Root River State Trail

Forty-two paved miles alongside the Root River from Fountain to Houston, through the bluff country of southeast Minnesota. Lanesboro, near the middle, is the natural base: the depot trail center has restrooms during the day, and there is a large parking lot by the Bass Ponds. Most of the trail is level, though the Fountain end has a long hill and the stretch near Houston has some steeper grades. It connects with the 18-mile Harmony-Preston Valley State Trail for more than 60 miles of trail in all. A gentle out-and-back from Lanesboro to the Harmony-Preston junction, about 4.5 miles each way, is an easy first ride for a family.