Ride Profile

Must Do Ride

If you like hill climbing and rolling countryside, this is the ride for you.  The ride takes you through Fillmore County rolling contryside with beautiful vistas of contour farm fields and grazing livestock.  

 

Ride Description

The ride starts and ends in Lanesboro, the bike tourist mecca for the Root River State Trail - the Caddilac of Minnesota bike trails. Fillmore county has only 20,000 residents.  So you should see few cars and farm trucks along the county highways along this route.

The route is laid out to take advantage of prevailing Southwest winds.  Start your ride in Lanesboro, climb for 3 miles out of the valley to enjoy one of the prettiest views in Fillmore County.  Continue to the Highland Country Store for a good 10 mile stoping point.  Continue along Hwys 10 and 25 to Peterson where there are 2 restaurants to choose from.  

In Peterson, access the Root River State Trail and ride the 15 miles back to Lanesbor

Start Location and Parking

The start location is downtown Lanesboro.  There are 2 good off street parking areas - either Sylvan Park on Parkway Avenue, or just west of downtown across the Root River.

Ride Directions

The ride follows county highways for 20 of the 35 miles.  Go Southwest out of Lanesboro on Hwy 16, left on Hwy 21.  Ride 6 miles on Hwy 21 and stay left where Hwy 21 goes right continuing downhill to the left.  At the stop sign go left on Hwy 23, following the curve in the highway which turns into Hwy 10.   Follow Hwy 10 to Hwy 25.  Left on 25 following it all the way to Hwy 16 near Peterson.  Go right on 16 for 1/2 mile, then left on 25 to cross the bridge into Peterson.  

At the end of downtown Peterson, go left on the Root River State Trail riding 15 miles back to Lanesboro the starting point.

Food, Coffee and Juice Joints close to Start/Finish

Plenty of great places to eat at the start and finish in downtown Lanesboro.  Pedal Pushers cafe serves organic, locally grown ingredients in their food and has a full coffee bar.

11 miles out on the route is the Highland Country Store open Mon - Sat until 3PM.  Healthy food in a unique country setting.  Downtown Peterson has 2 restaurants: Judy's cafe and Geneva's Sandwich Shop.

In Whalan, 5 miles from Lanesboro is the Aroma Pie Shop open Thursday - Monday for lunch - great pie!!!!!!!!!!

Food, Water, & Bathrooms along route

In addition to the restaurants, there is a bathroom in the city park at the edge of Peterson.

Recommended Bike Shops (name, phone, website)

Little River General Store in downtown Lanesboro is a full service bike shop where you can rent bikes of all shapes and sizes (including recumbants).