+ Are electric mountain bikes (eMTBs) allowed on the trails?

Class 1 eMTBs are allowed on the trails of Cuyuna, unless otherwise marked.

Class 1 & Class 2 e-bikes are allowed on the Cuyuna Lakes State Trail (paved trail) and roads in and around the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area.

Please be considerate of all users, regardless of the type of bike you are riding.

+ I haven't seen an updated trail conditions update in X days, what are the trail conditions?

Last trail conditions is always the most up-to-date.

Unlike some trail systems, Cuyuna’s soil is pretty stable after precipitation events. Hence, we do not update for every weather event. Trails are closed while it is raining and generally are open about 2 hours after the end of a rain event unless otherwise noted in our trail conditions. If there is reason for concern (large rain event, trees down, etc.) we will update our trail conditions thusly.

+ I want to ride the cuyuna trails this weekend, what will the trails be like?

It all depends on the weather. There is a weather widget on the Home page that you can see current weather, a 5 day forecast and, by clicking on the “extended forecast” section, a 10 day forecast. Cuyuna’s soil is odd stuff. Once dried out, normal rain events have little effect and its generally OK to ride after about 2 hours of a rain event. However, long term rains will waterlog the soil and it will take a few days to dry. Hence, if its been raining for a week straight and will clear up on Friday evening, a weekend trip is probably not a good idea. On the other hand, if its been dry for a week but will rain Friday evening, its probably going to be fine.

+ What trails are open? What trails are closed? I heard that X trail was closed, has it been opened?

Unless otherwise stated, all trails are open. Only trails or units that have been mentioned as closed are closed. If a trail or unit has been mentioned as closed and has not specifically been mentioned as re-opened, it remains closed. If you go to our Trail Conditions feed, you can see a complete list of trail updates, in case you missed one.

The only exception to this is in the winter. Till the trails are groomed, all trails are open for all types of mountain bikes, whether standard width tires or fat tires. Yet, when grooming of trails starts, all non-groomed trails are closed to all bikes and groomed trails are only open to fat tire bikes.

+ What conditions should I be aware of when I go out on the trails?

Here are some simple things riders can do to ensure that we have access to these great trails by riding responsibly:

• Ensure that the trail is firm and the surface will not be disturbed by foot or bike travel. If you are leaving tread or foot prints, its too soft.

• Even a dry trail will have the occasional soft spot. Ride thru any soft soft spots on the trail, not around.

• Skidding is not turning. Regardless of what you see on Red Bull videos, skidding is waste of energy and is damaging to the trail surface. Use only enough brakes and body english to get the bike to move and not skid.

+ Is there any special gear I should bring to Cuyuna for bike riding?

Standard mountain bike clothing and accessories, i.e. properly fitted helmet, gloves, eye protection and not overly baggy clothing, are highly suggested. Also, in your pockets or bags, you should have your ID, a cell phone (fully charged and working) and a map of the Cuyuna trails (available at the kiosks). The only special “Cuyuna” equipment we recommend are long socks, at least mid-calf. Cuyuna has plenty of poison ivy and, during the spring, plenty of ticks. Long socks will help protect you from these two threats.

+ I want to bring my relative mountain biking at Cuyuna and they are a real newb, any suggestions?

Use a trail map to plan your route before getting on the trail.

• The Sagamore Unit has little singletrack and might be a good bet for people who have never been on a mountain bike before or rarely bike.

• The Mahnomen Unit, for beginners, is best done in a clock-wise routing. Use the Cuyuna Lakes State Trail (paved) from the Miners Mountain Rally Center and head westerly. You will then be able to do more trails without the initial climb into the Mahnomen Unit

• The Yawkey Unit & Portsmouth Unit, for beginners, offers less climbing. However, it's also tighter and has more soil/rock types over the length of trail. It's best suited for beginners that are experienced bike riders but have not mountain biked before.

+ Are the X trails open in the winter?

As noted above, in the Winter Guidelines, before grooming begins, all Cuyuna mountain bike trails are open for any width tire. However, once grooming begins, its just those Units and trails that are groomed that are open for fat tire bike only (3.7”). Units/trails are groomed in the following order: Sagamore, Cuyuna Lakes State Paved Trail, Yawkey and those other Unit trails as announced.

+ Do I have to have a tire width of 3.7" or greater to ride the groomed trails in the winter?

Yes.

+ Do I need studded tires in the winter?

It depends. In mid to late winter, on groomed trails, they won’t do that much for you. (Won’t hurt either.) However, in early winter or in low snowfall conditions, where it can often be icy, studs are recommend.

+ Is there any special equipment I should bring when I visit Cuyuna?

Besides the normal winter biking apparel and gear, we highly recommend you bring an emergency blanket with you. If you should have an accident or require assistance it could be many minutes for emergency crews to get to you. Besides windchill, shock might set it. Having an emergency blanket with you could be difference between life or death.