The Northern Plains
Let’s head for the Northern Plains! Sparely populated North Dakota, aka the Peace Garden State, seems to have ample room for cyclists. The state maintains a number of trails; both off-road and paved.
Is mountain biking your thing? MTB trails vary widely in length. The Hillman Trail in Icelandic State Park is three-quarters of a mile long; the Maah Daah Hey trail system totals 144 miles.
Each of the MDH’s nine segments has its own unique character. It looks to me like MDH would make a complete vacation; take a day or two to explore each part. The trail system includes eleven campgrounds. Maybe pack along a tent, and stay on the trail until you’ve ridden all of it?
For we roadies who prefer to ride on paved surfaces, there are four parks offering such trails. All are short, ranging from 2.1 miles to 13 miles.
Missouri Valley Millennium Legacy Trail leads to interesting historical, cultural, and recreational points along the Missouri River. I think I’d enjoy that one. It would be great to have a look at the USA’s longest river.
The Cavlandic Trail is 13 miles out-and-back. It connects the city of Cavalier to Icelandic State Park. Perhaps you could enjoy the park, then pedal to Cavalier for dinner?
North Dakota has some of the most varied weather in the United States. June through August is the best time for outdoor activities. Winters can get very cold; well below zero degrees Fahrenheit.
Too cold for me! On second thought, I think I might do well to avoid the Northern Plains.
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