One of the most popular ways to explore the midwest is on two wheels, and you’ll find some of the best biking in Minnesota near Stillwater. In fact, Stillwater was recently awarded as a bronze-level bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists. You’ll find urban, paved routes over bridges and streets, as well as wooded, dirt, and gravel trails just outside the city limits. Plus, touring the historic downtown area by bike is such a great way to see the sights, hit the breweries and restaurants, and do a little light shopping.
Our downtown Stillwater Hotel is the ideal place to make your home base for those interested in biking in Minnesota. Not only are we incredibly close to bike rental companies (some of which our guests receive a discount), but we are near the two most traversed bike trails: the St. Croix River Crossing Trail Loop and Brown’s Creek State Trail. You’ll find the guest rooms at our boutique hotel spacious and comfortable—the perfect place to relax and unwind after a long day biking in Minnesota!
Head over to our reservation calendar, and let’s get your next vacation on the books!
The Best Biking in Minnesota in Stillwater
This June marks the second anniversary of the opening of the St. Croix River Crossing Trail Loop—a multi-use 5-mile route that crosses the Historic Lift Bridge and the brand new St. Croix Crossing Bridge. This loop connects the Minnesota and Wisconsin sides of the river, creating a fun and exciting way to explore this area. While this route is considered relatively accessible to all cycling skill levels, there is a particularly challenging hill. Check out this video from the local news station covering this route. (Notice they mention the Waterstreet Inn for our excellent rooftop restaurant!)
One of the best parts about biking in Minnesota is that the city planners have made it incredibly easy to navigate the trails, and many of them connect to one another. Overall, Stillwater has about 30 miles of interconnected bike routes. The Brown’s Creek Trail is about six miles and links to the Gateway State Trail, which takes you 18 miles all the way into St. Paul, MN if you’re so inclined. You’ll find great maps around town, offering folks from out of town the best resource for biking in Minnesota.
Our go-to local bike rental company is Diro Outdoors. Located within the same block as our Stillwater Hotel, they offer self-service bike rentals—adorable cruiser cycles for enjoying our bike-friendly downtown area or the trails in the beautiful surrounding river valley. Thankfully, there’s a self-service center right at the Water Street Inn, and our guests receive a nice discount.
Fantastic Views and Comfort at Water Street Inn
If you’re taking the time to visit us in Stillwater, MN, this summer, then you might as well immerse yourself right in the heart of downtown and stay at the Waterstreet Inn, the only waterfront hotel in town. Our Stillwater MN hotel overlooks the beautiful St. Croix River and the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge. From our hotel, most of the area’s top attractions are nearby and even walkable, and biking in Minnesota has never been more accessible.
Another major perk is that our hotel has three great restaurants on-site! Charlie’s Restaurant offers a delicious fine dining experience in Stillwater, and Charlie’s Pub has a casual ambiance with live music most weekends. For one of the best views in the entire city, head to Papa’s Rooftop Restaurant for wood-fired pizza and cocktails with incomparable vistas of the St. Croix River. We can’t wait to host you in Stillwater. Book your next vacation to Stillwater today!
