cannon valley trail

The trail is very scenic and flat. It runs along the Cannon River for a good stretch, about 20 miles to the levee in Red Wing. At the halfway point in Welch Village there is food and beverage about a half mile away the local pub and the Trout Scream Cafe. All is all, it is a nice, easy ride.

We recently rode half of the Cannon River trail on a weekday. We didn't have time to bike the entire trail from Cannon Falls to Red Wing and then back again, so we drove to the village of Welch and began from there. We bought our bike passes at the grocery store in Cannon Falls for $4 each. The ride into Red Wing was amazing (the trail has a slight decline going in the direction of Red Wing) and the ride back toward Cannon Falls takes longer and requires more exertion since the trail is on a slight incline going in the opposite direction. The village of Welch is tiny, but cute, and when we go back to ride the entire trail, we plan on riding into Welch and stopping at the ice cream shop there.The trail was well-maintained and beautiful. They also have a few rest stops along the way, which was nice. The only thing we were wishing for was a better map of the towns of Cannon Falls and Red Wing. We rode around the town of Red Wing for awhile looking for the brewery. (We thought we could find it based on the minimalistic map, but not so.) We finally had to stop and ask for directions. I could see how riders would have the same problem finding their way around Cannon Falls.

The Cannon Valley Trail starts in Cannon Falls, Minnesota and ends in Red Wing (or you could start in Red Wing). It generally follows the Cannon River and ends when the river flows into the Mississippi River. Cannon Falls is about 35 miles south of St. Paul, Minnesota on Highway 52 and the trailhead is one mile east of Hwy 52 on County Road 19. There is a public parking lot at the trailhead that appears to be shared with a local winery so it was pretty full. You have to take a local city trail for the first mile before you are officially on the Cannon Valley Trail. The local trail is great as it leads you by the beautiful Cannon River water falls. You can also jump on the trail at about the half way point in Welch, Minnesota as there is a parking lot next to the trail (it appears to be the old Welch train depot). The paved trail is about 19 miles long and is generally flat as it was built on an old railroad line. I went with my wife on a Saturday afternoon in early October and we biked from Cannon Falls to the tiny town of Welch. Welch is about 11 miles from the trailhead so we ended up biking approximately 22 miles. In addition we biked a half mile into downtown Welch as we heard there was a shop that sold ice cream. Unfortunately all the little restaurants in this town were closed when we arrived at about 5:15 PM (I bet they all closed at 5 PM). We both thought the bike trail was great and really enjoyed biking on it. There are bathroom facilities and rest areas with benches along the way. I really enjoyed biking along the river as it provided great views of the river valley and the colored leaves on the trees. We passed a couple of mountain biking trail loops but did not go on any of them. We also passed a rollerblader and a few hikers so it is not just a bike trail. I thought we would see a lot of wildlife but only saw squirrels and lots of gophers.The trail requires that you purchase a permit before using it and the price is $4 for a daily pass or $25 for an annual pass. Since we are not planning on returning this year we purchased day passes. There is a pay box at the very beginning of the city trail so we filled out an envelope and dropped $8 into the box (and kept the top half of the envelope as our receipt). I saw some bikers with a passes strapped to their handle bars so they must have found a place to purchase their passes from a storeOverall I really enjoyed this great paved biking trail and highly recommend it. The Cannon Valley Trail is another beautiful place to ride a bike in Minnesota. The Root River Trail in Lanesboro, Minnesota gets a lot of attention but I think this smaller trail is just as good.

We recently rode the bike trail between Cannon Falls and Red Wing, MN. The trail is paved and some 19 miles one way and we rode out and back for a total of some 38 miles. The trail is fairly level and there are good services along the way. It was a cool Sunday when we rode and the trail was fairly busy so I would expect on a warm summer weekend day, it would be very busy so if we were to ride it again, we would make sure it was on a weekday. We started in Red Wing and rode to Cannon Falls and when we got to Cannon Falls, it was a little confusing as to where to go to get to town or something to eat. The trail at that end could have been better marked. We did find the trail head and it was just across the street from the grocery store. It was a very nice ride that day.

I can only agree with all the reviews posted ahead of me. A really nice paved bike trail along the Cannon River, with benches, picnic tables, a port-a-potty at mile 4, and a town with a bar and cafe, at the halfway point. Free parking at either end, but a $4 day pass to ride. We had a great time.

This bike trail runs between Cannon Falls and Red Wing with a excess point at Welsh, about at the half way point. The trail is proved an well maintained. It runs along the Cannon River, through mature forests, along the bluffs, and across some prairie areas. There are restrooms, water, and some picnic tables at the trail heads, including Welsh. The trail is an old railroad bed so the grades/hills are mild. There is a trail fee but it is well worth the money.

Very nice 20 mile bike trail on an old railroad bed that was turned into a bike trail. You do have to pay $4 per day. Halfway through there is a nice little town called Welch Village where you can stop and have lunch or an icecream. The trail is very scenic, but that time of the year with all the rain, there were a lot of bugs and the trail needed some maintenance after a difficult, cold winter.

This is another incredibly beautiful place to ride a bike in Minnesota. The trail is paved and well maintained. You need to purchase a wheel pass on the trail to bike on the trail. A daily pass is currently $4. They also sell annual passes. This is quite a bargain. The trail is a tad bit narrower than some of the other biking trails but there is ample room to ride. The change in grade along the way is so gradual you will not notice it. Which is surprising since this the trail is located in an area filled with bluffs that include a ski resort. This is a great place for families and beginning riders. The trail is about 20 miles long and extends from Cannon Falls to Red Wing, MN. I started in Red Wing and there was ample parking for the trail. The Cannon Valley Trail is a must stop location for nature lovers vising the area.

I used to come here weekly and rollerblade... this is a great trail with not much grade so it's perfect for blading. However, over the years the repair on the tail has not worked if you are a blader... the fillers are like plastic so you come to a stop pretty quick and pretty often.I would still ride my bike here and the town of Cannon Falls has great food with easy access to the trail.The perfect place to spend the day!

Excellent trail along the Cannon River from Cannon Falls to Red Wing. Always something interesting to experience. Half way point at Welch Village has some places to stop just a little off the trail. Good ride.

We rented bikes in Cannon Falls and found beautiful spring flowers in bloom along the way. The trail is very nicely maintained, and the views of the Cannon River are stunning, especially before the leaves are on the trees.

One can access the Cannon Valley Bike trail from Cannon Falls, Welch or Red Wing Minnesota, The trail goes from Cannon Falls to Red Wing. The trail is well maintained and winds through wooded areas that are especially beautiful in the fall. We usually get onto the trail at the half way point in Welch, from their we have biked to Red Wing and had lunch, then back again to Welch; and we have biked the other way from Welch to Cannon Falls and back. It is a fairly easy ride with mostly flat lands and no steep hills to climb; it is a good trail for all age levels from children to seniors. There is a small charge to use the trail, but it is so well maintained, any charge is worth it!

I loved this peaceful trail, and the only company we saw were deer tracks and young wild turkeys. Blessed to live so close to such beauty!

We biked the trail from Cannon Falls to Welch. The trails are beautiful, especially with the trees and other scenery. We stopped in Welch to take advantage of the ice cream shop, which was great too! We plan to try the other 'half' of the trail in October!**Since we started in Cannon Falls, we were able to go to the Cannon River Winery after the ride. It was a nice way to end our day!

Rode from Cannon Falls to Red Wing and back, 40 miles. Mostly level, with slight uphill and downhill. Scenery with the bluffs overlooking the river is lovely. Lots of places to stop to use the port a potties and benches galore. The $4 charge to use the trail is worth the cost because they do such an excellent job of maintaining it. This is one of the nicest trails in the state and maybe the nicest closest to the Twin Cities. We are very lucky to have this resource so close by. I highly recommend the 40 mile ride or any portion of it that suits you.