Ride Hennepin

We invite you to ride in Hennepin County.

500 miles of off-street bikeways and 259 miles of on-street bikeways connecting 45 cities and 1.2 million residents

You have places to go. We'll help you get there. Hennepin County has miles of bikeways that connect people with places, and our 2040 bike plan is designed to keep biking simple, safe and fun for everyone.

Use the interactive county bike map

Fall

This is prime biking time. Enjoy the crisp air, low humidity and absence of bugs.

As the days get shorter, be sure to use your front and rear lights.

Great fall trip: head to a regional or state park to take in fall's colors.

Trips to take each season

winter snowflake

Winter

Stick with it! Don't give up with the first cold day or snowfall.

Use lights, reflectors and reflective clothing to keep yourself visible.

Great winter trip: near sunset, bike to the middle of a safely frozen lake. Lie down and watch the sky blend night with day.

spring icon

Spring

Get out and enjoy the sunshine as winter comes to a close.

Use caution on melting paths and streets, as ice can be hard to see.

Great spring trip: explore the paths along the Mississippi to watch the birds return and plants bloom.

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Summer

Protect your skin from the sun with sunscreen or clothing.

Be mindful of the influx of people who are enjoying the outdoors.

Great summer trip: ride to your farmers market for some fresh local food.

Hennepin County named a Bicycle Friendly Community

The League of American Bicyclists named Hennepin County a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community, a distinction held by only a handful of communities nationwide. Hennepin is the first county in the state to earn the status at any level; no standalone county in the country has a higher ranking.

You deserve a big thank-you for biking in Hennepin County. Keep it up and continue to #ridehennepin. Learn more about the status and criteria at www.bikeleague.org/community.

How do you bike?

People tend to identify with one of four broad attitudes when it comes to biking. What’s your current attitude toward biking?

A man and child riding bikes on a trail path

"I bike trails on the weekends."

Interested but concerned

You enjoy biking for fun, but usually don’t bike to get somewhere. About half of people biking are in this category. Comfort and safety are priorities for you, especially separation from cars.

"I biked here."

Enthused and confident

You know the best routes, how to carry stuff and which roads to avoid. You bike to get places when it makes sense, and sometimes just because it’s fun. You like bike lanes and good trails, but you’re fine in light mixed traffic if it’s where you need to go. You’re in the company of about eight percent of people who bike in this style.

A group of bicyclists in full gear riding together on a road

"I bike faster than you drive."

Strong and fearless

You’re at ease on shoulders or operating in lanes with cars and trucks. You live to bike, whether for fitness, transportation or just because you can. There’s a good chance you’ve got a closet full of bike gear and will spend the money to shave a few ounces off your bike(s). Although the Strong and Fearless cover a lot of miles, they make up less than one percent of the population.

A man laying on the grass and enjoying a view.

"Biking's not my thing."

Not able or interested

Maybe you’re too busy to bike at this point in your life, or you’re physically unable to bike.

Even if you don’t bike, you can benefit from others biking. It means cleaner air and water, less noise and fewer cars on the road. If you ever do try biking, we’ll have the bikeways waiting for you.

Ride safe

Whether making a quick commute, taking a leisurely ride or heading out on a day trip, remember these tips to stay safe:

Protect yourself

Wear a helmet, and make sure your bike has working brakes.

Be predictable

Bike in the same direction as traffic and in a straight path. Use bike lanes and bike through the center of the painted bike symbol. Use hand signals, avoid weaving around parked cars.

Stay alert

Use caution near large vehicles—never pass on the right, avoid blind spots, and don’t bike distracted.

Obey the rules of the road

Stop at ALL red lights and stop signs, yield to pedestrians, and follow the same rules as pedestrians when riding in crosswalks.

Keep right

Bike closely to the right edge of the road unless you’re in a bike lane or shoulder, or if you’re passing, turning or avoiding hazards. Only bike two abreast if you’re not impeding traffic flow.

Light the night

Use a white headlight and red taillight when biking at night.

Ride smart

Hennepin County has a variety of facilities that help make getting around by bike easier. Know how to use them before you go.

Bikeable shoulders

Motorized traffic is separated from bike traffic with a solid white line. Unlike bike lanes, shoulder dimensions may vary depending on the road and may disappear in constrained areas to make room for bypass or turn lanes.

Bike between the solid line and the right edge of the shoulder.

Multi-use trails

Physically separated from motorized vehicle traffic and designed for people bicycling, walking and using other non-motorized transportation.

Follow marked speed limits, keep to the right, yield to pedestrians and obey yield and stop signs.

Bike boulevards

Lower traffic, lower speed residential streets designed to prioritize bicycle travel.

Bike in the center of the right lane (along the painted bike symbols) where others can see you and where you stay clear of opening car doors.

Protected bike lanes

Protected from motorized traffic by curbs, parked cars, planters, posts or other barriers.

Watch for pedestrians and for cars turning across the protected bike lane.

Buffered bike lanes

Similar to conventional bike lanes but with designated buffer space next to the bike lane.

Stay in the middle of the bike lane and out of the buffer space to stay visible and away from parked cars.

Bike lanes

Designated for biking, bike lanes typically run along the edge of a street and are marked with solid white lines and a bike symbol.

Bike in the center of the lane, through the middle of the bike symbol and watch for cars and trucks entering the bike lane to turn or park.

Bike boxes

Marked spaces generally behind crosswalks allow people biking to position themselves ahead of motorized vehicles at an intersection for greater visibility when making left turns.

Pull forward into a bike box to stay visible or position yourself to turn.

Dashed green paint

Dashed green paint indicate where bikes and cars frequently cross paths.

Both people biking and driving should be vigilant near dashed green paint and double check blind spots.

Bike signals

Bike-specific traffic signals light up with a bike symbol.

When biking, obey the bike signal just as you would any other signal.