We have had a beautiful spring, inviting people young and old to get outside!

I, of course, had to get my bike out early and have already taken in some gorgeous days biking. After my #BikeMN52 goal last year, biking 52 different rides in MN, several people have asked for tips on finding places to bike. So today I’m sharing my top resources for finding bike routes…and a little commentary to go with each.

#1 – Traillink is a great resource to check out. You can search around the country, state, city, or by trail name. This site is helpful describing the details of the path (like where it starts and ends, the length, and the trail surface). Here is a link to the Metro area. It is run by a non-profit and the site has more than 300,000 miles of trails. (That’s enough to keep you busy all summer!) Some of my favorites are: Brown’s Creek Trail near Stillwater (it is attached to the Gateway Trail which is also awesome), The Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove, Cedar Lake Trail (with its beautiful view of Minneapolis and lush green space), Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail (starting in Hopkins and heading out toward Excelsior), the Samuel Morgan Trail along the St. Paul side of the Mississippi, and of course the Midway Greenway (and the Minneapolis Lakes). (I placed this app on my phone!)

#2 – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also has a good list, and they note what types of recreation is available at each park. Trail length ranges from 4 miles (Goodhue Pioneer Trail in Zumbrota) to 100 (Paul Bunyan Trail between Brainerd area and Bemidji). If you want to make your ride more than an afternoon outing they have great ideas for adventures.

#3 – Bikeverywhere has a great physical map that I used, but they also have resources online. (For example, if you are interested in doing a century ride – 100 miles – there is route around Forest Lake.)

#4 – Know the trail you want? You can also check if they have their own site. Like the Cannon Valley Trail, the Mesabi Trail, Root River Trail, and Central Lakes Trail. Often these sites have more detail, for example if you are looking for housing nearby or places to stop for lunch.

#5 – The StarTribune ran an article last summer and has a nice map for metro AND state trails.

And “just in case” I always used my Google maps app on my phone. Just turn on the biking option and it will highlight bike routes and paths. This app helped me do get lost many times!

Also – one more resource – I highlighted some of my favorite rides at the end of the summer in this blog. Check it out. 

If you are interested in following my rides, I’m posting again under #BikeMn53 on FaceBook and Instagram.

So, here’s to biking another season!