Where to Stop While Biking the Mesabi Trail

With 16 taps of house-brewed beer in a renovated movie theater space, Rapids Brewing Co. is a must-visit just over a mile from the western terminus of the Mesabi Trail. While you’re there, be sure to try their best-in-class smash burger. 

Next door is the historic Pokegama Hotel, which is now a private apartment complex but has a flower shop (Shaw Florists) and a bookstore (Wildflower Bookshop) inside. 

Known for its chicken wings and pizza, the Dutch Room & Mad Dog's is a no-frills place that locals and visitors alike describe as having some of the best wings in the region. 

Brewed Awakenings has been a coffee-and-quick-eats stop since the late '90s — well before the coffee industry's third-wave explosion. 

Hotel Rapids is a majestic renovated motel (think: "Schitt’s Creek") with a modern restaurant known for delicious cocktails. 

Just a short ride out of Grand Rapids, the log cabin-like Tim Nelson Memorial Shelter is located between Grand Rapids and Prairie River — a good spot to get out of the rain or have a quick lunch at a picnic table.

Smoke on the Water Co. features wood-fired pizza and burgers, six varieties of signature wine produced in partnership with Everly FarmsNorth Shore Winery, and lovely views of Trout Lake.

Just off Central Avenue in Nashwauk is a quick stop to see a scenic view of the old Hawkins Mine. Stop there for a brief break and consider visiting the nearby Wizard’s Sports Bar & Grill or Mucho Si, a Mexican restaurant. You can also consider a quick dip in the LaRue Mine — one of many former pits that became a beloved lake. 

An Art Deco-style classic that’ll surprise you if you peek inside, Hibbing High School is such a destination that it offers guided tours during the summer. Architectural Digest also named it one of America's most beautiful public high schools.  

Sammy’s Pizza has been a local classic since the 1950s. It's the flagship of a regional chain that now includes locations throughout Duluth, Grand Rapids, Winona and Cloquet. 

Take a trip back in time, by bus, as you bike through Hibbing. The Greyhound Bus Museum is near the trail and offers a compelling history lesson about the company and its origins in Hibbing. 

See amazing views of the giant, active Hull-Rust-Mahoning Open Pit Mine — a short detour on the north side of Hibbing. The Red Ore Gift Shoppe is open 9 to 5 Monday through Saturday at the Hibbing Tourist & Senior Center, and the views overlook a mine with more than 100 years of history.

Valentini’s Supper Club is a historic landmark in Chisholm that’s served delicious homemade Italian food since 1934.

You won’t find it on Google Maps, but the Bridge of Peace is a veteran memorial just off East Lake Street on the east side of Chisholm. On the north side, you’ll see flags from every state in the United States; on the south side, you’ll see flags from around the world.

Kunnari’s Kitchen & Coffeehouse is about a mile from the trail as you pass through Virginia — a must-stop restaurant/bakery serving breakfast and lunch with seasonal produce from its on-site farm. Snacks and sandwiches can also be grabbed from two grocery stores off the trail: Super One Foods and Natural Harvest Food Co-op. 

Just east of the trail on the east side of Virginia is a spot to pull off and look out over the Rouchleau Mine Pit, which is now a lake. Look for an easy-to-miss turnoff as the trail intersects with North 1st Avenue West and 3rd Street North. 

Minnesota’s highest bridge, the 204-foot-tall Thomas Rukavina Memorial Bridge, travels right over the Rouchleau. If you’re traveling from the west and continue eastward, you’ll cross this bridge; if you’re coming from the east, you’ve just crossed it.

The Whistling Bird is a Caribbean restaurant roughly a half mile off the trail in Gilbert. With everything from jerk chicken and pork to a walleye po boy, this restaurant blends island flavors with local fare, making it a must-visit location for years.

Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park has trails and access to beautiful Lake Vermilion, as well as above-ground mine tours and a campground. 

The real draw, however, is a trip underground — 2,341 feet underground, to be exact. The state park offers a tour of the retired mine, which operated nearly half a mile underground from 1882 to 1962. 

Please note: After an extreme weather event in 2024, the DNR temporarily suspended the underground mine tour, so be sure to check its official site before planning a tour. As of late 2025, tours are expected to resume in the spring of 2026. 

The North American Bear Center and International Wolf Center are two separate attractions — one on each side of town — where you can see live animals, educational demos and exhibits. 

Piragis Northwoods Company is a classic, well-known outfitter for people heading into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in a town known as the gateway to the Dark Skies destination. That means you’re a stone’s throw away from many amazing outfitters; this is one worth visiting even if you’re traveling by bike instead of canoe.

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