|
Creating a Bike-Friendly Longville
Since 2009, Longville has been working toward
becoming a bicycle-friendly community. Our short-term goal is to
have a hard-surfaced trail dedicated to walking, rollerblading
and bicycling in the summer, and snowmobiling in the winter,
running through Longville and connecting our community to the
Paul Bunyan Trail 18 miles to our west. The long-term goal is to
merge this new trail into a system of trails creating a large
loop between Brainerd and Longville.
Already, County Road 5 between Longville and Hackensack has been
designated a 'Bike Route' by Cass County. County Road 5 has wide,
paved shoulders with no rumble strips and only very moderate
hills along its 18 mile route. It passes several lakes, cuts
though the Chippewa National Forest and is a very beautiful
ride.
In the Spring of 2011, the 1st annual Bike Ride
around Woman Lake will be held in conjunction with the popular
30K Run Around Woman held the first Saturday of May. The ride
will begin in Longville and go south on State Highway 84, which
will be closed to vehicle travel for 2 hours to allow bikers and
runners free access to this beautiful winding road. The ride
will turn west onto Township Road 11 and run across the south
end of Woman Lake to its junction with Cass County Rd 5, where
it will turn northeast and return to Longville.
This will be a bike 'ride' rather than a 'race' and is open to all
who enjoy biking through Minnesota’s beautiful northwoods. The
Ride and the Run will be part of Longville’s “Mother’s Day
Weekend at the Lake.” Events will begin on Friday night with a
dinner for riders and runners at the Salem Lutheran Church. Bike
shop mechanics will be on hand to inspect and tune up bikes that
have been sitting in the garage all winter. The Ride and Run
will take place Saturday morning. Other events are being planned
for Saturday, so watch for further announcements.
Even though there is a connection between Longville and the Paul
Bunyan Trail along Cass County 5, we recognize that most riders
would rather have a dedicated trail without the constant vehicle
traffic alongside. So we will continue to work towards that
goal, all the time looking for new ways to accommodate the
growing community of bikers in our beautiful Longville area.
There are hundreds of miles of trails in the area. For the Mountain Biker, try the Wood Tick Trail, just West of Longville. It travels through the scenic Chippewa National Forest past Moccasin Lake and other smaller lakes to join up with the "Paul Bunyan" multi-use trail, just North of Hackensack. Also try the Chippewa Trail that travels northward through the Chippewa National Forest. Plan on a few days for exploring these heavily forested scenic trails.
There are 100+ miles of Paved trails for Bikers, In-line Skaters and Hikers.
Sixty miles of paved bike trail makes the Paul Bunyan Trail one of the best in Minnesota. When completed it will stretch 100 miles from Brainerd in the South to Lake Bemidji State Park in the North. Today, you can bike from Brainerd to Hackensack on a newly black-topped trail. The trail goes through secluded woods, meadows, alongside lakes and through several towns. The 7 communities through which the trail passes have developed many amenities for bikers.
The newly black-topped 34 mile Heartland Trail is located between Walker and Park Rapids. Between these 2 communities, the scenic trail weaves through woods, lakes and the communities of Akely, Nevis and Dorset. Each Community provides abundant amenities for bikers.
|
|
Paul Bunyan Trail
120 miles long and extend from Crow Wing State Park (south of Brainerd/Baxter) to Lake Bemidji State Park (north of Bemidji). The completed trail will run through Brainerd/Baxter, Walker and Bemidji.
Heartland State Trail
The Heartland State Trail was one of the first rail-to-trail projects in the country. It is a 49 mile multiple use trail between Park Rapids and Cass Lake. The trail is located entirely on a level abandoned railroad grade except for a four mile segment north of Walker, on sharply rolling terrain. The 27 mile segment between Park Rapids and Walker has a paved surface.
Deep Portage Conservation Reserve PDF
Midway between Hackensack and Longville on County Rd 46. Never skied or been on snowshoes? Deep Portage is the place to start. Has 18 km of looped groomed trails (4 km for skate-style), expert advice, warmth, snacks and Saturday learning programs. 218-682-2325
Goose Lake Trail PDF
5 miles west of Longville on County Rd 5. Novice to intermediate 15 km of trails across gently rolling hills around wetlands. All trails are rated Easy. Ski pass is required.
Hiram Trail PDF
8.5 miles northwest of Hackensack on County Rd 6. One of Cass County's most popular ski trails offers 8 km of Expert trails. No toilet facilities. Ski pass required.
The North Country Trail
This section of the North Country Trail is part of a 3200 mile National Scenic Trail. The 68 miles of trail within the Chippewa National Forest are the first of 390 miles planned to be built in Minnesota.
Shingobee Recreation Area PDF
6 miles south of Walker on MN Hwy 34 (20 miles west of Longville) 10 km of groomed ski trails from novice to expert along the slopes of the Shingobee River Valley. 3 km groomed for skate-style skiing. This trail provides access to a network of ungroomed trails along the Shingobee River and to the North Country National Scenic Trail for the truly adventurous.
Woodtick Trail
North and East of Hackensack is the Woodtick Trail, winding from Hwy 371 to the city of Longville. Several primative campsites are also available on the many smaller lakes in this area.
Washburn Lake Solitude Area PDF
2 miles north of Outing on MN Hwy 6. Diverse lake and woodland trails in the Land O'Lakes State Forest - (17 miles east of Longville) near Outing. Offers 23 km of expert trails, 10 km of skate-style trails and spectacular scenery. Toilets. Ski pass required. |
