From Mining to mountain bike Trails

Abandoned by mining companies more than 50 years ago, Cuyuna carries a story rooted in resilience. Mining is the soul of this community, the history and heritage that shaped the land. These trails exist because of that legacy, and because of the hard work of those who came before us.

Mining defined the region from the early 1900s through the 1980s. When the mines closed, the community struggled, but the tailings piles and mine pits left behind became the foundation for something new. In 1993, the State of Minnesota established the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, preserving the land for future generations.

It took decades of vision, planning, and persistence from local advocates, volunteers, and state partners to turn that mining legacy into the trail system you see today. Without the mining history, there wouldn’t be the unique red dirt, mine lakes, and terrain that define Cuyuna. Without the people who pushed for recreation and fought for funding, these trails wouldn’t exist.

What was once an abandoned iron range is now a nationally recognized outdoor recreation destination, a true Cinderella story of heritage transformed into world-class trails.