Ride the River Ramble Every October

October 8, 2023!

For a city so close—just 77 scenic miles from the Twin Cities—Mankato may be Minnesota’s best-kept bicycling secret! Visit Mankato and North Mankato to discover great cities where bicycling is big!

Join us and discover some of Minnesota’s most delightful bicycling. The Mankato River Ramble celebrates the best bike routes, baked goods, and live music to be found in Southern Minnesota. Beyond rivers and lakes, waterfalls, and award-winning pies; the city now sports one of the largest artworks in the state — a ten-story-tall silo mural by Guido van Helten that honors Native Americans who have lived here for untold generations.

Expect live bands and delicious refreshments at all four rest stops and the Land of Memories staging area. The Ramble is fully supported with sag wagons, ride marshals, and mechanics.

more about the route & Details

The Routes & Details

The Mankato River Ramble showcases some of the most beautiful areas of the state at the most beautiful time of year! See our list of routes with something for everyone to experience.

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What Riders Love

T-Shirts & Jerseys

Enjoy the ride a little more with Mankato River Ramble t-shirts & jerseys. Available for purchase on eventbrite registration page.

Volunteer

We need volunteers to to help make the Mankato River Ramble a success – volunteer!

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The Story

Discover how the River Ramble became a Mankato Tradition!

The Mankato River Ramble is made possible through a partnership between the Greater Mankato Bike & Walk Advocates and the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota. These two organizations came together to create the Ramble because they, and others throughout the state, believe that the Mankato and North Mankato areas provide some of the best bicycling and fall colors that Minnesota has to offer. Greater Mankato has been named a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Check out pictures from past River Rambles here and get a feel for what you can expect! Read this great article about the 2021 ride.

MN’s Classic Bike Ride

Don’t forget to sign up for the Tour of Saints and Saint Paul Classic Bike Tour too!

If you have never participated in the River Ramble, mark your calendar for this classic Minnesota autumn ride (typically held annually on the 2nd Sunday in October). BikeMN also helps put on Fergus Falls’ Lake Alice 100 in May, the Tour of Saints every July, Albert Lea’s Rock-n-Roll the Lakes and the Saint Paul Classic in September. These rides draws thousands of bicyclists each year. Join us for one or both of these non-competitive, go-at-your-own-pace tours. Proceeds from the Mankato River Ramble go to The Greater Mankato Bike & Walk Advocates and are used for bicycle projects and programs throughout Greater Mankato.

About

The Greater Mankato Bike & Walk Advocates

The mission of the Greater Mankato Bike/Walk Advocates is to help Mankato become a Bicycle Friendly Community by advocating, educating, and encouraging people to use their bicycles while improving their health, reducing congestion and pollution and making Greater Mankato a better, more livable community. While there are many citizens and visitors who already love to bike and walk around the community, there are areas that we can improve on to make it even safer. We want to encourage people to use biking and walking as a viable means of transportation. Contact Greater Mankato Bike Walk Advocates for more information. Learn more here

Additional Resources

Looking for some off-bike adventure?

Minneopa State Park is now home where the buffalo roam. Perched on the bluffs above the Minnesota River, there are eight miles of hiking trails including a five-mile loop around the 330-acre bison enclosure. Motorists can opt for a prairie safari by driving slowly through the enclosure. Craft your own triathlon by combining a canoe trip with hiking and biking. Float down the beautiful Blue Earth River on your own or with Bent River Outfitter. They offer guided kayak, canoe and stand-up paddle-board trips.

More time on the bike:

Want to warm up your legs before the Ramble? Go mountain biking! Mankato Area Mountain Bikers, with funding from Ramble revenue, work hard to maintain and lay new single-track in the Mankato and St. Peter area – check it out! Visit mankatoareamountainbikers.org or visitgreatermankato.com for details on all five local mountain bike areas.