Mississippi River Trail around Twin Cities
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Mississippi River Trail around Twin Cities
Hi, I'm attempting to bikepack a portion of the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) en route from Minneapolis to Milwaukee. It's my first bikepacking trip and I have a lot of questions about the MRT, such as frequency of towns, frequency of camping locations, whether or not an alternate route that takes state highways rather than the MRT would be better, etc. If there is anyone who has cycled a portion of the route between Minneapolis and Winona, I'd really appreciate hearing just about anything you can tell me.
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Plenty of towns and places for food.
US 61 is being resurfaced between Lake City, MN, to south of Wabasha, MN, this summer traffic is being detoured on narrower roads without shoulders and big hills & lots of traffic.. Best to take the Wisconsin side. You can cross at Red Wing. They are rebuilding the bridge at red wing but its passable by bike. I rode both this May, red wing to Wabasha on the Wisconsin side (hwy 35) , back on the Minnesota side (US 61). The Wisconsin side is far nicer to ride on. Shoulders, good pavement. You will be on the river side of the road so the view is much better.
Once you get to east of Winona, you can ride 4 trails for much of the way across Wisconsin. Great River State Park Trail, LaCrosse to Sparta, Sparta-Elroy Trail, the 400 trail to Reedsburg. Lots old rail road history on this stretch as it use to have ~30 trains per day operating between Madison and St Paul. A couple of long cool tunnels too. Bring lights but then you would anyhow. Note that the Elroy to Sparta section was the first rail-trail in the USA.
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/elroysparta/ says a couple sections are closed but there are side roads that will work. Most lettered roads in Wisconsin are good to ride on. If you have a choice, they have less traffic than numbered highways.
I see there is a trail from just east of Madison to Milwaukee but I haven't ridden it. Most of the trails in Wisconsin are crushed pea gravel. Slightly wider tires will handle them just fine. I'd avoid any tires under 28mm, especially if you are hauling much gear. There has been lots of rain this year so I would have fenders on the bike an take a hi-vis rain jacket.
US 61 is being resurfaced between Lake City, MN, to south of Wabasha, MN, this summer traffic is being detoured on narrower roads without shoulders and big hills & lots of traffic.. Best to take the Wisconsin side. You can cross at Red Wing. They are rebuilding the bridge at red wing but its passable by bike. I rode both this May, red wing to Wabasha on the Wisconsin side (hwy 35) , back on the Minnesota side (US 61). The Wisconsin side is far nicer to ride on. Shoulders, good pavement. You will be on the river side of the road so the view is much better.
Once you get to east of Winona, you can ride 4 trails for much of the way across Wisconsin. Great River State Park Trail, LaCrosse to Sparta, Sparta-Elroy Trail, the 400 trail to Reedsburg. Lots old rail road history on this stretch as it use to have ~30 trains per day operating between Madison and St Paul. A couple of long cool tunnels too. Bring lights but then you would anyhow. Note that the Elroy to Sparta section was the first rail-trail in the USA.
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/elroysparta/ says a couple sections are closed but there are side roads that will work. Most lettered roads in Wisconsin are good to ride on. If you have a choice, they have less traffic than numbered highways.
I see there is a trail from just east of Madison to Milwaukee but I haven't ridden it. Most of the trails in Wisconsin are crushed pea gravel. Slightly wider tires will handle them just fine. I'd avoid any tires under 28mm, especially if you are hauling much gear. There has been lots of rain this year so I would have fenders on the bike an take a hi-vis rain jacket.
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