A Visit to The Rainy Lake Trail

The Rainy Lake Trail in a Cooler Season

The Rainy Lake Trail is a paved facility that is partially on off road trails and partially on road shoulders.  Way up on Minnesota's border with Ontario, it connects the City of International Falls to the City of Ranier and east to Voyageurs National Park.  It is right up there with northeast Minnesota's oldest bike trails, as portions of it were built in the 70's.  It is a scenic route that bring users past the Rainy River, through the neat small City of Ranier, and then along Rainy Lake as it weaves in and out of forest lands.  A new section of the trail is nearing completion and will be opened this season.  It connects the trail along Highway 11 to Voyageurs National Park's Black Bay Visitor Center.  That section will be very nice as it winds through deep woods and rock outcroppings.  There is also a plan in place to improve the trail's connection to International Falls...it currently is not defined as it crosses a railroad track the last few yards before downtown.  Called the Gateway Corridor project, it will include aesthetic amenities in addition to the trail construction.

I got a chance to ride the trail on my new bike when I was up in the area recently.  I drove to the Black Bay Visitor Center entrance, parked, and then rode the bike on the trail back towards town.  I really enjoyed it.  It was a bit narrow and dark in the forest, but it had a few hills, wild flowers, wild animal scat, and only a few people (although we know it is one of the busiest trails in the region, particularly closer to town).  I only had time for a quick five mile ride, but it did include the very scenic Tilson Creek area.  Tilson has a parking lot, boat launch, fishing pier, and, in the winter, an extensive ski trail system.  

Crash Course

This was first ride after buying yet another new toy.  I picked up a bike "computer" online for about $20.  It shows speed, distance traveled, current time, and time spent biking.  I really like it.  It helps me pace myself (I am still not in serious biking shape) and when time is constrained like it was on the Rainy Lake Trail, I can know exactly when I have to turn around and head back to the truck or home or wherever.  It was easy to install on my front handlebars and is less than the size of a domino.