Paul's Narrow Thicket Bike Path

Trail Overview

This shorter trail in Paul Bunyan State Forest is a tame but extremely narrow cut-through running parallel to the highway. There are a few rocks but overall quite smooth and comfortable. Some larger lakes are along the path which is very pretty, especially with the fall colors. Your handlebars are likely to hit trees as some spots get tight. The northern side of the trail is a fair amount of new growth but is still very dense. General Note on Trail Riding in MN: Many trails heavily change in difficulty depending on the time of the year, weather conditions, and proximity to the trailhead. These areas have lots of birch trees which will routinely drop over trails. Many local clubs tend to the trails but there may be obstacles that come up if there was a thunderstorm the week prior. Rain and snow can also heavily change the trails as often rutted trails get more washed out, puddles become deeper, mud is stickier, and rocks/roots become slippery. The time of year can also dramatically change the landscape. Some trails that seem wide open after fall can be very dense and narrow before leaves begin to fall. Once birch leaves have fallen, trails become unpredictable as everything is covered by the leaves except larger obstacles. I have also seen a black bear once so it may be advantageous to carry some bear spray as a precaution but for many years it only happened once and just by dumpsters.

Photos of Paul's Narrow Thicket Bike Path

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Difficulty

A few inclines and declines with some minor rocks and roots but overall the challenge of the trail is due to the extremely close trees on both sides of the trail.

Technical Rating