I have participated in the sport of off-road mountain biking for several years now, and I still have not been able to experience all of the mountain bike trails Minnesota has to offer. While most of the trails are located in the Twin Cities area, there are others scattered throughout the state.
One of the newest trails is the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trail near Brainerd, MN. This trail just opened in the spring of 2011, and has quickly become a very popular destination. With several lakes nearby, this area is a gold mine for out-door enthusiasts. This mountain bike trail system was built with riders of all skill levels in mind, so it is family and beginner friendly as well as offering features for more advanced riders.
I visited the Cuyuna Mountain Bike Trail early this summer, and I would highly recommend it. The trail is built to flow well, so riders are not hit with climb after climb with no rest in sight. There are not as many technical challenge features added to the trail as some of the mountain bike trails in the metro area, but there are several more “natural” features such as a few gnarly rock gardens, rollers, and berms.
I would describe Cuyuna as truly a sort of Mountain Biker’s theme park if you will. The roller downhill sections and winding berms honestly made me feel like I was on a roller-coaster. In fact, when I went to bed the first night after riding the trails I had that same lingering feeling of my body going up and down as I would if I had spent all day riding roller-coasters.
For more information on the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trail, here is the official website
Here is a link for nearby lodging.
The Cuyuna Trail can also be accessed directly from the Portsmouth Campground
For more information on trails in Minnesota, click here