The Grand Rounds: Minneapolis's Epic 50-Mile Cycling Tour

The Grand Rounds: Minneapolis's 50-Mile Cycling Tour

If you want to see all of Minneapolis in a single ride, the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway is the answer. This 50+ mile loop connects nearly every major park, lake, and river segment in the city via parkway bike lanes and paved trails. It's the only nationally designated scenic byway located entirely within a major American city — and it's a cycling epic.

The Segments

• Chain of Lakes — Bde Maka Ska, Isles, Harriet, Cedar
• Theodore Wirth Regional Park — forested, rolling terrain
• Mississippi River — Stone Arch Bridge, river gorge, Boom Island
• Minnehaha Creek — the falls and creek corridor to Nokomis
• Northeast parks — Hidden Falls, Frontenac, the parkways

How to Ride It

Most cyclists break it into segments across multiple days, but the full loop is a badge-of-honor ride for local cyclists. Plan 4-6 hours with food and rest stops. The terrain is mostly flat with some rolling sections through Wirth Park. Mix of paved trail and on-street bike lanes on the parkways.

Tips

• Start early to beat the lake crowds
• Refuel at Lake Harriet or Minnehaha Falls
• Bring a map or GPS — the parkway connections can be tricky
• Ride it in fall for peak colors

Complete the Grand Rounds and you'll have earned serious Minneapolis cycling cred.