Great River Road
Bicycle/Pedestrian Facilities

Bicycle and Pedestrian Information Listed by State from North to South

Minnesota Section:

Beautiful hiking, skiing, and snowmobiling trails exist all along the byway. Some of the most noteworthy trails are found in the Brainerd Lakes Area, the Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, Grand Rapids and Lake Winnie, and the Leech Lake Area.

Catering to bikers, the byway provides easy access to a slew of biking trails along the way. In southeastern Minnesota where the byway begins, you'll find the following paved trails:

  • Cannon Valley Trail: 20 miles between Cannon Falls and Red Wing
  • Douglas Trail: 13 miles between Rochester and Pine Island
  • Root River Trail: 35 miles between Fountain and Money Creek Woods (this trail links to the 18-mile Harmony-Preston Valley Trail)
  • Sakatah Singing Hills Trail: 30 miles between Faribault and Mankato

In the Woods and Waters Area just above, you have:

  • The Heartland Bike Trail: A 28-mile trail
  • The Paul Bunyan Trail: A 46-mile blacktop trail between Brainerd and Hackensack
  • The Soo Line Trail: 11 miles between Onamia and Isle

Iowa Section:

In Iowa, bicyclists enjoy the same rights as motorists and are not prohibited from using any portion of the byway. The majority of the roadway includes improved shoulders that are available for use by bicyclists. Numerous separated and multi-use recreation trails intersect and parallel the byway as well. Frequent roadside stops provide parking areas, trails, walkways, public restrooms, and other service amenities. Towns and cities along the way provide ADA compliant facilities and services for byway travelers.

Illinois Section:

The Illinois section of the byway accommodates bicycle and pedestrian traffic. A 62.5-mile bike path is under construction along the route of the byway from Mississippi Palisades State Park in Savanna to Sunset Park in Rock Island where it meets with the American Discovery Trail crossing. At this time, approximately 42 miles have been built. This portion of the bike path is primarily a two-lane, off-road trail winding through the trees and over specially constructed bridges following the route of the byway in Illinois. This public/private partnership is administered through the Great River Trail Council, a delegated authority of the Bi-State Regional Commission, in association with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Corps of Army Engineers, Illinois Department of Transportation, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The Great River Trail is part of the larger Grand Illinois Trail Program, a 500-mile loop trail system in Northern Illinois. When completed, the trail will be a combination of dedicated trails and road-surface routes along the byway route stretching from Galena to Rock Island.

The Mississippi River Hiking and Biking Commission, part of the Lower Mississippi Delta Center in Memphis, Tennessee, is in the final stages of planning the Mississippi River Trail, a bike route that will travel through seven states along the Mississippi River. The route in southern Illinois follows road surfaces from Chester to Cairo. However, the route corresponds to the route of the byway in Illinois only at some points. The northern portion of this route will correspond to the Great River Trail and Grand Illinois Trail described above. The route between Rock Island and Chester has not yet been selected.

In addition, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge along Old Route 66 has been converted into the world's longest pedestrian and bike bridge.

Arkansas Section:

The Mississippi River Trail for bicyclists currently extends through four of the ten Great River Road counties in Arkansas. This 99-mile route runs from West Memphis in Crittenden County to Helena in Phillips County and is well marked. More than half of this route -- 53.73 miles -- is along the officially designated byway, while remaining segments closely parallel the route. The bike trail skirts around the St. Francis National Forest, where roads are gravel with limited shoulders. Along segments of the byway not currently designated as part of the Mississippi River Trail, shoulders are wide enough to accommodate bicyclists.

The national wildlife refuges, wildlife management areas, state parks, and Arkansas Post National Memorial have extensive hiking trails. It should also be noted that many of the city parks along the route have walking paths, and these cities invite and encourage visitors to enjoy these facilities. Find more information on hiking and pedestrian trails under Places and Sights in the Points of Interest section.