Mountain Biking in the Twin Cities

[Bruzer]

There are a number of mountain bike trails in the Twin Cities relatively close together. I was thinking about riding a few trails on Sunday, unless it is raining or the trails are too wet from previous rain.

Specifically I was thinking about riding the following trails:

Salem Hills (Harmon Park), Inver Grove Heights (Easiest, but my favorite)
Terrace Oaks, Burnsville (Moderate)
Lebanon Hills Regional Park, Eagan (Advanced through easy)
Murphy Hanrehan Park Reserve, Savage (Advanced through moderate)

I want to keep the ride at a casual pace so everyone feels comfortable. If you are looking for a hard core training ride, this is not it. Just some old fashioned riding in the woods.

This would be an opportunity for anyone who wants to ride some off road trails in the Twin Cities and might not know where they are. Even if you know where they are it might be fun to take a road trip with other bikers.

I am looking to leave around 10 am, but can flexible if it helps your decision. It is about an hour drive to the closest trail. Therefore it will take at least 2 hours of your Sunday and probably much more (so plan accordingly). I can take up to 3 people with me in my truck after that we will need another vehicle to follow or meet us.

Email me [removed] if you are interested. So I can send further details.

Matt

[Ben]

Feel free to call me a hater, but La Crosse, Winona, Red Wing and Decorah are all as close as the cities and all have better riding, it boggles me that people from Roch drive to leb when it's the same distance to HPT in La Crosse. Just my two cents IMO head east not north.

[Charly Tri]

Ben the Hater,

You bring up a good point, they are all great trails, but all different. I have a lot of fun riding at all of them, but the wife has a lot more fun at Lebanon Hills. Different strokes.

Oh, and what I can't understand is why anyone would go outside of Rochester when we hold the the best trails system this side of the Mississippi at Eastwood.

[Bruzer]

No offense to "Ben the hater" and Charly Tri but they just did not get the intent of the ride. I was trying to advertise a mountain bike event (opposed to the popular rode bike events) where beginner or intermediate riders could experience a variety of trails in one day. We rode 3 very different trails Sunday because they were located so close together. I was not trying to pick the best trails near Rochester, just a few that I happen to know very well. I have ridden Eastwood, Decorah and Redwing which are great trails, I am sure the others are nice too. Feel free to organize your own events to those trails instead of arm chair quarterbacking my choice of trails.

Thanks!

[ben the hater]

I really didn't mean to rile you, I just hear most riders from roch talking about hitting up leb, and haven't even heard of the trails in Lacrosse, I'm just trying to spread the gospel. I've seen you on morc and know you're a good guy, I will play to drag your ass to lacrosse someday, as soon as my wife gives me permission. please excuse my enflamitory nature.

[pcgopher]

very enlightening fellas, i like it. actually, i had no idea'r decorah would claim host to a descent, or excellent according to you's, trail system. would like to try it this year for sure. ditto on lacrosse, had no idea'r. i take it LaC is bluff riding like winona? is lacrosse at mt lacrosse or whatever that ski area is, another joint i haven't been to but should have by now? anyways, my takes: Winona - that holzinger lodge trail is killer - killer and actually technical ride to the top and once you're there (top) loop around and have some fun w/ it. Red Wing - that memorial park trail system is likewise killer awesome with some great views. better yet is the VIP parking spot that's available if i'm not there. The Cities - Leb is one of the best of the midwest, no doubt in my mind, and i've been around. oh yea, maybe i haven't been around as much as i thought ... (see lacrosse and decorah inexperience...) just some more from the peanut gallery for some interetsed mtn bikers out there in the area. Charley, gotta love your homer take with tongue in cheek

[ben the hater]

To say that la crosse is like winona is true in that they both have ample elevation to work with, but the character of the trails is basically polar opposites. Winona is rugged and "untamed" while lacrosse is well groomed.

humanpoweredtrails.com/ is the link for info on the trails, they generally have pretty regular events with guided trail rides. I am hoping to ride on may 1st so anyone who wants to join me is welcome to I will know closer to the date my timeline for the day.

Decorah is somewhere in between Winona and lacrosse, it has better maintained trails than winona, but has the rugged rocky technical trails like winona. milage I think is slightly more than either win or lax but doesn't have quite the elevation, but you will still get enough climbing. Their Time Trial MTB race I believe is this weekend, www.bikedecorah.com has most of the info on all things bike related.