Mountain biking the Iron Range

Maple Hill Park mountain bike trail in Hibbing, MN. Photo by Matt Zak. Mountain biking is a great way to get and stay in shape during the warmer (and drier) months of the calendar year. The sport, often abbreviated MTB in riders’ circles, basically entails riding a bicycle on trails which are more narrow and more technically challenging than its better known cousin sport of road biking. Mountain bikes have wider tires which have more tread. They also usually come equipped with shock absorption mechanisms to withstand the inevitable pounding of riding a bumpy or rocky trail at high speed. Mountain biking is a safe activity, as compared to many other sports, including road cycling. This is especially the case in the racing community, where tight pack riding in road racing often leads to nasty crashes. Mountain biking is more of an individual sport, and, while recreational group MTB rides are extremely common and growing in popularity throughout the Midwest, in racing the pack concept and drafting are of much less importance and relevance.

One of the most unique attributes of a mountain bike is the ability to ride on a single-track trail through the woods. This is probably the one aspect of the sport that most riders I know list as the most exciting. Experienced mountain bikers are able to cruise or hammer, as they see fit, a trail that is commensurate with their skill level. The joy of picking a line, the “best line” perhaps, between the trail obstacles as one weaves the rolling terrain, climbs, and descents, can be truly awesome and exhilarating. As one becomes comfortable with doing this at progressively higher speeds, a rider can get in a “groove” and succumb to a trance-like adrenaline rush rarely seen in other sports. While mountain bikes can be ridden anywhere, including paved and gravel roads, two-track ATV and snowmobile trails, on generic forest roads and along power lines, it is the experience of riding the single-track that is emphasized in most MTB events, and keeps the veterans coming back every summer.

While the Iron Range has countless miles of mountain biking opportunities, the single-track riding has been scarce until just recently. The recently opened Maple Hill Park in Hibbing offers approximately 5 miles of single-track MTB trails. There is a parent perimeter loop with several adjoining shorter loops. This trail is still growing, with more single-track just having been added during this past season, and, by the looks of it, some new trail segments being added for future development. Located on the southwest outskirts of the city, parts of this trail are quite hilly and challenging.

High speed travel is possible only on some trail segments, but the quality of the experience and exercise value are excellent throughout. This park is rather heavily forested, and animals can sometimes be seen on or near the trail.

Further to the west, Grand Rapids is home to another constantly-growing single-track MTB trail. The trail is located in the dense woods of Legion Park, which is accessible from the parking grounds of the city’s high school. Before becoming an MTB destination, Legion Park was popular with crosscountry skiers in the winter, as it boasts a lighted trail loop that allows skiers to train until 9 p.m. during the daylight-deficient mid-winter days. While the wider ski trail is rideable and, in fact, a very fun ride in and of itself, it is the new single-track that really makes this place a destination in the warmer months nowadays. The single-track is now accessible immediately upon entering the woods from the trailhead, making it unnecessary to use the ski trail if one wishes to focus strictly on practicing their technical skill, especially when time is limited. The singletrack trail at Legion Park has great flow and is a lot of fun to ride. While it is slightly less technically challenging than Maple Hill Park, this is one of those places where you can get in that “groove”! It is a great trail for a time trial, for those interested in training and monitoring their progress. Initially there was a two-mile loop accessible off the far (west) portion of the ski trail. In the last two summers, much more single-track has been added by volunteers working with the assistance of MORC (Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists). It is now possible to ride for nearly two hours, if riding the trails in both directions, with very little repetition otherwise.

Other popular MTB destinations on the Range include the ski trails at Big Aspen and Giants Ridge. Big Aspen is located several miles north of Virginia, while Giants Ridge is a ski and golf resort located northeast of Biwabik. Numerous abandoned mining roads and four-wheeling paths offer additional mileage. Much of this is accessible off the Mesabi Trail at a variety of locations.

The Mesabi Trail is a 100-mile paved path spanning the Iron Range, and is a biking destination in its own right. McCarthy Beach State Park in Side Lake offers several miles of ski trails which are very rideable and which can be a fun bike tour in the summer, as well.

Getting started with the sport is not as complicated as it may seem. Continental Ski & Bike Shop in Duluth, MN, has a large selection of excellent mountain bikes. They have experienced, dedicated, and courteous professional staff who are on hand to answer any and all questions about getting started with mountain biking, as well as maintaining and fixing bikes. Get out there, try a new hobby, and explore the Range you haven’t seen yet.

Matt Zak, M.D., is an outdoor sports enthusiast and works at Range Mental Health Center in Virginia, MN.