Minnesota Trails 2022
Minnesota has a wealth of rail-trails that are perfect for the type of riding we like to offer. We will visit the Lake Wobegon Trail, the Heartland State Trail and the Paul Bunyan Trail. Most of these trails are paved, and many of them are wider than average, too. Minnesota’s trail locations are spread out, which makes van transportation a necessity. We’ll see many different types of scenery and landscapes during our time here, ranging from prairie and farmlands, woodlands and forests, hill country, the North Woods, glacial lakes, and riparian/wetland communities alongside rivers and streams. If you love rail-trails, this tour is for you!
Tour Leaders: to be announced
Included
- 6 nights lodging
- 2 dinners, 3 lunches, 6 breakfasts
- sag support
- park passes for the State Parks we enter
- bike trail passes for the trails we ride
Itinerary
-
Day 1
Meet riders in Minneapolis for our introductory meeting and dinner.
-
Day 2
27 miles – We will van to the Lake Wobegon Trail in St. Joseph. On the morning ride you’ll pass the small town of Avon, then we’ll stop to enjoy a picnic lunch at Two Rivers Lake County Park near Albany. After lunch the ride will turn north to finish near Little Falls where we spend the night.
-
Day 3
28 miles – We will drive up to Park Rapids to ride the Heartland State Trail. Lunch is in the small town of Nevis, home to the world’s largest tiger muskie! This trail winds through beautiful forests and passes through a number of small towns along the way. We finish the day’s ride in Walker. We’ll load up the van here and drive up to Bemidji to spend the night.
-
Day 4
37 miles – We’ll start riding the Paul Bunyan Trail directly from our hotel at Lake Bemidji, then ride south all day through the stunning North Woods scenery. The trail passes by many lakes along the way. We provide a picnic lunch about halfway into the ride. Continue through the forest and lake country to the town of Walker, where we will bike to our hotel.
-
Day 5
37 miles – Continue riding the Paul Bunyan Trail directly from our hotel at Walker. We bike south all day with lunch on your own in Backus or Hackensack. The ride ends today in Pequot Lakes, once again riding right to our hotel.
-
Day 6
36 miles – Continue the Paul Bunyan Trail right from our hotel, all the way to its end at Crow Wing State Park. Lunch today is at mile 20 in Brainerd, where we will have a picnic for you at the Northland Arboretum. Continue on to Crow Wing State Park where we will van to St Cloud for our night’s stay. We’ll have a fun dinner out tonight!
-
Day 7
Today we will have a relaxed van trip back to our opening hotel in Minneapolis. We do not have any planned rides. It's been a great tour of Minnesota's Trails!
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
This tour’s trails are all paved, except for part of the Lake Wobegon Trail, which is crushed rock and is quite smooth. The trails are suitable for all bicycles.
Suggested bicycle: Touring bikes, road bikes, hybrids
Suggested tire size for this tour: 28mm – 37mm (or larger)
Pricing
$1860 per person (based on double occupancy)
$450 – Single Supplement (extra price to have your own room)
$120 – Bike Rental (helmet, bike bag and lock included)
Your Travel Plans
For this tour we meet people on Saturday, July 9, 2022 at 5:00 pm at our opening hotel (to be announced).
The trip ends on Friday, July 15. We plan to be back to our opening hotel by Noon. These times can be impacted by traffic issues and so are not guaranteed.
If you are flying, you fly in and out of the Minneapolis International Airport.
If you are driving, you drive to the hotel where you can leave your car. There may be a fee for parking. Please see hotel staff for details.
Your Lodging Plans
Your 6 nights lodging during our tour is included. Your night’s lodging on the day the trip ends (Friday, July 15) is not included. That night is at your expense and reservations for that night are your responsibility.
