Northern Minnesota Trails Bike Tour
Lakes, pine forests and the Paul Bunyan and Heartland trails. Book this tour now!
Route Map
About This Tour
Discover a side of Northern Minnesota unlike anywhere you’ve cycled before. Its northern woods and lake country offer a paradise for family vacationers, adventure seekers, nature lovers, gravel and road cyclists, and anyone drawn to quiet country trails.
In north-central Minnesota, avid gravel and road cyclists can enjoy scenic bike routes, lush state parks, swimming, hiking, canoeing, and fishing on the state’s beautiful trout lakes and rivers. The tour starts in the beautiful lakefront town of Merrifield.
Our routes wind through small towns along the northern reaches of the Mississippi River, including the beautifully paved Paul Bunyan and Heartland trails. Along the way, you’ll find statues and parks celebrating the legendary characters Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.
This tour is perfectly timed for the end of the tourist season, when children from warmer southern regions and big cities are back in school, leaving the lakes, forests, and trails quieter and more open to enjoy.
If you love peaceful roads and trails for cycling, cool lakes for fishing and swimming, delicious baked walleye, and classic childhood storybook characters, this tour is a must.
Orientation: 5:00 PM the evening before we ride, at our starting hotel, followed by a group dinner.
Special Note: We cannot accommodate tricycles or e-bikes over 42 lbs. This is a ride for advanced recreational to advanced cyclists only.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Ride the scenic Paul Bunyan Trail northbound. Lakeside activities available at our resort, Chase on the Lake. 53 miles, 1,227' elevation
Cycle the quiet and beautifully paved Heartland Trail, with a picnic lunch in Park Rapids, and return to Walker. Water activities available at the resort. Group dinner. 67 miles, 2,123' elevation
The Paul Bunyan Trail northbound to Bemidji and the Doubletree Resort on Lake Bemidji. Water activities available at the resort. Group dinner. 32 miles, 783' elevation
Ride the lakeside and country roads beside the Turtle River and the Mississippi River. Beach and lake activities available. Dinner is on your own. 40.7 miles, 1,100' elevation
Cycle quiet country and county roads through northern pine forests, by Lake Itasca and along parts of the Paul Bunyan Trail, back to Chase on the Lake Resort. 69.4 miles, 2,367' elevation
Ride the scenic Paul Bunyan Trail southbound, then quiet residential and country roads in the lakes region. Dinner is on your own. End of trip. Guests who came by air need an extra night for the next morning's shuttle to Minneapolis. 67.7 miles, 1,596' elevation
The shuttle leaves for MSP at 8 AM, arriving by 11 AM.
What's Included
Included
- 2 Guides
- Van Support (snacks and beverages)
- Maps
- All lodging
- Luggage transfers
- Transfers to and from the airport
- All breakfasts and picnic lunches on riding days, dinners on all evenings except one
- Cocktail social hours on the 1st evening of each tour
- Electronic Mapping
- Mechanic
- Six nights' lodging
Not Included
- Airfare.
- Souvenirs.
- 12% gratuity for guides, mechanics, volunteers and tour staff is not included, but greatly appreciated.
Available Departures
Ready to ride Northern Minnesota Trails Bike Tour?
Questions about this tour? Our team is happy to help you plan the perfect trip.