If you’re looking for a great introduction to trail riding on flatter terrain, this area is a great place for finding your mountain biking groove.
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In my 25-plus years of training and riding in Minnesota and the Mankato area — notably Mount Kato and the numerous climbs surrounding it — the idea of a more flat terrain was strictly off my radar.
But Mankato’s River Bottoms trail — officially dubbed the Kiwanis Recreation Area Trail, maintained in part by the Mankato Area Mountain Bikers (MAMB) — features more than six miles of gentle but zippy singletrack, to stretch the legs against the backdrop of some beautiful boggy scenery.
Higher water levels from the adjacent Minnesota River in the spring often lead to muddy conditions which will keep the park closed. But once the water levels recede, the trail area feels like a Narnian playground, graduating into a dense summer thicket of twists and turns in deep, cool woods. (Just remember your bug spray!)
The trails run within the more than 100 acres of the Kiwanis Recreation Area Park, located along U.S. Highway 169 just north of where it intersects with U.S. Highway 14. There are restrooms, free parking and other amenities including archery, fishing, hiking, and enclosed dog park.
If you’re looking for a great introduction to mountain biking and want to sharpen your dirt skills before hitting the big trails, this family-oriented trail 90 minutes south of the Twin Cities might be just the stop for you.
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