Minnesota Trails

Mississippi River Trail: A True Biking Adventure

By Dave Simpkins

Editor/Publisher

Disney tours define a true adventure as traveling beyond the ordinary, being immersed in your destination’s way of life and sharing the wonders.

This is a philosophy Liz Walton and Dan Collins of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, MnDOT, are following in their planning of the state’s 800-mile portion of the Mississippi River Trail from Itasca State Park to the Iowa Border.

The Cuyuna Range business community felt the addition of a 25-mile mountain bike system to the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area would only attract 30-year-old adrenalin junkies that would only benefit the hospitals and bars.

The Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge has many secrets hidden within its 42,700 acres, the first of which it isn’t a designated state forest, but a refuge. And taking advantage of that refuge are two packs of timber wolves of about 10 to 12 animals each. The wolves have been seen by hunters and hikers and can be heard on winter nights in the refuge.