Theodore Wirth Park is one of the premier mountain biking locations in the Twin Cities, with over 12 miles of singletrack trails. Users can park at the Trailhead and use it as a launching point for their ride while having easy access to its many amenities (restrooms, water bottle fill, Boulder Nordic full service bike shop, and Mill Valley Market for food and beverages).
The mountain bike trails are managed by two different organizations, the Loppet Foundation and Minneapolis Off-Road Cycling Advocates (MOCA).
Sustainability: Our singletrack trails are built and maintained with sustainability in mind. Please don’t ride/run on them when they are wet. This will enable them to continue to shed water as they were designed. If you are unsure, check the trail conditions page before your adventure.
Volunteering: If you are interested in volunteering for trail work on the Loppet singletrack, come out to The Trailhead on Tuesday nights for a weekly trail work session! Here is a link if you are interested in volunteering with MOCA.
Parking: If you are planning to bike the Loppet trails, please do NOT park in the Chalet Lot. You may park in the Trailhead lots or in the neighborhoods and bike in. Refer to the Mountain Biking Parking Map.
Rentals: The Trailhead is excited to offer both city/hybrid bikes and mountain bikes on a first-come, first serve rental basis. You can see pricing on the Rentals page.
Loppet Trails
5 miles
Loppet trail map
Loppet trail conditions
Area 36:
Approximately 2.5 miles of beginner and intermediate level single track that is physically demanding but technically easy. This trail is built wide for generous amounts of passing space. It also includes a quarter mile long optional gravity fed jump line trail called “The Tube”.
Access this trail just to the west of the front entrance of The Trailhead.
Conundrum:
Approximately 1.25 miles of intermediate and advanced level single track that starts with one of the biggest climbs in the park. Test your bike handling skills on the downhill switchbacks and the big log ride and enjoy the return along Bassett Creek.
Access this trail just north of the old golf chalet off of the parkway just before you head north over the Bassett Creek bridge. Two long boardwalks mark the start and finish of the trail and are visible from the parkway.
45 North:
Approximately 1.5 miles of intermediate level single track. This is our fast and flowing single track with plenty of rollers. When you get to the far north side of this trail you actually cross directly over the 45th parallel!
Access this trail off of Theodore Wirth Parkway when heading north of the old chalet and just after you cross over the Bassett Creek bridge. It is on the west side of the parkway but the east side of Bassett Creek.
MOCA Trails
7 miles
MOCA trail map
MOCA trail conditions
North Loop (Back 40):
Approximately 3.5 miles of single track, 0.5 miles are expert.
Accessible off of the Luce Line Trail that runs easterly from Theodore Wirth Parkway, just south of the Wirth Par 3 Club House.
Back 40 Loop Map and Information »
South Loop:
Approximately 0.66 miles of single track.
Accessible from Theodore Wirth Parkway, just south of the railroad track bridge and from the south near Olson Memorial Highway.
South Loop Map and Information »
Glenwood Spur:
Just short of a one-mile loop.
Accessible from the Northwest corner of the Theodore Wirth Parkway and Glenwood Avenue and off the parkway’s paved trail 0.25 miles further north.
Glenwood Spur Map and Information »
Southwest Loop:
Approximately 1.9 miles of single track. 1.9 miles are intermediate difficulty.
Accessible by bike from the Southwest corner of the Theodore Wirth Parkway and Glenwood Avenue, and from the Northwest corner of Theodore Wirth Parkway and I-394
Brownie Lake Loop:
Approximately 1.5 miles of single track. 0.75 miles are intermediate to expert difficulty, 0.25 are expert difficulty, and 0.5 are extreme difficulty.
Accessible by bike from the Southwest corner of the Theodore Wirth Parkway and I-394.
Brownie Lake Loop is an advanced trail with steep rock climbs and descents, and technical features including drops. This trail requires expert skills to ride safely.