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In Cuyuna, They Are Mining for Trails

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Timber Shaft is a tricky section in Cuyuna’s Yawkey Unit that demands slow-speed balance.


 
The area has 30-plus miles of amazing trails, built around reclaimed iron mines.

By Leslie Kehmeier

Where does Minnesota fall on your bucket list of places to ride? I’m guessing that most of you will say it’s pretty low. That’s fair—it used to be near the bottom of my list as well. I had wrongly assumed, as I’m sure many do, that the state had few trails, little elevation changes, and too many lakes incubating waves of black mosquitos.

Turns out that I was wrong (about the riding, not the bugs). True, there are probably close to 10,000 lakes, but there also exists some wonderful riding. Some of the best is located about two hours north of Minneapolis, near the town of Crosby. This former industrial center is reinventing itself as a recreation destination, and you’ll find waves of red dirt mountain bike trails.

Crosby boomed decades ago when miners dug into the earth here and extracted precious ore. The mining has all but ended, but the pits those operations left behind have turned to lakes. The tailings have become broad hills—it’s ideal terrain for riding and so many trails have been built that IMBA recently recognized the area (known as Cuyuna) as a Ride Center. It’s become a beacon for Midwest riders, but is worth the trip from anywhere in the country.

On a recent trip, I met with Aaron Huatala, president of Cuyuna Lakes MTB Crew, who builds and cares for the trails. He told me why the system has become so popular. “We hear it from cyclists across the Midwest and now the nation as a whole,” he said. “They love Cuyuna because the trails are built for everyone from [kids on] Strider bikes all the way up to the expert. Families can ride together and no one ever gets bored. It’s a safe experience across the board yet provides, without a doubt, overwhelming fun. That’s the Cuyuna signature.”

Cuyuna has more than 30 miles of trails, which are divided into three sections that offer everything from long flowing singletrack, to runs that are filled with berms and rollers that welcome to get steezy, to technical sections that can challenge the most skilled riders.

More trails are in the works, which should only amplify the mountain bike scene here. “We’re excited about what the future holds,” Huatala told me. “We think we’ve only scratched the surface of what it will be.”

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Manuel Drive is south of Yawkey Lake and winds up one of the area’s many hills formed from iron-mine tailings.




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After a long day of riding, take a dip in Pennington Mine Lake. Sunfish are plentiful and the trumpeting of loons makes it hard to imagine that this was once a mine.




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Cuyuna’s trail system challenges riders with myriad technical features, including some elevated boardwalks.




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The name says it all: Screamer. The trail descends a steep hillside and thrills riders with whoops and tight berms.




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Cuyuna’s 30-plus miles of trails wind through the hillsides above four lakes.




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The trail network is divided into red, white, and green sections. The diverse terrain offers something for everyone.


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