Hastings 10-Mile Loop

The paved Ten Mile Loop is the highlight of Hastings’ 23-mile trail system where numerous city parks and points of interest invite you to park the bike and explore.

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A woman crosses Hastings' iconic bridge over the Mississippi on a bicycle in the spring

Two people on fat tire biccycles ride along the scenic river dike trail section in Hastings, Mn

The iconic bridge with its terracotta arches spans the Mississippi in Hastings, MN

Three people on bikes ride through a park with flowering trees in the spring

A group of four rides bicycles through a wooded area on a paved trail in the spring

A woman crosses Hastings' river dike trail on a bicycle in the spring

A scenic view of Hastings' Ardent Mill building at Vermillion River Linear Park

A detail view of the iconic Hastings bridge's underside and its supporting arches

A man dressed in bicycle gear reads an interpretive sign on a fishing pier

An aerial view of the Hastings river dike trail and the Mississippi River

A man in bike gear takes a photo of Vermillion Falls in Hastings, MN

A sculpture built from rusty metal trash sits along the Mississippi River in Hastings, MN

A family of four crosses Hastings' river dike trail on bicycles

People on bicycles cross a high bridge over a river gorge

A man and a woman earing bik helmets look into a river valley

Along the Trail

The trail takes you along the Mississippi River, allowing you to practically step out onto the river on an overlook platform and watch the boats and barges go by. Continue along the trail past Lock and Dam #2, over a dike holding back the Mississippi backwaters, and up to a gorgeous river bluff overlook and catch glimpses of Bald Eagles soaring overhead.

Travel along the Mississippi River, but also along the banks of the Vermillion River, using underpasses on County Road 46/47 and Highway 61 to stop for a break at Vermillion Falls Park, where you can take in beautiful, 35-foot Vermillion Falls in a limestone ravine. Another highlight along the route is the new Hastings Riverwalk, which connects two city parks located right on the Mississippi River.

Levee Park is a perfect spot for summer entertainment with an outdoor concert venue that fills up with live music, classes and outdoor movies from May through September. Other must-see stops are the Vermillion Gorge Bridge with its expansive river views and ruins of the old Ramsey Mill.

Connections

On the northwestern edge of the loop near Eagle Bluff Park, connect with the Mississippi River Trail Scenic Bikeway (MRT) and the Mississippi River Greenway (Dakota County Parks) and reach the Fahey Ave trailhead at Spring Lake Park Reserve after another eight miles. A future completion of another 2.8-mile segment will have this route connect into Saint Paul. At Hastings Bridge Plaza, the northeastern edge of the trail, take the paved Point Douglas Regional Trail (also part of the MRT) across the Mississippi River into Prescott, WI.