Home >  Plan a trip >  Outdoors Recreation >  Bicycling >  15 great trails to ride in fall

Other stories in "Bicycling"

• Red Cedar ride 'n' glide
  Along a popular trail in western Wisconsin, a hardy tourist can take in the sights by water and by land.
• Mackinac Island by bicycle
  On a scenic web of trails, visitors see another side of a celebrated spot.
• Bicycling to Lake Wobegon
  In central Minnesota, cyclists enter a storied land.
• Sightseeing by bicycle
  Join a rolling village, and you'll see the best of the Upper Midwest.
• Towns of the Fox River
  An hour west of Chicago, a scenic bicycle trail makes sightseeing easy.
• Tours on two wheels
  On organized weekend bike trips, it's easy to go along for the ride.
• Bicycling in Iowa
  Quietly, this low-profile but ambitious state has piled on miles of trails.
• Riding the Dakota Rail Trail
  On the edge of the Twin Cities, bicyclists breeze along the bays of Lake Minnetonka.
• The belle of bluff country
  In southeast Minnesota, tiny Lanesboro pulls in the tourists.
• Rolling through the Iron Range
  In northern Minnesota, Mesabi Trail draws bicyclists with scenery and machinery.
• Biking in Minneapolis
  On the breathtaking Grand Rounds, bicyclists soak up the scenery.
• Bicycling in St. Paul and beyond
  Minnesota's capital city has its own set of marquee trails on rivers and lakes.
• Bicycling in Minnesota
  This state's long, paved trails draw eager riders from around the region.
• Mankato meander
  To see the best of this low-key river town, hop on a bike.
• Two trails from Two Rivers
  On Lake Michigan, bicyclists ride the breezes between a lighthouse and a submarine.
• On a roll in Hayward and Cable
  In a famous forest, mountain bikers navigate a singular system of singletrack.
• Bicycling in bluff country
  In southeast Minnesota, the Root River Trail brings swarms of tourists to scenic villages.
• Summer in Madison
  In warm months, head for the brewpubs and bicycle paths of this exuberant college town.
• A slice of cheese country
  On Wisconsin's Badger Trail, bicyclists bite off as much as they can chew.
• Bicycling along Lake Michigan
  Miles of trails in Milwaukee and on Ozaukee County's Interurban Trail provide non-stop scenery.
• Riding the Glacial Drumlin
  Mementos of a distant past line a bicycle trail through Lake Mills.
• Bikes, birds and bogs
  Wisconsin's Great River Trail is a happy mix of wildlife and civilization.
• Bash on a bike trail
  In fall, kick up your wheels at a small-town festival or on a tour.
• Braking for blooms
  In late summer and early fall, you'll find the best array of wildflowers on bicycle trails.
• Bicycling through the Minneapolis suburbs
  An expanding web of trails takes bicyclists from the city into the lake-filled countryside.
• Beaches on bike trails
  After the sweating, cool off in the surf.
• 15 great trails to ride in spring
  On a bike, get out to see what's new in countryside or city.
• Bicycling in Wisconsin
  The state that pioneered rail trails isn't resting on its laurels.
• Bicycling the Central Lakes
  In western Minnesota, a 55-mile trail is a window onto the natural world.
• Cycling in coulee country
  The famous Elroy-Sparta is just one of the trails in a picturesque pocket of Wisconsin.
• Towns of the Heartland Trail
  Bicyclists find plenty of personality along this northern Minnesota path.
• Bicycling the Bunyan
  A long trail cuts through the heart of Minnesota lakes country.
• The Fire Ride
  A bicycle trail connects two eastern Minnesota towns that share a painful past.
• Savoring the Seven Lakes
  A ride on Wisconsin's newest trail yields scenery, serenity and ice cream.
• Spin City
  On a bicycle, visitors can explore every inch of Chicago's lakefront.
• Walk 'n' roll
  Thanks to a bike trail, backtracking on the Superior Hiking Trail is a thing of the past.
• A trail for Old Abe
  On Wisconsin's Chippewa River, a bald eagle paves way for bicyclists.
• Spokes, sneakers and shops
  She likes to shop and he likes to sweat? No problem.

15 great trails to ride in fall

Here's where to get your fill of flora, fauna and fall colors.

It was a classic fall weekend when we rode the Willard Munger State Trail in eastern Minnesota.

It's a peaceful corridor through forest that, on the second weekend of October, surrounded us with a warm palette of honey and cinnamon, mixed with evergreens and the white of birch trunks and milkweed pods. From time to time, we went through one of the small towns on Highway 61, immortalized by Bob Dylan.

But we were among the few bicyclists on the trail. Where was everybody? Probably on I-35, rushing to and from the North Shore.

Too bad, because the Munger State Trail is a destination in itself, especially when combined with a hike through nearby Banning State Park, a gorgeous place that also suffers from drive-by syndrome.

In autumn, nearly every bicycle trail is beautiful and lined by fall color. But here are 15 of the best.

Minnesota

Munger in eastern Minnesota: A lovely ride through forest between Hinckley and Duluth. The flood-damaged 14½ miles from Thomson to Duluth are closed in fall 2012, but the southern 60 miles are open.

Sunrise Prairie in eastern Minnesota: If you ride the Munger, catch this low-profile trail, too. The 10 miles between Stacy and North Branch, paralleling but out of sight of I-35, include bogs lined with golden rushes, maples turning orange, red pines, creek crossings and grazing horses on picturesque farmsteads.

Root River in southeast Minnesota: This favorite goes through the leafy Root River Valley between Fountain and Houston, passing the adorable village of Lanesboro.

Central Lakes in western Minnesota: Between Fergus Falls and Osakis, with lots of prairie wildflowers and waterfowl in bogs. It goes through Alexandria and connects to the Lake Wobegon in Osakis.

Lake Wobegon in central Minnesota: A journey through a mythic landscape, with lots of steepled churches, between St. Joseph and Sauk Centre.

Paul Bunyan in northern Minnesota: Lots of great fall color and lakes along this trail from Brainerd/Baxter to Walker and Bemidji.

Grand Rounds in Minneapolis: An urban dream on parkways along the Mississippi River and Chain of Lakes.

Wisconsin

Old Abe in western Wisconsin: A bucolic path along the Chippewa River between Chippewa Falls and Cornell, with heron sightings almost guaranteed.

Great River in southwest Wisconsin: Along the Mississippi between Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge and Onalaska, over bottomlands and bogs. You'll see plenty of migrating waterfowl.

Red Cedar in western Wisconsin: A serene stretch along the Red Cedar River from Menomonie to the Chippewa River, through Downsville. Watch for wild turkeys.

Badger in southern Wisconsin: Slices through cheese country from the far edge of Madison to the Illinois border. Try to catch one of the many festivals.

Three Eagle Trail in northeast Wisconsin: A quiet ride between Eagle River and Three Lakes, passing lakes and bogs on two boardwalks and a steel bridge. Chances are you'll see plenty of wildlife.

BATS-Crystal Lake: A paved path that parallels the highway from Boulder Junction to Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, where it winds around the lakes and through the popular campgrounds. 

Iowa

Trout Run Trail in northeast Iowa: A lovely, 11-mile paved loop around Decorah, mostly along the Upper Iowa River and Trout Run Creek but rising to switchbacks (!) in the south. Lined with wildflowers and artworks.

High Trestle in central Iowa: On this popular new trail near Des Moines, the color comes from the blue LED lights on the spectacular bridge for which it's named. Some cyclists have been riding it at night, especially during full moons.

More trails and festivals

For a list of fall festivals you can hit along the way, see Bash on a bike trail.

For more trails, see Bicycling Minnesota, Bicycling in Iowa and Wisconsin's bike trails: a guide.

Last updated on September 21, 2012