Explore the best rated trails in Rochester, MN, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Batchelder Trail and John Wellner Memorial Trail . With more than 63 trails covering 392 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
I finally made it to the Cannon Valley Trail, I live 3 hours away. It was beautiful with the river , tree canopy and hills. interesting and multiple rest stops. Some parts aren’t the smoothest but overall it’s in decent shape. I was happy to pay $7 to support its upkeep. What a deal for a good outdoor experience. I rode from the Cannon Falls end to Red Wing and back. Enjoyed the Red Wing waterfront parks/ trail. Found the bike on-ramp for the bridge over the Mississippi. Found an excellent CannonBelles Ice Cream / sandwich shop at the end.
$30 season pass or a $7 daily, with a "non-cash surcharge" if you try to pay online. The trail is nice, but the fee is getting out of hand.
Best and most favorite trail of the trails we rode in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin on this trip!! Rode 50 miles round-trip, Petersen to fountain. Trail is smooth asphalt. Gorgeous river views along the way. Last 5 miles are uphill to fountain, but a very fun dissent on the return! Second day, Peterson to Houston 36 miles r/t. First 5 miles to Rushford, smooth trail. The remaining 13 miles to Houston, trail has some sinkhole spots and the bridge transitions are rough. Still some river views. Each of the little towns along the trail has a couple restaurants, just call ahead to make sure they’re open during the week.
My first time on this trail was today. Started seeing some nice fall colors on the trees. Beautiful scenic ride with cliffs, hills and valley. The overall trail was really nice. Nicely kept up and very smooth to ride on. Only down fall was that it was too narrow. Could use about another foot on each side
Context: Rode trail end to end both directions on a m road bike w 700 X 23m tires. Past reviews seem accurate wrt beauty of surrounding landscape. Disregard older reviews re poor pavement conditions. The pavement is smooth end to end. An occasional weather crack (closer to Faribault) is typically marked. Would ride again on same bike any day.
The trail is a super ride, lots of nice scenery and a very fast track. However was sorely disappointed that the pie shop in Whalan is only open weekends after labor day. That was to be the highlight of the ride!
I spent the month of August riding rail trails around the state, and this was the most scenic and best maintained trail I encountered. Lanesboro is a great little town to stop for lunch or ice cream, and would be a good choice for your riding "headquarters". Camping available at Lanesboro and other points along the trail.
We rode this trail today and it was gorgeous! The wildflowers and the fresh air is just what I needed!
Did about 40 miles out, then turned and came back. Have been on a dozen trails in the area, and this is the best trail so far. Very well maintained. A few steep hills for a little challenge
My first time on the trail was on 8/13. As soon as I got into the trees, I was met by two turkeys on the trail then a few miles further on, two deer ran across the trail, smooth going all the way. About halfway through the trail, I saw people on inner tubes floating down the river, having a great time. Made it all the way to the end and a mile towards Redwing. On the way back I jumped 6 more deer. A gorgeous trail that’s well-kept. Nice bathrooms and rest areas. I live in Brooklyn Park and it was well worth the drive. I’ll do it again, especially in the fall.
It had beautiful landscape that constantly changed from farmland with wide open spaces & bright sun to wonderful &welcoming shade that held all kinds of birds and bugs… the problem came with dodging all the potholes and craters in the asphalt…. Making it uncomfortable when trying to keep speed up to go faster than the bugs or rolling to the next shade tree when the sun is overhead… we did read a few reviews some good some not , im not a review writer nor do I take much stock in the ones I read … but I am writing this one because of our disappointment … it was felt by both of us and we both gave the same reasons…. The surface of this trail…. And then it just ends… 2miles from Eyota, MN which was originally the reason to take this trail… and if the trail surface had not been so bad, we would had rolled our way into town, have lunch, meandered around the town and return to the trail, instead, we were done… over it…. It’s a dam if you do, dam if you don’t… Catch22 … kinda of a trail… the beauty you see on this trail is worth seeing if a crater filled, potholed road doesn’t bother you too much.
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