Minnesota
U.S. Bicycle Route 41
Miles: 315
Signed: No
USBR 41, also known as the North Star Bicycle Route, connects the capital city of St. Paul to Grand Portage State Park at the Canadian border, traveling along the western shores of Lake Superior. The route combines existing roads and mixed-use paths and trails, passes through two national parks – the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and Grand Portage National Monument – and connects to nine state parks as well as the Superior National Forest.
U.S. Bicycle Route 45
Miles: 585
Signed: as the Mississippi River Trail
USBR 45 follows the Mississippi River from the headwaters at Itasca State Park to the Iowa border. It winds through forests and farm fields, passes through the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and the National Park Service’s Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, and through historic river towns. It offers challenging climbs in the limestone bluffs of southeastern Minnesota, rewarded with long scenic views of the river valley. The route is sometimes on two sides of the river (mapped as USBR 45A), offering a linear long distance bikeway along with opportunities for short loop rides if crossing from one side to another.
Detailed route maps and other information are available on the MNDOT website.
U.S. Bicycle Route 45A
Miles: 291
Signed: as the Mississippi River Trail
USBR 45A is an alternate loop off of USBR 45. It takes advantage of the Paul Bunyan Trail, and follows the opposite side of the Mississippi River from USBR 45 through the Twin Cities.
