A Boon for Trails across the North Star State
Minnesota has grit. Minnesota has inspired community leaders who value what trails bring to local communities and the state. The result: accessible riding close to home and destination riding across the land of 10,000 lakes.
Red Dirt Ride Center:
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area
Near Crosby, MN, the exodus of the mining industry and an abandoned, open-pit iron mine left a hole in the local economy and a scar on the landscape. Where once Cuyuna ore helped win wars and provided jobs for thousands, the abrupt closure resulted in an exodus from the area and an economic freefall. The folks who stayed got gritty and innovative, turning to mountain biking to bring back visitors and residents alike. This Silver-Level IMBA Ride Center sees tens of thousands of visitors annually who come for the trails and contribute millions of dollars to the local economy.
Trail Champions: The Bluffs Traverse in Winona, Mn
From summer into fall of 2023, IMBA Trail Solutions was on the ground in Winona, Minnesota adding mileage to the beloved trail system in Bluffside Park as part of Phase I of the Bluffs Traverse. Known for its hand-cut, shared-use legacy trails, this IMBA Trail Solutions and Rock Solid collaboration added the first mountain bike-optimized gravity trails to the community. Hear from the Mayor of Winona, IMBA Trail Solutions staff and builders, and other members of the WAMB (Winona Area Mountain Bikers) community as they reflect on their dedication to this project.
Momentum That Inspires Education
The World’s Most Comprehensive Trail Development Resource
In 2023, the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission, in partnership with Jake Carsten of Dirt Dojo, LLC, Rock Solid Trail Contracting, and IMBA, introduced “Mountain Bike Trail Development: Guidelines for Successfully Managing the Process,” a 242-page how-to manual so comprehensive that it took four years to create. The resource details all aspects of modern trail development from trail types, to landscape analysis and design, to environmental and construction considerations, cost implications and more.
“We created these groundbreaking Mountain Bike Trail Development Guidelines because parks and trails managers throughout Minnesota have long sought a resource to guide them in building trails,” said GMRPTC Executive Director Renee Mattson. “While bits and pieces of information can be found, there was nothing that incorporated everything into one all-encompassing, modern guidebook. So we created one, thanks to funding from the Minnesota Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.”
Sparking Inspiration at IMBA Foundations
Winona, a town of 26,000, isn't just a scenic spot on the Mississippi; it's rapidly becoming an emerging model trail community, making it the perfect host for a workshop designed to empower trail advocates. Inspired by the scrappy determination of the IMBA Local Chapter, the Winona Area Mountain Bikers (WAMB), IMBA hosted Foundations in Winona in May of 2025, leveraging the grassroots momentum of local leaders to contextualize the trail development process for land managers, community officials, recreation, tourism, and economic development professionals from across the country.
Foundations: Duluth for Fall 2025
Why Duluth? With over 90 total miles of trail, Duluth has something for everyone: from smooth flow lines at Mission Creek; to the 30-mile Duluth Traverse mountain bike trail; to lift serviced, downhill runs at Spirit Mountain Bike Park; to technical, rocky descents in Piedmont; to old school, rooty XC trail in Hartley, and everything between. If you want to level-up your community’s and staff’s knowledge of the trail development process, if you’re inspired by stunning fall foliage, and ready to ride Minnesota’s North Shore, learn about Foundations and what you can bring back to your community today.
Boy Scout Turned Trail Champion in La Crescent, MN
With competitive youth mountain biking programs like NICA in almost every U.S. state, there are superstar young mountain bike advocates across the country and in Minnesota talking about and uplifting their unique perspectives on mountain bike access. These young advocates are also working for more and better trails close to home, and inclusion of mountain biking in outdoor recreation planning. Tommy Riffe wanted more places to ride. He found space to spare on school property and turned the idea into an Eagle Scout Project.
In the heart of Minnesota’s Driftless Region, where the Mississippi River carves between steep, unglaciated bluffs, the city of Winona is redefining what it means to have trails close to home. With support from IMBA Trail Solutions and an ever-growing network of local partners, this small river town is showing how purpose-built trails can connect not only landscapes, but people, health, and community. In Winona, a partnership that began with feasibility studies has evolved into a full-fledged model for accessible outdoor recreation and sustainable trail development. Together, the City of Winona, IMBA Chapter Winona Area Mountain Bikers, and IMBA have transformed rugged bluff terrain into an interconnected network of trails that serve hikers, mountain bikers, and families alike.
IMBA’s Kate Noelke caught up with Alicia Lano, Outdoor Recreation Coordinator for the City of Winona’s Parks and Recreation Department, and IMBA Trail Solutions Director of Planning and Design, Ama Koenigshof, about the impact of trails in the “Miami of Minnesota.”
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| Alicia Lano, City of Winona’s Parks and Recreation, Outdoor Recreation Coordinator For the geography buffs out there, we’re located in Minnesota’s Driftless Region, an area untouched by glaciers, so we have some remarkable terrain. The hills, elevation gain, and rolling terrain challenge even experienced riders. |
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| Kate Noelke, IMBA You’ve got ice climbing, the river, and all kinds of outdoor recreation opportunities. You’ve got Boats and Bluegrass, street dances in downtown Winona during the summer: it’s a place people should know about. |
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| Alicia Back in 2019, we started with the assessment phase. IMBA came to Winona to walk our bluffs, about 200 acres, and evaluate feasibility. They identified where trails could and couldn’t go, especially given our steep terrain. From there, we moved to the planning and design phase and hired IMBA to create the Bluffside Trails Plan in 2020. Later, we brought IMBA back for construction. So, we’ve truly been through every phase with IMBA, and it’s been quite a ride. |
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| Ama Koenigshof, IMBA Trail Solutions I got involved as a Construction Manager with IMBA in 2023, overseeing the construction of several downhill trails on the bluff. IMBA was subcontracting through Rock Solid on that phase, and we were able to bring our designs to life which is one of the most rewarding parts of our work. Building on a bluff with constantly changing geology, from rock to sand to clay, was a challenge, but it made every day interesting. Later, in my current role as Director of Planning and Design, I was able to return for a Trail Labs Foundation course in Winona, which was fantastic. |
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| Alicia Our biggest challenge was the timber rattlesnake, a threatened species in Minnesota. We had to work closely with the DNR to determine how to build trails without disturbing its habitat. IMBA was fantastic in helping us with those adjustments, and we got it done. It was a great outcome. |
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| Ama Some of the challenges are actually tied to the very things that make Winona special. For example, the bluff gives you amazing views and elevation change, something you don’t see often in the Midwest, but it also brings its own set of construction challenges. The terrain can drop off sharply, and geologically, it’s very diverse. That means different soil and rock types, which complicates building. But those challenges also make it beautiful and unique. |
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| Alicia I really think Winona is starting to make a name for itself in the outdoor industry. We now have one of only three ice climbing parks in Minnesota: one of just five in the nation. We have excellent mountain biking, great paddling opportunities. There’s a lot happening here. One of the things I love about this project is that it truly provides trails close to home. |
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| Ama The bluff is only about a mile from the river, and all of the trails are close to downtown. Whether you’re a university student or a visitor, you can paddle on the lakes or the river and then head straight to Bluffside Park. It’s all walkable, rideable, or even scooterable. You don’t need a car to enjoy the outdoors here. |
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| Alicia Outdoor recreation is important to all of us. This is our way of life. We are the river, we are the bluffs: we want to be in those spaces all the time. To be in this position, to be a part of it, and to see the community come together, especially the Winona Area Mountain Bikers who’ve been pushing this for decades, it’s a huge deal. The mayor won’t like me saying this, but he cried a little bit when he first saw the brand-new trail that IMBA built. |
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| Kate In Winona, it’s not just about bikes or trails: it’s about people coming together to make things happen. The strong partnerships with the DNR, the City, and Parks and Recreation have made that possible. Congratulations on building not just a trail system, but a community. |
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| Alicia That is why we’re doing this. It’s important to us and to our community. Yes, it brings tourism and economic impact, but for us, it’s about community: about physical and mental health, being outdoors with friends, and all the good things that come with human-powered recreation. |
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| Alicia As long as people create partnerships, with landowners, with local organizations, that’s what it’s all about. Building and maintaining those relationships is what keeps projects moving. And honestly, all you need is one person to keep up the stoke and not let go of the dream. With that kind of energy, people can push forward and make big things happen. |
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| Ama What I love about Winona and this project is that it’s an excellent example for other small towns of what’s achievable. A lot of people say, “We want to be the next Bentonville,” but that’s often unrealistic. Whether it’s because of funding, land access, or other barriers, that level of development isn’t possible everywhere. But Winona is a great example of what can happen in any small town. |
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| Kate Winona isn’t a place you just drive through. It’s a place to stop, explore, and enjoy. People there look you in the eye, they smile, and they’re genuinely happy to share their community and outdoor recreation infrastructure with you. |
Listen to the full interview:
