Minnesota Root River Ride 2025

Date: Sep 2-4, 2025, Tuesday - Thursday

Time: See ride description below

Start Location: Cottage House Inn, 209 Parkway Ave N, Lanesboro, MN 55949

Event Leaders: Jack & Cindy Lichtenauer

Event Leader Contact Phone : (815) 978-2504

Event Leader Email: jack.lichtenauer@gmail.com

RSVP: Please RSVP directly to Jack Lichtenauer using the above contact information.

Event Description:

Please join us for Root River 2025. A three-day trail ride Tuesday September 2nd, Wednesday the 3rd, and Thursday the 4th. Meet at The Cottage House Inn at 2:30 pm for 22-mile pie ride. The Cottage House Inn is in Lanesboro Minnesota, a five-hour drive from Arlington Heights. 

These are paved railway trails roughly following the Root River in the beautiful driftless area of Southwest Minnesota. Mostly flat but there are a few nice hills. 

We typically stay at the Cottage House Inn. But there are also other very nice places in in Lanesboro. I understand there is camping too. 

This year so far, it looks like we have six riders. We tend to go the full length of the trails and average between 10 and 12 mph. All routes are out and backs and therefore easy to shorten, by turning around. 

Tuesday:  Mount bikes at 2:30 PM. Lanesboro to Fountain and back. Distance 22.1 mi. Elevation 617 ft.

Wednesday meet for breakfast at Pastry Shoppe:  8:00 AM. Lanesboro to Houston and back. Distance 64.7 mi. Elevation 1030 ft.

Thursday meet for breakfast at Pastry Shoppe:  9:00 AM. Lanesboro to Harmony and back. Distance 45.9 mi. Elevation 1135 ft.

We’ll do dinner after riding on Tuesday, and Wednesday, 

If you’re planning to come let me know. If you have questions, please ask them. 

Root River Trail website: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/root_river/index.html 

Trail map: https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_trails/rootriver_harmonypreston.pdf 

RWGPS: Ride leader will provide route guidance.

Ride Start Location