Editor’s note: A version of this article appeared in Minnesota Trails Magazine, the publication of the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota, and is reprinted with permission.
Road, trail, gravel — you name it. Mark your calendars for our chronological list of more than two dozen must-do bike rides in 2025, from spring into fall, throughout Minnesota. A list of cool rides in surrounding states — Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin — is included at the end of the article. Let’s go!
Bike MS: Twin Cities Ride
St. Paul on Saturday, May 10, 2025: A benefit for the National MS Society, Bike MS: Twin Cities Ride is a one-day event that brings together cyclists, volunteers and the general public all in an effort to have fun and raise funds toward a mission of a world free of multiple sclerosis. Click here to register.
Lake Alice 100
Fergus Falls on Saturday, May 10, 2025: No, you don’t have to ride 100 miles, but 87 laps around the lake will get you there. The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota (BikeMN) sponsors this ride every year the Saturday before Mother’s Day, and it’s always free. Click here to learn more; no pre-registration required.
Med City Meander
Rochester on Saturday, May 24, 2025: Join the team behind BikeMN chapter We Bike Rochester to celebrate the great trail network that meanders around Minnesota’s third largest city on this community ride. A “new annual tradition,” the Med City Meander is celebrating its second year. Live music, an after-ride event and an appreciation for all types of bikes, and bikers, are at the heart of this family-friendly event. Learn more and register here.
Luverne Loop Tour
Luverne on Thursday, June 5, 2025 (and weeklong long): Enjoy a leisurely, 7.4-mile loop around Luverne on a family-friendly ride, or lengthen the ride to 16.5 miles by continuing on the Ashby and Blue Mound trails. Stick around for the weekend to celebrate Luverne’s annual Buffalo Days with a car show, parade, craft show and more. Contact the Luverne Chamber of Commerce for more info; no ride registration is required.
Bike MS: MS 150
Proctor to Hinckley to White Bear Lake from Saturday, June 7 to Sunday, June 8: Enjoy a weekend of biking from Proctor on the Willard Munger State Trail. Enjoy the northern hardwood forests, lakes and bogs on your ride to Hinckley and stay overnight before riding on to finish in White Bear Lake. Logistics and fundraising details here; the ride benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Tour de Pepin
Lake City on Saturday, June 7, 2025: Tour de Pepin is one of the Midwest’s most unique cycling tours where riders have several options — 32, 40, 50 or the full 72 miles around the lake — to ride through the captivating terrain and historic towns around Lake Pepin. Save on the $65 individual registration fee with a team of four.
Shooting Star Trail Ride
Adams on Saturday, June 14, 2025: Back for 2025, this affordable family-favorite ride ($10, adults; free, 18 and younger) takes you through the prairies of southern Minnesota on the Shooting Star Trail, a collaboration among four communities. Rides are 8 to 30 miles, and riders are welcome to repeat lengths for a longer distance. More information here; no pre-registration is necessary.
The Tour of Minnesota
Grand Rapids, Ely and Chisholm from Saturday, June 14, through Friday, June 20: Formerly known as the Klobuchar ride, after late newspaper columnist Jim Klobuchar, this longstanding ride will visit the Iron Range in 2025. The route will make use of the scenic, sometimes challenging Mesabi Trail for four of the six days and use some county roads as well. Rather than moving to a new town each day, as in years past, riders will spend two days each in Grand Rapids, Chisholm and Ely and ride loops. Click here to learn more; although the full ride is sold out, two-day “sampler” rides are available through April.
Loop the Lake Ride
Bemidji on Saturday, June 21, 2025: Take a 17-mile bike cruise around Lake Bemidji with the whole family and experience the first city on the Mississippi from the seat of your bike. Food, music and family-friendly activities will be featured at rest stops along the way. Registration is $10/adult and $5/children through May; then the prices goes up for adults.
Trail Spin
Victoria on Saturday, June 21, 2025: From bike parades to skills courses and free rentals, this family-friendly biking celebration at Carver Park Reserve offers something for road, gravel and mountain bikers alike. Of course, you can always hit the Monarch singletrack and refuel at one of many food trucks. Click here to learn more; all events are free.
The Spring Bike Fling
Walker on Saturday, June 21, 2025: Paul Bunyan is calling! Ride from Walker to Hackensack and experience the beauty of the Chippewa National Forest in Paul Bunyan’s backyard. Your ride options are plentiful: a 24- or 48-mile out-and-back ride or a 36-mile loop ride. Ride registration is open, and the day includes a kids’ parade, food, craft beer and live music.
Tour of Saints
Saint Joseph on Saturday, July 20, 2025: A collaboration with the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, the Tour of Saints bills itself as “not a race, a heavenly little ride.” Each year, 1,000 or more cyclists from across Minnesota and neighboring states gather in St. Joseph to wind their way along the quiet byways and rolling hills of Central Minnesota. Distances are 18, 35 and 50 miles, on roads and trails. Click here to register and learn more.
Bike MS: Ride Across Minnesota 2025
Marshall to Granite Falls and Willmar from Monday, July 21, to Friday, July 25, 2025: The five-day experience you know and love is back! Start in Marshall and cycle to Granite Falls and Willmar, before returning to Marshall. Cycle through these beautiful towns and join a community of riders dedicated to changing the world for people with MS. Click here for donation and registration information; the ride benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Bluenose Gopher 50
Granite Falls on Saturday, July 26, 2025: Billed as a bike race, this 50-mile gravel ride explores the challenging ups and downs of the Minnesota River Valley in search of the route of a long-forgotten 1890s bike race. Breathtaking views, billion-year-old granite and quiet back roads steeped in history are the backdrop for a unique ride. Register through May for the early-bird rate of $30; proceeds benefit the WoMen’s Rural Advocacy Program.
Tour de Bun Bicycle Classic
Montgomery on Saturday, July 26, 2025: Ride your bike in the heart of Minnesota Czech country in scenic Le Sueur County. The routes consist of three overlapping routes of 15, 32 and 48 miles, plus (new last year) two gravel loops of 25 and 44 miles. All will have refreshment stops at various points and will provide scenic rural countryside on paved, lightly traveled roads. After the tour, riders will have plenty of time to participate in all the Kolacky Days weekend festivities. Click here to learn more and register.
Great River Energy Mesabi Trail Tour
Grand Rapids on Saturday, August 2, 2025: While you pedal — fully supported — along one of Minnesota’s premiere paved bicycle trails, you’ll encounter historic and scenic points of interest and enjoy food and music at rest stops. In 2025, the ride will visit the towns between Grand Rapids and Nashwauk. Click here to register and learn more about the six routes. Organizers urge riders to “select your route according to your abilities,” explaining that the Mesabi is not a flat rails-to-trails route.
Tour de Tonka
Minnetonka on Saturday, August 2, 2025: The 20th annual Tour de Tonka is a scenic bike ride that travels through the Lake Minnetonka area and its surrounding communities. Five different routes, from 16 to 100 miles, make it a ride for everyone. Proceeds benefit Minnetonka Community Education youth programs and the ICA Food Shelf. Click here to learn more and register.
Bridge the Valley Bike Rally
Stillwater on Sunday, August 10, 2025: Join the Stillwater Sunrise Rotary Club on an epic trip through the hills and valleys around scenic, historic Stillwater. This road and gravel ride is part of the Rivers, Lakes and Fields Ride Series, which includes the Northfield Rotary Bike Tour in September. Ride both for extra swag and prize drawings. Learn more and register here.
Gitchi-Gami North Shore Ride
Gooseberry Falls State Park on Saturday, August 16, 2025: Enjoy a supported, recreational ride on the Gitchi-Gami State Trail along Lake Superior’s scenic North Shore. You’ll get up close and personal with some superior views, be serenaded by waterfalls and wind through multiple state parks. Snacks, T-shirts and sag support are provided! This year marks the 25th anniversary of this beloved ride, which benefits the Gitchi-Gami Trail Association and features an 8-mile family ride along with 28-, 34- and 55-mile options. Online registration will open in May.
Rock ’n’ Roll the Lakes
Albert Lea on August 16, 2025: Albert Lea knows how to rock! Riders can choose from one of three different routes — 10, 30 or 50 miles — of SAG-supported, “rolling” fun around town. All three courses hug picturesque lake shores and offer a variety of beautiful southern Minnesota scenery. Click here to register and learn more; the ride benefits the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota.
RideMN1
Karlstad from Saturday, September 6, to Saturday, September 13, 2025: RideMN1 holds an annual bicycle ride across Minnesota to raise awareness about cancer. This year the tour will visit Karlstad, Warroad, Baudette, Littlefork, Orr, Side Lake, Hoyt Lakes and Silver Bay. There’s optional pre-ride camping and a dinner the day before. No fundraising is required, though donations to the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are welcomed. Click here to register and learn more about the seven-day event.
Northfield Rotary Bike Tour
Northfield on Saturday, September 6, 2025: Focused on the hilly, scenic countryside around Northfield, this ride has expanded over the years to include seven route options, from a 6-mile family-fun and adaptive ride to two gravel rides and road rides that range from 12 miles to just over a century. A benefit for the Rotary Club of Northfield, which does significant community work, this tour is an easy drive for Twin Citians and offers a chance to hang out afterward in a two-college town as it celebrates the annual Defeat of Jesse James Days. Learn more and register here; rates go up after August 23.
Saint Paul Classic Bike Tour
Saint Paul on Sunday, September 7, 2025: Thirty years and counting for this classic Classic ride. Enjoy the scenic and historic Grand Round in St. Paul. Two routes take you to six regional parks and three rest stops where you’ll enjoy live music, excellent treats and waterfront views. Dubbed a “music festival on wheels,” the ride begins and ends at the Como Park Pavilion. Click here to register and learn more. (The Bike Classic no longer is affiliated with BikeMN.)
Twin Cities Bike Tour
Minneapolis on Sunday, September 14, 2025: Now in its second year, the Twin Cities Bike Tour is the primary fundraising ride for the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota. This energetic cycling event, which offers a free family-friendly ride the day before, is designed to celebrate the trails and communities that fuel thriving bicycling culture. This year, the various routes on the ride (20, 34 and 41 miles) will include downtown Hopkins, the refurbished Cedar Lake Trail, Midtown Greenway and more. Learn more and register here.
Mora Bike Tour
Mora on Saturday, September 20, 2025: The annual Mora Bike Tour starts and finishes at the Vasaloppet Nordic Center and offers two routes on rural country roads. Rest stops keep riders hydrated, and a mobile repair van lends assistance, if needed. Dubbed “an unforgettable adventure on two wheels,” the ride includes “casual” 25- and 50-mile routes. Click here to register and learn more. Fees are $35 per person through August.
Ride the Ridges
Winona on Saturday, September 20, 2025: Ride the Ridges will take riders through some of the most scenic areas in southeastern Minnesota, from lush valleys along streams to bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. Four routes, ranging from 22 miles to a century-plus, have hills and valleys and spectacular views. Sponsored by the Winona Rotary Club, the ride supports local literacy programs and scholarships, international student exchange and community grants to local nonprofit organizations. Learn more and register here.
Rosewood Gramble
Thief River Falls on Saturday, September 20, 2025: Join Bike Thief River Falls — one of 13 Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota chapters — on this ramble on gravel (Gramble) and see rural Pennington and Marshall counties. You’ll ride the former beach ridges of Glacial Lake Agassiz, minimum maintenance roads and a bit of trail. This third annual ride features five different routes, from seven to 64 miles. The event starts and finishes at Rivers & Rails Brewing Co. Learn more and register here.
Kato Bike Fall Fest
Mankato from Friday, September 26, to Sunday, September 28, 2025: When the owner of the much-loved Mankato River Ramble opted to quit producing the ride, Greater Mankato Bike & Walk Advocates — one of the early BikeMN chapters — came up with an even more ambitious idea of its own. This year’s inaugural Kato Bike Fall Fest is a weekend-long celebration of the amazing bike culture of the greater Mankato area. Expect a variety of routes (both gravel and paved), treats and good times in the serenity of a southern Minnesota autumn. Learn more and register here.
Rides in Surrounding States
- Tour de Tulips in Orange City, Iowa; Saturday, May 17, 2025: This supported ride is only part of the fun of Orange City’s Dutch heritage celebration. Off the bike, take part in the festivities for an unforgettable experience. Click here to learn more.
- Mickelson Summer Trail Trek in Custer, South Dakota; Friday, June 20, to Sunday, June 22, 2025: Enjoy the beauty of the heart of the Black Hills as you travel through the scenic valleys, old railroad tunnels and historic mining towns on the 119-mile Mickelson Trail. Registration includes trail pass, shuttle, refreshments and meals. Click here to learn more.
- Ride Across Wisconsin in Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Saturday, July 12, 2025: In its 10th year, Ride Across Wisconsin will make a one-day loop around Eau Claire, with another scenic and challenging ride. Click here to learn more.
- Scenic Shore Bike Tour in Mequon, Wisconsin; Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, 2025: This two-day, 150-mile, fully supported cycling event is open to riders of all ages and abilities. The beautiful shoreline of Lake Michigan is the picturesque setting for a weekend of biking with 1,500 cycling enthusiasts. Click here to learn more.
- CaNDak in Pembina, North Dakota; Saturday, August 2, to Saturday, August 9, 2025: This ride carries on the tradition of the CANDISK ride of North Dakota, with daily routes ranging from 35 to 70 miles and a century option. This is a multi-day tour through North Dakota with terrain varying from flat fields to steep hills. Click here to learn more.
- Mickelson Fall Trail Trek in Custer, South Dakota; Friday, September 19, to Sunday, September 21, 2025: Enjoy the fall beauty of the Black Hills as you travel through the scenic valleys, old railroad tunnels and historic mining towns on the 119-mile Mickelson Trail. Registration includes trail pass, shuttle, refreshments and meals. Click here to learn more.