Three Mesabi Trail Itineraries for Riders Who Want More

These Mesabi Trail itineraries will help you plan your trip! The Mesabi Trail will be the longest paved bike trail in the US when complete. But more than that, it passes through 28 communities that each offer some unique experiences that are easily accessed directly off the Mesabi Trail!

Riders who want more music, food, and local festivals should check out our 3 favorite picks for Mesabi Trail Itineraries that take riders from Hibbing to Biwabik with lots of places to experience between!

 History and a View

The Mesabi Trail between Hibbing to Chisholm offers much to appreciate! Start with the Hull Rust Mine View which just recently added more to their hilltop outdoor museum with a view. If riders are lucky, the mining pit that the mineview overlooks will have a mine blast scheduled (they typically land on the first Wednesday of the month, but it is difficult to plan around without following the Facebook page of the volunteers who staff the site).

From there, take the Mesabi Trail to Chisholm’s Minnesota Discovery Center and stop for a ride on their historic trolley tour or to check out their museum! The Discovery Center also features their Bands, Brews & BBQ event on Thursdays through summer, with free admission after 3 p.m.

This 14-mile round trip offers some great scenery and fun at both ends of the ride!

TIP: It’s only another five miles beyond Chisholm to Buhl and a great swimming beach right next to the Mesabi Trail!

Jams in the Park & Food for your Heart

Buhl to Virginia – or vice versa – is a 26-mile round trip with that is both scenic and relatively flat. In Virginia, cyclists will ride directly through Olcott Park where several festivals are held throughout the summer but one specifically can be found every week. Riders should plan to pass through Olcott Park on Tuesdays through the summer for Concerts in the Park which normally begin around 5-6PM and feature several different performances as well as a variety of food trucks!

Just a little bit further down the trail is the Natural Harvest Food Co Op with plenty of bike racks available for riders as well as an outdoor seating area on the shores of Silver Lake where visitors can also see the World’s Largest Floating Loon.

TIP: Natural Harvest Food Co Op features healthy foods that are great following a long trek and which riders will need for the next leg of the trip!

Cooling Off and Catching Tunes

From Virginia, it’s just seven miles to Gilbert, with the state’s oldest candy store, Canelakes’ Candies, on the way. You’ll also ride over Minnesota’s tallest bridge that spans a mine lake with reclaimed minelands on one side of the bridge and active mining on the other. As you approach Gilbert, you’ll pass through scenic rock-cut walls. This is an uphill climb much of the way, so be prepared!

In Gilbert, riders will come across Lake Ore-be-gone which now features a miniature inflatable water park and rental kayaks at the Sherwood Forest Campground! After riding for awhile you might start to get a little warm, and Lake Ore-be-Gone’s deep waters stay cool year round for a refreshing little break from the trails.

The water park, while geared for youth, is an amazing way to not only have some fun but to challenge yourself by attempting to climb their impressive floating towers.

It’s another 8.5 miles further down the Mesabi Trail Biwabik, where you may want to catch the Wednesday evening Music in the Park. Also be sure to try out Carlson’s Pasty Kitchen to try out a regional dish that is phenomenal for carb loading!

See It All Along the Trail

There’s a whole lot more to see and do just right off the Mesabi Trail. For example, Summer Festivals are a great way to experience the region and have fun doing it. There are also plenty of campgrounds and rental homes along the trail as well!

It’s not just the trail that you are exploring, it is the areas that they pass through that offer new experiences and foods to enjoy. Biking the trail to get there is what lends those experiences more weight…how so?

In today’s world we have access to everything almost instantly, but by partaking in that culture we deny ourselves the satisfaction of achievement. What is worth more: a painting bought online or one that you painted together with a friend or family member? Objectively, either point could be argued, but if it was something that needed to be considered then the point has already been made.

By riding the Mesabi Trail, every city and town that you come across is an opportunity to take claim of an experience, so plan to have as many of them as you can!