Redhead / Chisholm

By Troy Melhus on April 20, 2026

The home to the high school state mountain bike championships, riding into Redhead is like riding into a giant playground on the edge of town.

Redhead, as it’s known, sets just on the outskirts of Chisholm of Hwy 169 not far from Tioga — between three to four hours north of the Twin Cities.

The host of the 2024 and 2026 Minnesota High School League State Championships, the Redhead Mountain Bike Park also boasts some 25 miles of trails with challenges for all skill levels.

Its proximity to town adds to its local “bike park” feel, and it’s rare to feel too lost in the wilderness, but you still can soak up an afternoon of sweet, rocky climbs, flowy descents and views of iron mine lakes that will take your breath away.

Great for a day trip and then overnight stay in Chisolm, or really anywhere on the Range, as you plan a multi-day tour.

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Published in Trails

Troy Melhus

Troy Melhus has been a journalist, mountain bike racer and certified snowboard instructor for more than 25 years based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. A New Mexico native, he was a features writer for the Des Moines Register and graduate of the University of Iowa School of Journalism before coming to the Minnesota Star Tribune as a reporter and editor from 2000-2010. He currently rides for Minneapolis-based Peace Coffee Racing and, at 57, was a podium finisher in the 2025 Chequamegon Short & Fat(!)