedar Lake’s Hidden Beach.

One hour south of the Twin Cities is a paved 20-mile rails-to-trails conversion that offers cyclists an opportunity to crank up their gears and work on their cadence.

The largest of Three River’s park district, Elm Creek Park Reserve has 4,900 acres of lake views, hardwood forest, and rolling prairie. Featuring 20 miles of paved road-biking trails and 13 miles of mountain biking trails, this park is great for the thrill seeking cyclist.

Only an hour north of Minneapolis, near Taylor’s Falls, there is a 98-mile recreational trail that passes through several quaint small towns and offers scenic views of the St. Croix River Valley.

Once an old railroad corridor, the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail is now a 39-mile paved trail connecting Mankato to Faribault. Cutting across Minnesota’s picturesque farmland and dense hardwood forest, this trail is perfect for a weekend getaway from the bustling Twin Cities.

Named “the best urban bike trail in the USA,” by USA Today, the 5.5 mile-long Midtown Greenway gives runners and cyclists a great, convenient option for a run or ride within the downtown city limits.

With its 16-mile paved trail leading to some of the Twin Cities’ best biking trails in Elm Creek Park Reserve, Medicine Lake Regional Trail is just another reason why Minneapolis is one of America’s top bicycling cities.