Level: Intermediate
Length: 11 mi (17.7 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Network
Elevation: +500/503 ft
Total: 391 riders
Mountain Biking Lebanon Hills
#4 of 136 mountain bike trails in Minnesota
#205 in the world
Plain and simple: This trail has developed into the best trail in the Metro. MORC has taken the initiative in working with Dakota County to turn a really marginal doubletrack XC ski loop into the best riding in the Metro. In 2002 we added a new beginner (warm-up) loop directly out of the parking lot. It heads off from the southwest corner of the parking lot and wanders through the pine trees and grass fields of the north end of the park. Look for a new double expert loop to open up sometime early 2003! The rest of the trail loop starts at the same place, but heads up the gravel doubletrack. After a good climb and some rolling descents there is new singletrack heading off to the left. This dives into existing trail removing a few hundred yards of wide open field riding. This singletrack is really fun. It's fast, it's smooth, and it's winding. There's a good mix of everything... trees, rocks, roots. Where the old 'new' singletrack used to end and rejoin the XC ski trail, there is brand new singletrack that heads out straight across the doubletrack. This is one of the best areas of the entire park. It's wide open rolling singletrack. Once you get an idea of what the corners are like, you can really fly. This is a great intermediate singletrack section that would be fun for people of varied abilities. At the end of this new singletrack section you hop back onto the gravel doubletrack and start immediately into a new bypass climb. This climb last about a quarter of a mile. This bypass replaced the real steep gravel climbs that are now closed and being re-claimed due to erosion. The next section you come to is the expert/advanced singletrack. The trail is still really fun, but not nearly as insane as it used to be. There's still one log crossing in there that's steep enough that it gouges your big chainring despite lifting your wheels as you ride over it. The advanced singletrack section is much tighter than the rest of the singletrack at Lebanon, and has quite a few rock sections. The rocks are a ton of fun, and really well situated. Where the advanced singletrack section ends, you hang a right on some dirt doubletrack and head for the tree line. Just before you go into the trees, there's a new section heading off to the left. This new section replaces some older eroding XC ski trail. We did a lot of work to seed old trails back into nature last year and hope everyone enjoys the new routes that have been created. This last section is really a ton of fun as it has some fast winding descents. When you finish this, you're on the home stretch. Head back to the parking lot on double track, and start another lap.
First added by alvin.santoy on Dec 31, 2002. Last updated May 11, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: yes
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: yes
- Pump track: yes
- Restrooms: yes
- Fat bike grooming: yes
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
Assuming you are already in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro area:From the west (Savage area), hop on CR13. Stay on 13 past I-35W. Turn right on Cliff Road. Follow Cliff Road east over Hwy 77, and I-35E. Turn right on Johnny Cake Ridge Road. Half a mile on your right you'll see the park. From the south get on I-35, take I-35E at the split. Exit at Cliff Road. Take a right (east) and then turn right on Johnny Cake Ridge Road. Half a mile on your right you'll see the park.From the north get on I-35W heading south. Exit at CR13. Follow the directions from the west. OR Take Hwy 77 or I-35E south. Exit at Cliff Road. Follow directions from the west.
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Fantastic trails. Lots of variety for varying skills. Did the different loops several times to pick better lines. They have wrenches and pumps at the trail head.
| ThankAwesome trails andcleared out very well. Bugs were not bad either as far as I could tell.
| ThankMy preferred track for a perfect summer ride. It has all kind of turns, up/down hill, technical small obstacles to very advance. It gets very icy in the winter however, would be also great for winter fat bike on the snow only but the track gets icy pretty easily. The worse part about this track is the map. It doesn't tell where you are (doesn't have a "you are here" marker) but does have check point numbers and even that gets confusing because it doesn't match up with where you are. You have to go there many times to fully understand the map.
Will satisfy your biking pleasure in every way (except beautiful views for sight seeing). It's ranked 2nd for a reason.
| ThankI have ridden this trail and have fun every time. Good range from easy to difficult and in between. I have enjoyed the technical rides and the challenge in many places on the Black's and above. I am new at the sport and loving every minute of it.
| ThankThis place is fantastic, and the signage is perfect. The blue trails seem somewhat weak at times, but there are very sweet side trails with plenty of awesome rock features. The rock features are by far the best part of this trail system. Rocks aside the best part of this trail was all the sweet log drops. The only downside to the trail system was the lack of flow in some areas, it was more than made up for though by the plethora of incredible technical features.
| ThankPros
- Lots of flow runs
- Short Climbs
- the skills park is decent
- fav feature - log drops
Cons
| Thank- it is the most popular park in the cities and gets fairly busy on the trail during peak hours.
Best trails in the Twin Cities area. Green and Blue are flowy with very few tight spots; blue has some steep but short climbs. Red and Black add uphill and downhill rock gardens and larger drop offs. Couple of larger log piles. Black and Red are not for beginners.
| ThankI love these trails I go every day and it never gets old it's got everything from an easy flowy ride to crazy technical runs and some really nice jumps
| ThankI regularly enjoy the miles of varied, beautiful trails of Elm Creek where you're immersed in nature. This is rated higher, so we tried it thinking it would be an even better experience. However, there were fewer miles, lots of overhead planes, a highway to the side, rocks in the middle of the trail.
| ThankI really liked Lebanon Hills. I had never ridden it before, and had always shot up to Cuyuna for riding so I thought I'd be a bit underwhelmed with Lebanon - not the case.
Pros:
- Great place to practice drops, rockgardens, and log jumping.
-Well packed dirt made for fast riding and enabled tight, fast turns without much slip.
-Great facility at the trailhead with water, bathrooms, tools, pumps, picnic tables under shade, etc.
-Good trail layout and design. I Like that the most technical terrain is located in the core of the park, allowing intermediate roders to stick to the outer trails and do a fun loop all the way around, without having to check the map every 5 minutes to ensure you don't get stuck in a spot thats above your ability.
-The skills park is pretty cool on the way out.
Cons:
-Lebanon Hills is a much larger regional park. Be sure to park at the correct trailhead as the trails leaving the other trail heads are for hiking only.
-Not as large as Cuyuna, but hey, still cool.
-Almost no loose rock to scramble through - although plenty of half buried rock to play on.
All in all, a pretty great trail system. My new 2nd favorite in MN. I will go to Lebanon for honing my drops, jumps, rock and log hopping and I will go to Cuyuna for more of a weekend adventure, all day riding, and flow factor.
| ThankAwesome set of trails ranging from beginner green loops to technical red loop. Great flow and awesome scenery. Very well taken care of.
| ThankSo many great trails! Well maintained tracks and fun for all ability levels. When looking for the trails make sure you search Lebanon Hills Pilot Knob!
| ThankThis trail system has something for everyone.I just started MTB last summer and started here on the green loops. Now its my go to a few times a week. Plenty of challenging terrain and great flow. A must if you are in the area.
| ThankProbably the biggest, managed trail system I've been on. Lots of trails for every level of rider.
| ThankRode pretty much everything here. All of the advanced lines and everything marked Extremely Difficult. Tons of fun. Intermediate and beginner trails have some good flow sections. Lots of rocks on the advanced lines. Some step up and drops on the more advanced lines. Really something for everyone here. A must-ride if you are in the area. I would give it 5 stars but some of the obstacles have sudden transition (sudden big rock gardens, drops, etc) and make a new to the area rider tentative.
| ThankAwesome singletrack! Lots of rock gardens!
| ThankNice use of terrain. Quality facilities!
Lebanon is a GREAT place to ride,
| ThankLebanon is a GREAT place to ride,
| ThankLebanon is a GREAT place to ride,
| ThankAwesome trail, would be back next time when I am in the area. I did not like the traffic of mountain bikers.
| Thank