Okay guys, looking for advice, insight, experience. Our annual group has logged well over 11,000 miles in the U.P. and Canada in the last 19 years. This year we're thinking about riding in Minnesota - for the first time. So, to those of you from there, is it worth doing a packing trip there? The U.P and Ontario are well known as one of the best places in the country to ride, and being accustomed to experiencing that, we're worried about being somewhat disappointed. You never really hear much about MN riding. Is there a good reason for that? Too boring? Input about your experience, places to go, etc. is appreciated. We would be trailering from S.E. WI, so the western part of MN is out of the question, because of travel time limitations. Thanks! -Eric
Need Advice for MN Riding Experiences
- Thread starter ericb
- Start date
for strictly trail riding I for 1 would rather ride cass county and north in MN than MI any day.
for a combo of trail and light boondocking the north shore is very nice deff not as many boondocking opportunity's as the UP but deff less people.
I have done my fair share of backpacking in N MN yrs ago deff worth a shot.
A good starting point is Longville U are past the traffic of the Brainerd zoo head north in to the Chippewa nat forest if u want to explore jut make the casino in walker if u want to make tracks u can make lower red lake then on to int falls then virgina or Hibbing back to Longville or shorten as needed .lots of tight twisty or super highway rail grade if u need to make tracks.I avoid old rail bed at all cost can only take it so long but to each his own.
for a combo of trail and light boondocking the north shore is very nice deff not as many boondocking opportunity's as the UP but deff less people.
I have done my fair share of backpacking in N MN yrs ago deff worth a shot.
A good starting point is Longville U are past the traffic of the Brainerd zoo head north in to the Chippewa nat forest if u want to explore jut make the casino in walker if u want to make tracks u can make lower red lake then on to int falls then virgina or Hibbing back to Longville or shorten as needed .lots of tight twisty or super highway rail grade if u need to make tracks.I avoid old rail bed at all cost can only take it so long but to each his own.
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skiroule
Well-known member
Some of us Minnesotans are kind of boring but I wouldn't say the trails are boring. With 22,000 miles of trails there has to be something for almost everyone.
Read the "Saddlebagging Minnesota?" thread. There are some very good suggestions regarding routes. If I were making MN a one-time shot, I probably go with the North Shore, Arrowhead, Iron Range, and up towards Rainy Lake. As Ezra mentioned, the trails further west and north are as good as any you'll find, if you don't mind adding some mileage to your trip.
Read the "Saddlebagging Minnesota?" thread. There are some very good suggestions regarding routes. If I were making MN a one-time shot, I probably go with the North Shore, Arrowhead, Iron Range, and up towards Rainy Lake. As Ezra mentioned, the trails further west and north are as good as any you'll find, if you don't mind adding some mileage to your trip.
I would head to Voyageur country. There is a great mix of land and lake trails. The lake trails are staked and groomed. (just stay on the stakes at night as terrain is rocky) Ash Trail Lodge is a JD site sponsor and a great place to start and end the day.
The scenery on the north shore trail is amazing the gunflint trail and blueberry rd or whatever the trail is over to grand portage along the pigeon river is someof the coolest scenery I have seen. The Voyaguer park and sourounding area including lake vermillion and over north of ely on them lakes is by far my favorite place to ride You can go for endless miles running lakes and rivers in some of the wildest country out there plus very good trail systems