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Other stories in "Bicycling"

• The belle of bluff country
  In southeast Minnesota, tiny Lanesboro pulls in the tourists.
• 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.
• 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.
• 15 great trails to ride in fall
  Here's where to get your fill of flora, fauna and fall colors.
• 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.
• 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.

Braking for blooms

In late summer and early fall, you'll find the best array of wildflowers on bicycle trails.

In late summer and early fall, bicycle trails burst with blooms.

They're a favorite habitat for wildflowers because they’re on disturbed ground and have open, sunny edges. Many trails skirt lakes and bogs, but since most are on old rail lines, fires sparked by passing trains created openings for prairie species, too.

Take the Paul Bunyan State Trail past Lake Bemidji in northern Minnesota. One side is lined with water-loving plants — Joe-Pye weed, jewelweed and swamp milkweed, beloved by butterflies and bees (pictured).

Maroon-tipped big bluestem and butter-and-eggs toadflax line the trail itself. And on the other side, you'll see purple prairie clover, sunflower and black-eyed susan.

From now until frost, bicycle trails will be in their prime. Our other favorites for late-summer flowers are the Wobegon and Central Lakes in central Minnesota, the Stower Seven Lakes in western Wisconsin and the Great River along the Mississippi in southwest Wisconsin.

For more on good places to find wildflowers, see Stalking summer wildflowers.

And for overall good rides, see 15 great trails to ride in fall.

  Last updated on August 17, 2012