Iron Range Ramble: Northern Minnesota Motorcycle Ride

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Iron Range Ramble: Northern Minnesota Motorcycle Ride

A quick stop along State Route 38 to warm up and get the blood moving. (Photos by the author)

For motorcycle enthusiasts, northern Minnesota offers some of the best riding in the Midwest, combining scenic beauty with rich history and small-town charm. My son, Chad, and I took a fall northern Minnesota motorcycle ride. Each stop along the way delivered something unique, making this a great late-season trip that included interesting history, friendly local businesses, and fall colors.

It was around 40 degrees before heading north out of Grand Rapids along the Edge of the Wilderness route toward Effie.

Sauk Centre to Grand Rapids | Northern Minnesota Motorcycle Ride

Our first stop was Sauk Centre, the birthplace of Sinclair Lewis. This author helped put the town on the map. He published 24 novels and 70 short stories, even winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, and I made a mental note to read some of his works. Before leaving Sauk Centre, we checked out his boyhood home, imagining what life must have been like growing up in the late 1800s. Main Street's relaxed, small-town pace set the tone for the rest of our journey.

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After riding north through Long Prairie on U.S. Route 71 and east on State Highway 27, we arrived in Little Falls, a town nestled along the Mississippi River and the Great River Road. Little Falls is rich in history and was the childhood home of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh. His home rests on a choice piece of real estate right on the river. A visit to the Charles A. Lindbergh State Park or the Charles Lindbergh House and Museum is worth the stop. The historic downtown and riverfront offer a perfect place to gas up.

Our first stop of the trip was at the birthplace of Sinclair Lewis in Sauk Centre.

Continuing northwest, Brainerd was next on the itinerary. Known for its lakes and outdoor activities, Brainerd offers a quintessential northern Minnesota experience and is a popular vacation spot for residents of the Twin Cities area. While it's famous as a fishing destination, Brainerd also has miles of scenic highways that cut through dense forests and rise over rolling hills. 

The historic Palmer House, the first building in Sauk Centre to receive electricity, has been operating as a hotel since the 1920s.

The town has a rich motorhead history and is home to Brainerd International Raceway. Built in 1968, this road course has hosted many stars of NASCAR fame, such as Ken Schrader and Jimmy Spencer, as well as Indy 500 names like Al Unser and Tom Sneva. Actor Paul Newman won his first professional race at BIR. The track started hosting motorcycle competitions in 1982 and continues with MotoAmerica superbike racing. With the season over and the facility deserted at the time of our trip, I was able to wind my Harley-Davidson Pan America through several spectator areas and onto the hallowed track. It felt surreal to place my "Dirt Glide" on the finish line for a photo. 

The historic Brainerd Water Tower was the first all-concrete elevated tank used in the United States.

As clouds moved in, we pulled into Rafferty's Pizza in the neighboring resort town of Nisswa near Gull Lake. The pizza was good, and the town was alive with Octoberfest celebrations and live music.

In front of Brainerd International Raceway.

Leaving the busy streets of Brainerd and Nisswa, we rode east into Remer, a small town with a big claim to fame – it's often referred to as Minnesota's "Home of Bigfoot." Our gas stop was full of Bigfoot references. The cashier had never seen the beast but had heard stories from people claiming to have spotted the elusive creature. She said Remer hosts Bigfoot Days every July, and the Minnesota Bigfoot Conference was being held up the road at our next stop in Grand Rapids. We fired down the tree-lined State Highway 6, leaving the Bigfoot mystery unsolved.

Plenty of fun during Octoberfest in Nisswa.

Grand Rapids marked the midpoint of our trip and was our overnight stop. We chose the Hotel Rapids, a charming boutique hotel with a bar and bistro. Its history is illustrated on the walls of the bistro and in the rooms, and the facility even includes a standalone yurt available to rent for special events. The staff was friendly and full of recommendations about what to see and do in town. We took one of the recommendations and headed out on foot to the Rapids Brewing Company, which features craft brews, wood-fired pizza, live music, and a fun atmosphere. 

We stopped for gas in Remer, keeping a watchful eye on the woods.

Strolling around town, we were struck by the combination of old-town history with modern businesses. Many of the buildings had been repurposed as retail outlets, community centers, and art studios, such as the Old Central School and the Pokegama Hotel. Murals decorated many building walls, like the nonprofit MacRostie Art Center. Towering over town is the Blandin Paper Mill, whose former owner, Charles Blandin, established the Blandin Foundation with a goal of revitalizing rural and small-town communities. I'd say those efforts are paying off. After a long walk among the city blocks, we returned to the Hotel Rapids to check out their fantastic desert crepes.

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One of the many murals we saw walking around Grand Rapids.

Edge of the Wilderness to Hibbing | Northern Minnesota Motorcycle Ride

The next day, we were greeted with cloudy gray skies and temperatures in the mid-40s. It seemed like a good time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of crepes and cereal at the hotel. Before leaving, we stopped by the Judy Garland Museum, celebrating the actress famous for her role in The Wizard of Oz. It was closed, so we'll have to visit another time. We had heard about a great motorcycle road and were eager to find it, so we fueled up and moved on.

There's always a place for Paul Bunyan to rest in Northern Minnesota.

Heading north out of town, we picked up State Highway 38, the Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway, a highlight of the trip. This 47-mile stretch of road winds through the Chippewa National Forest with breathtaking views of dense foliage, pristine lakes, and wildlife. The road's curves and elevation changes make it a motorcyclist's dream, while the serene natural beauty offers plenty of opportunities for photo stops and enjoying the quiet of the Northwoods. 

Central School operated as an elementary school from 1895-1972. Today it is a hub for commerce, culture, and community events.

Along the way, we noticed signs indicating that this area is part of the Laurentian Divide, which marks the division where water rolls either north to the Hudson Bay and the Arctic Ocean or south into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The quiet scenery was soon shattered as we rumbled up the road with occasional stops to see local businesses, such as the Big Timber Resort, the Pine Cone Soup & Sandwich Cafe, and Timberwolf Inn, all located along the byway near the town of Marcell.

The Laurentian Divide, which delineates the flow of water north and south, was a cool discovery.

Knowing we were at the northernmost point of our ride, we gassed up in Effie and headed east to the town of Virginia and Minnesota's Iron Range. Temperatures stayed in the mid-40s, which was okay for me with my Aerostich heated vest and heated grips, but Chad started looking skyward for any sign of the sun breaking through to provide some warmth.

A quick stop in Bigfork to check out the Edge of the Wilderness marker.

As we rode southeast to Virginia, we left the forests and entered rolling hills and farmland into the heart of the Iron Range. Virginia offers a glimpse into the state's mining history, with several points of interest, including the Minnesota Discovery Center. The roads here are more open, offering sweeping views of the Iron Range's rugged beauty and tailing hills. While the road required us to slow down for 90-degree turns, the ride was a cold one, and I was guessing Chad was ready to thaw out. With some light precipitation beginning to fall, we decided to warm up at the local McDonalds. You know it's cold when even hot apple pies don't warm you up.

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Continuing our journey, we rolled into Hibbing, a town with a storied past. Known for its role in Minnesota's iron mining industry, the Hull Rust Mine View is the best place to witness one of the largest open-pit iron mines in the world. The mine stretches more than 3 miles long, 2 miles wide, and 535 feet deep. Since iron ore shipments began in 1895, more than 800 million tons of ore have been removed from the 2,000-acre site. The visitor center is worth a stop.

One of many lakes along the scenic byway.

Hibbing is known as "the town that moved" because the town had to shift 2 miles south as mining operations expanded. Nearly 200 homes and buildings were relocated using horses, tractors, and specially constructed wooden rails, logs, and steel cables.

The Hull Rust Mine View displays historic mining equipment on top of an overlook. At 6 feet, I was dwarfed by the scale of the machinery.

With the clouds finally parting and sun poking through, we began to warm up as we rolled into the Greyhound Bus Museum, whose buses started service in 1914 and became an iconic American transportation brand. Hibbing is also notable as the town where musician Bob Dylan grew up.

Outside Chisholm stands "The Emergence of Man Through Steel," the fifth-largest freestanding statue in the United States.

From the literary roots of Sauk Centre to the mining heritage of Hibbing, this motorcycle ride through northern Minnesota delivers a great blend of history, scenic beauty, and fun stops. For anyone looking to ride in northern Minnesota, this route provides everything you need for an unforgettable experience on two wheels.

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SIDEBAR: Hotel Rapids

Located a short walk from downtown Grand Rapids, the boutique Hotel Rapids blends historic charm with modern luxury. The beautifully restored building showcases vintage photos that honor the hotel's rich heritage. Guests can unwind at the cozy bar and bistro, which specializes in crepes and craft cocktails. Rooms feature high-speed wi-fi, flat-panel TVs, refrigerators, coffee makers, and microwaves. Visit the Hotel Rapids website for rates and reservations.

Northern Minnesota Motorcycle Ride Resources

• Minnesota Tourism
• Brainerd
• Effie/Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway
• Grand Rapids
• Hotel Rapids
• Iron Range Tourism
• Little Falls
• Nisswa
• Remer
• Sauk Centre

Chuck Cochran had his first taste of two-wheeled freedom at age 11 when he rode his friend's minibike through a neighbor's fence. He has owned more than a dozen motorcycles, and he tours regularly on his Harley-Davidson Pan America. He lives in Minnesota.

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