Winter Fat Biking in Minnesota
Winter Fat Biking in Minnesota
By Brian Fanelli
If you're looking for a fun new way to embrace the Minnesota winter, riding a fat bike will put a smile on your face that's even bigger than your tires.
These days there are a ton of great places to winter fat bike in Minnesota. Whether you're a first time cyclist or an outdoor enthusiast, fat biking is a healthy hobby that anybody can enjoy. Here is a small sample of the great winter fat biking trails you'll find across Minnesota.
Two riders explore Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area / Courtesy of Cuyuna.com
Fat Bike Trails in Northern Minnesota
- Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area in Ironton has 50 miles of groomed fat biking trails.
- Jay Cooke State Park in Carlton has 5.4 miles of groomed fat biking trails.
- Split Rock Lighthouse State Park in Two Harbors has 8.7 miles of groomed trails for fat biking and skate skiing right on the shore of Lake Superior.
- Lake County Demonstration Forest in Two Harbors features 5.3 miles of peaceful, snowy trails near the North Shore.
Winter fat biking on the groomed trails at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis / Waqar Ahmad
Fat Bike Trails in the Twin Cities
- Elm Creek boasts more than 10 miles of winter fat bike trails. Featuring fast, flowing groomed trails, Elm Creek is a must-visit destination.
- Fort Snelling State Park in St. Paul has six miles of groomed trails for fat biking and non-motorized recreation.
- In Minneapolis, winter fat bike enthusiasts flock to the woods of Theodore Wirth Park for seven miles of tightly twisting singletrack and a skyline-view pump track.
Fat biking the Sechler Park River Bottoms Trail in Northfield / Anna Min
Fat Bike Trails in Southern Minnesota
- Douglas State Trail goes from Rochester to Pine Island and has 13 miles of groomed trails for fat biking and other non-motorized recreation.
- The Richard J. Dorer State Forest (Bronk Unit) near Winona offers 7.5 miles of groomed fat biking trails of varying difficulty.
- Sechler Park River Bottoms Trail in Northfield features 3.5 miles of single- and doubletrack trails along the Cannon River.
Brian Fanelli is a Minneapolis-based writer. You can reliably find him browsing the sci-fi shelves in a local bookstore or biking one of Minnesota's spectacular trails.