I’ve always enjoyed outdoor activities like walking and cross-country skiing. Biking has always been a part of my life. But it wasn’t until 2018, when I hit a milestone birthday, that I decided to re-engage myself in biking. Why, you may ask? A couple friends are avid bikers and influenced me to start biking again.

Biking benefits

Biking has many options. You can individualize the length of the ride depending on weather and trail conditions, and it is a lifelong activity.

It also offers many health benefits, including reducing risk for cardiovascular disease, and improving muscular strength, coordination and mobility.

Biking is a great exercise because it is versatile. One can bike from home or drive to a trail. One can bike in almost any weather (provided you dress appropriately). One can challenge their own personal records (also called “PRs”), so you can make it as competitive as you want. One can bike solo or in a group.

We joke that exercise is free endorphins. Biking provides endorphins; one feels great after a ride.

Biking also gives you a connection to nature and alerts your senses. One can feel the air as a gentle breeze flows across the lake or smell the fragrance of blooming trees and flowers. Nature is ever-changing and another benefit is visually assessing those changes while biking.

My biking journey and favorite route

I enjoyed the sport immediately, and quickly started racking up the miles. Within the first six months, I reached 500 miles. Six years later, I average 2,000 miles every year.

One of my favorite routes is from our home in Chanhassen to Carver Park Reserve and around the park. My trip is about 20 miles depending on which trails you take. There are gravel portions of the trail you use to access Carver Park. Once you are in the park, all trails are paved. You can use a road bike in the park. A gravel bike is not necessary as the majority of trails are paved. The main trail system in Carver Park Reserve is a paved trail that circles the park. It is a non-motorized trail, so you don’t have to worry about cars on the trail.

What I love about biking in Carver Park is that it is a well-maintained and safe trail for all who use it. Bikers, roller skiers, runners, speed walkers, stroller walkers or dog walkers — we all safely share the trail. This is important because as a bike-rider, I know the other users know how to safely use the trail. When I am passing walkers, they always are on the right side of the trail. I say, “On your left,” and they always move over more. As a biker, I appreciate others intuitively being safe on the trail. The reason why I emphasize the safety at Carver Park is that not all trails are the same. I don’t always have this experience on other trails I’ve ridden, which makes me appreciate Carver Park all the more.

Getting started on the trail

Since I live within biking distance from Carver Park, I start this ride from home. But there are several parking areas within the park to access the trail within the park if you don’t live nearby.

I start the trail system on the southeast corner of the intersection of highways 5 and 41. Once on the trail, traveling west, there is a tunnel going under highway 41 that has a dedication above it. It says, “Enjoy the ride.” I always like this because it sets the stage for me to take my time and enjoy the beauty of nature before me.

The trail takes you alongside the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and can see Lake Minnewashta on the north side of Highway 5. Upcoming is a bridge, built from railroad ties, over a wetlands area. After a tunnel taking you under Highway 5, you continue on this trail by the Arboretum. In the fall, you can see the displays at the Arboretum’s AppleHouse. There are a few jigs and jags on the paved and then you are at the Park Drive entrance to Carver Park Reserve.

Traveling through the east side of the park

Once at the park, the paved trail intersects the dirt road. You can either go right or left to circle around the park. I turn right, following the trail through a canopy of trees. These provide a shield from rain and keep the trail cooler on hot days. Next on the tour are gently rolling hills through wetlands and alongside lakes.

The next fork in the trail gives you the opportunity to go to Lowry Nature Center on the left, or a newer trail on the right. Lowry is a must-see to learn about nature and the environment. For this tour, I take the right trail up to Highway 7 and back. It’s a great to ride along gentle hills.

This completes the trails on the east side of the park. Now onto the west side.

Traveling through the west side of the park

Another connecting trail takes you in a tunnel under County Road 11. (See what I mean about not needing to worry about car traffic?) At the T, I take a right.

This trail takes you through a beautiful prairie where there are newly planted trees and native prairie grasses. In the spring and early summer, you can tell where the cross-country ski trails are in the winter because the grass lays differently. When there is a gentle breeze, this is quite a pleasant ride. When you are against a headwind, it feels refreshing.

The open area you enter next is where I had a close call with a deer. Remember when I mentioned the safe trail? People make it safe. But you need to watch for wildlife, too. Two years ago, I was biking on this prairie section and heard a rustling noise on my left. All of a sudden, a deer jumped right over the top of me while I was biking on the trail! All I saw was the underside of a deer jumping about 10-15 feet above me. It had a white tail and reminded me of the picture in the children’s book, “The Cow Jumped Over the Moon.” I stopped my bike on the trail and saw it run off with its white tail bobbing along. It happened so fast I didn't have time to react. Thank goodness that the deer knew enough to jump that high and over the trail! After that close call, I am on the lookout for wildlife continuously scanning areas on each side of me. You can sense plenty of wildlife in the park. In the early spring, one can hear the peepers starting their chorus in the wetlands. There are blue and white herons, songbirds, turtles, snakes and many other types of wildlife.

The trail continues through to a park area on the northwest side of the park. You can see the Grimm Farm Historic Site and ride into a picnic area. I usually take a break here to enjoy the views of Parley Lake and St. Bonifacius. Sometimes you can hear music from Parley Lake Winery. You can also see mountain bikers starting and finishing their rides at the Monarch Singletrack Trail.

Traveling through the center of the park

Back on my bike, I continue on the path. Three Rivers Park Service Assistant Kris Loebertmann recommends stopping at the King and Campion overlooks—they offer great views of Lundsten Lake and the vast landscape around it. (They're also great spots to watch waterfowl.) 

Beyond the lookouts, I keep biking past the campground. The campground trail loop is only a mile and on a dirt road. Here you can fill up your water bottle with fresh water. Or take a break and cool off at the beach on hot summer days. (Or do both!)

After the campground, you ride alongside wetlands and lakes. There are beautiful prairie vistas with benches to enjoy the view. Once you bike past the Carver Dog Off-leash Area, you have completed the circle around Carver Park and are back at Park Drive entrance.

I ride this route weekly and there is always something new to observe as nature is always changing. No matter what season you visit, there is something to do. I hope you see the trail for yourself and enjoy all that the park has to offer.

Banner photo, showing a view of Lake Zumbra, courtesy of Terrie Cummings.