Paul Bunyan Trail, Pillsbury State Forest

[Nickel]

This actually does not pertain much to mountain biking. I will be in Brainerd/Gull Lake area over the weekend and I was wondering:

Has anyone done any part of the Paul Bunyan Trail? Yes I know paved, but I am looking to do a large chunk of distance. I was just wondering if there were any towns in particular that are worth stopping in. (Like for great vegetarian food.... :D)


Does Pillsbury State Forest have nice hiking trails or am I better off going somewhere else?

Any opinions or advice about the area would be greatly appreciated.

[shourtt]

Not sure of anything good outside of the Brainerd area. Here is a link a few places you might consider in the Brainerd area.

http://www.vegguide.org/location/view.html?location_id=132&new_query=1

[Matthew]

I have ridden the paul bunyan trail and it is okay if you just want to hammer out a lot of distance, but don't expect any hills. I do most of my riding in the pillsbury and it's pretty fun and there are good trails for hiking as well. go to the DNR website and download the pdf map.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00039/index.html

[Bikerkid]

I think I can field this one, I'm in Pequot lakes for the summer, and I live about 500 feet from the Paul Bunyan Trail. The trail is really nice for the average person just riding along, but if your going all out on a road bike and want to put in like 60 miles it kinda sucks. At almost every road crossing their is a stop sign, and at most of the crossings your can't see if any cars are coming, and when you out run a car they all give you a really pissed look. So if you’re willing to contend with stop signs, and other people it's really great. If you want some other routes drop into Trailblazer Bikes (shameless plug) in Nisswa and talk to us, the 2 guys that are there, the shop manager Shawn, rides a lot on the roads and know where the good routes are.

Now then as for Pillsbury I don't know what they have for hiking trails, and lastly for food, it's kinda hit and miss for vegetarian food. I know Lakes Latte (another shameless plug) in Pequot has good sandwiches, it's a create your own kinda thing, fill out the menu and they make it, and I know from working there all the food is really good.

So yeah, if you have any other questions or anything let me know, and drop into Trailblazers if you need anything for you bike, or if you want a different route to ride, and remember have fun.

[TrailPatrol]

However the other Paul...Paul Bunyan State Forest, west of Walker, is a whole different kettle of fish (mostly walleye). If you don't mind sharing the trail with a few dirt bikes, there is a lot of terrain in the PBSF. Lots of loops and sidebars, so you can get "losted" if you don't know what you are doing.

As always, carry the Mountain Biker's 10 Essentials (http://www.wintersnowtrails.org/biketravel.htm) with you anytime you ride in the backcountry.

(I tried to paste the list here, but the fourm wouldn't publish the paste, so click on the link above.)

Ride safe, Ride prepared.
:banana:
Hans

[Nickel]

Adam and Matt -- Thanks for the links. Just looking for a paved trail with pretty things to look at. I didn't realize Paul Bunyan intersected with streets -- I thought it went through the woods.

Sean -- Thanks for the info, we will try to stop in. Just riding mtbs with slicks and looking for distance and nice pictures

Hans -- I did see a lot of info about trails in the woods but I don't think I will be attempting any. Hitting up St. Cloud on the way up will take the mtbing out of me for the weekend. I appreciate the link to the essentials.

[tedsti]

I have ridden the trail north of Nisswa and did not find the intersections to be annoying at all. It is still far more pleasant than wondering if you are going to be run over while riding on the shoulder. Most of the trail is 50 to 100 feet to the side of a road.

[Nickel]

I didn't get to do the Paul Bunyan Trail. Well, we tried to (going through Pillsbury) but when we got to the first campsite both of the water pumps were dry. I'm glad we were only five miles in because it was really really hot out. On the way out we saw a multi-purpose trail and according to the map it looked like a 'shortcut'. It would have been nice but there were a bunch of downed trees. And the trail didn't seem as well marked as it had been indicated at the trailhead. On the way out the trail got pretty sketchy and looked like it hadn't been maintained or even used. We ended up in someone's backyard, which I was grateful for, I'm not sure if we ended up on an abandoned snowmobile trail or what. While on it, there were plenty of signs until we hit the 1 mile until rt 77. Then it just got real weird. Luckily, there was enough trail to find the way out.

I didn't know if you could report the dried water pumps or downed trees anywhere. I also don't know if that stuff is reported on a website? Or if you called the park office they would know?

[woody_8_5]

It is really easy to get turned around out there, LOL :laugh: ! I've lived in this area from the past 20 years and I still get turned around out there once in a while. As for all the downed trees we have been riding around them or getting off the bikes which sucks but its not a hard thing to do. The heat has been the biggest factor with not getting things cleaned up out there but I hope that all changes some time soon so we can get that done! As for the water I'm not to sure on that because that seems to be more for the horse back riders that hang out there and camp so I've never tried to get water from those spots, not the biggest horse fan. The DNR are the guy's that run all the water spots and supposedly the trail maintenance, which is also something they never get done. Well better luck next time and try to stop in at the LBS for a scope on the trails so you might get a better idea of what to expect. Its one thing when you talk to someone in person that lives in that area and know the trails instead of getting your info from a forum, not knocking the forum in any way guy's but its the truth. Use that town or cities LBS for trail info because they have the most contact with all the local riders who ride that areas trails and bike paths, that way you get sent in the right direction and have a enjoyable ride too. Cheers
Nick

[hockeynut]

The only section of the Paul Bunyan Trail that I've done actually has lots of little hills and turns and stuff. If you head north from Hackensack in a few miles you'll turn off from the old railbed and have some pretty fun rolling hills. Nothing too bad, but WAY different than a standard rails-to-trails trail. It stays that way until it intersects with the Heartland Trail outside of Akeley. Wish there was more than 6 or so miles of the hilly stuff.

[Matthew]

Where does the Paul Bunyon trail go through the Pillsbury? I am trying to figure out where Nickel was, but I can't think of anywhere that the paul Bunyon trail gets near the pillsbury state forest?

[Nickel]

Where does the Paul Bunyon trail go through the Pillsbury? I am trying to figure out where Nickel was, but I can't think of anywhere that the paul Bunyon trail gets near the pillsbury state forest?


If you were to start at where we started in Pillsbury, it would make a triangle with Nisswa and the start of the Paul Bunyon trail in Baxter. From where we were staying we could bike out to Baxter and go east on 77, go west on 77 around Gull Lake, or cut up through the Pillsbury state forest and bike a little bit on 77 until it intersected with 371 and get on the Paul Bunyon there.

I suppose we should have just bit the bullet and drove out to the trail head at Baxter but it seemed so silly at the time....why not bike to Nisswa and enjoy some forest on the way? If there was water at that first stop, I think it would have worked out but it was too hot to chance it. I was too worried we'd make it to the next campsite and not be able to pump out anything.

[Oddbjorn]

As Nickel points out, the Paul Bunyan does not go through Pillsbury Forest. The PB is a terrific, mostly flat (except for the hilly and twisty 8 miles through the Chipewa Forest north of Hackensack) paved trail. It's fun as a road ride without having to fight cars. You can ride all the way from Brainerd (soon from Crow Wing State Park 20 miles south of Brainerd) to Walker and Bemidji now on paved trails.

Pillsbury is 10 miles west of the the trail on the southwest side of Gull Lake. Lots of horses. Great hills though.

For those in the area, there is a three-mile stretch of very sweet singletrack on the east side of Hole-in-the-Day Lake between Lake Hubert and Hole-in-the-Day. I believe these trails are maintained by Camp Lincoln. They are not marked, but they are also not posted and I have never met another rider on them. Access right by the firing range at Camp Lincoln. Or just east off 371 on County Road 115 on the north side of Round Lake. You'll see the trail to your left about 200 yards east off of 371.

There's some challenging mountain biking on the ski/horse trails at French Rapids north of Brainerd, but, again--lots of horses.

Can't wait for the Cuyuna Trails to go online!!!

[woody_8_5]

As for the Camp Lincoln trails go me and some of the boy's do most of the maintenance and with those trails we do not try to advertise them a whole lot because the camp is getting a little weird about riding them, with adding some gun ranges to the camp I understand were they are coming from. If you try and ride the trail just go threw the trail till it comes back out to the road and turn around, the camp will never know you were there and every body will be happy. The French Rapids trails have been cut down a lot with all the additions to the air port but there are some section out there that are fun to ride and no horses too, so that's a little FYI on that too. Cheers

[TML]

Next time I'm up at our family's cabin (Fifty Lakes) and not too busy working on it, I'll have to take a side trip to go check out these trails.

[Oddbjorn]

Thanks for the update, Woody. Good advice on the turnaround by the camp.

[JeffroB]

The section of the Paul Bunyan from about 7 miles north of Hackensack to Highway 34 is the best ride you will ever do! The trail is very hilly (small hills but lots of them) and very windy and scenic. Lots of wildlife and little trafic if any. I have ridden it about 20 times in the last year and have seen more deer than people. The section from highway 34 to the Heartland was just finished about a month ago and is very nice. There is a nice parking area right off 34 if you want to go south and just do a out and back on the good stuff.

[mfx007]

My current experience (rode 9/10/06):

Nothing to make a special trip for, but if you are in the area and looking to get off road, is worth a try. Here is some info:

Map: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00039/index.html (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00039/index.html)

I started at the Walter Stark Assembly area and rode the loop south of the road back up to the Pilager Forest road. To make a 10 mile loop, can continue across the road, take a left on the "dotted grey" forest trail and back on the "lost lake trail". Knew the way since I rode it on horseback first, but not too difficult to find. It is possible to ride the rest of the trails shown also. All get sandy in spots. The first loop I mention is not too bad for sand. All are snowmobile-type trails with the grass kept low (horse snack) and two tracks .

If you want to get adventurous, you can take some of the side trails into the woods. Tight "singletrack" made by horseback riders. The main difficulty here is numerous down trees.

Trails are mainly used by horses. I have horses and have rode most of the trails by horseback and some by bike. If you come across horses, get off you bike until they pass. Stay by the side but still in view so that the riders and horses can see you. Even then sometimes horses will spook. Watch the blind corners, that can really spook a horse. Logs may be down because horses can step over logs. I think several logs were cleared recently because there was an organized horse ride there. All Saturday and Sundays until late afternoon might be busy with horses and more difficult to ride a bike there (I rode Sunday early afternoon- only ran into one group.