Where to Stop While Biking the Mississippi River Trail
Passing through 10 states and stretching 3,000 miles, the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) follows North America’s second-longest river from its headwaters at Lake Itasca down to the Gulf of Mexico in New Orleans.
Minnesota’s segment of the trail is a relatively flat 600 miles, largely on low-traffic, paved roads with long segments of scenic state and regional trails right up to the Iowa border. With 200 miles of alternative routes, including the Apple Blossom Drive Scenic Byway in Southern Minnesota, the total trail length is closer to 800 miles.
From hardwood forests to river bluffs, encapsulating several state parks, and weaving between quaint river towns and busy urban areas, the MRT offers bicyclists an embarrassment of riches when it comes to pit stops, historic attractions and overlooks.
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox
Bemidji
Standing 18 feet tall along the shore of Lake Bemidji, Paul Bunyan — accompanied by his 10-foot-tall sidekick Babe the Blue Ox — was erected to promote tourism during the city’s 1937 Winter Carnival. The legendary duo quickly gained national attention and became the second most photographed sculptures in the country (after Mount Rushmore), inspiring other cities to build similar attractions. The statues were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, and the larger-than-life pair continues to attract tourists today.
While initially built as a roadside attraction for passing cars, cyclists riding the MRT through Bemidji would be remiss to pass these two by without snapping a photo. The nearby Visit Bemidji building houses some of Paul Bunyan’s effects, including an oversized flannel shirt and toothbrush, and offers visitors restrooms, maps and information.
Find more Paul Bunyan statues in Minnesota.
Judy Garland Museum
Grand Rapids
“Everything I can remember about Grand Rapids has charm and gaiety,” said Judy Garland of her birthplace, where she spent the first four years of her life. Situated in the 1920s restored home of the famous actress who brought to life Dorothy Gale, the Judy Garland Museum was founded in 1975 to pay homage to the movie star’s legacy and her humble roots in Northern Minnesota.
The museum’s gallery showcases a tightly curated collection of relics from Garland’s musical and theatrical career, including the carriage from “The Wizard of Oz” and (until they were stolen in 2005) an original pair of her infamous ruby red slippers. Recovered in a sting operation led by the Grand Rapids Police Department with the FBI in 2018, the slippers were auctioned off to a private buyer for $32.5 million in 2024. The drama of the heist lives on with the museum’s Ruby Slipper Theft Guided Tour.
Red Raven Bike Cafe
Crosby
Once a hub for iron ore mining, Cuyuna now hosts miles of mountain biking trails on 600 acres of reforested mine lakes and land that attract bikers from across the Midwest. Just south along the MRT in the town of Crosby, the Red Raven Bike Cafe welcomes bikers in to refuel with hearty sandwiches, in-house roasted coffee, and draft beer. Perhaps most importantly, the adjoining bike shop has mechanics on hand for any unplanned repairs.
Blanchard Dam
Royalton
One of the tallest dams on the Mississippi River, the 47-foot Blanchard Dam is a hydroelectric station for Minnesota Power that produces 18 megawatts of electricity. The best view of it can be seen downstream on the Soo Line Trail bridge, and the water action is most impressive when water levels are high.
Be on the lookout for cross rocks (also known as fairy stones), a rare formation made of a mineral compound called staurolite. These natural wonders can only be found in a few areas of the world and are much sought after as good luck charms.
Nelson Bros. Restaurant & Bakery
Clearwater
Nelson Bros. offers generous portions of fresh-baked pastries behind glass cases, catering to weary travelers looking for a break along I-94. More than just a place to order a hearty meal and sweet treat (most notably their Fritter Bread that comes in six flavors), the restaurant is one component of the larger Clearwater Travel Plaza compound, which includes a pub, gourmet grab-and-go deli, souvenir shop, and general store.
Sea Salt Eatery
Minneapolis
From April to October, Sea Salt Eatery sees a nonstop flow of people looking to get their hands on the restaurant’s beloved seafood. Po’ boys, fish tacos and oysters are staples of the menu, and visitors can expect a wait at just about any time of the day.
A separate beer line helps make the wait feel more like a casual hangout with like-minded friends, and the nearby Minnehaha Falls offer one of the more unique outdoor dining experiences in the Twin Cities.
Minnehaha Regional Park is one of Minneapolis’ oldest and most popular parks, attracting more than 850,000 visitors annually. The 193-acre park features a 53-foot waterfall, limestone bluffs, and river overlooks. The park and falls are located in traditional, ancestral and contemporary Dakota homelands and feature a life-sized bronze statue of Hiawatha and Minnehaha, and a bronze and copper sculpture of Chief Little Crow Mask.
Spiral Brewery
Hastings
Named after Hastings’ original bridge over the Mississippi River, Spiral Brewery opened in 2017 and touts itself as the town’s first brewery since Prohibition, when the town was home to four local breweries. The taproom is a family-friendly space and community-centric watering hole, featuring long beer tables meant for bringing neighbors together. Mississippi Fog (hazy IPA), Sour Missi (fruited sour ale) and Rivertown Haze (hazy IPA) are a handful of the taproom’s sudsy offerings that nod to the river the brewery is near.
Red Wing Arts at the Depot
Red Wing
Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, the historic Red Wing Depot sees daily trips of Amtrak’s two passenger trains, the Borealis and Empire Builder. Red Wing Arts is inside the brown brick building with a steep gabled roof. Since 1952, the arts gallery has featured local, regional and nationally acclaimed artists; its shop contains a curated selection of artwork and artisan items for sale.
Beyond the gallery inside the depot, Red Wing Arts contributes to the town’s public art scene. The Red Wing Art Walk has more than 30 pieces of art on display throughout the historic downtown.
Minnesota Marine Art Museum
Winona
Housing six galleries on a 7-acre riverside campus, the Minnesota Marine Art Museum’s mission is to create meaningful art experiences that explore the ongoing human relationship with water. Since the museum’s founding in 2006, the nonprofit has gained a reputation for having one of the most diverse art collections in the Midwest, often placing a wide range of contemporary works in the same halls as historic pieces from the likes of Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and Georgia O’Keefe.
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