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When you tip-toe through the humble origin near Lake Itasca, you will never believe this trickle of water will be the “Mighty Mississippi” emptying into the Gulf of Mexico some 2552 miles downstream.
Your cycling journey will take you from the headwaters of the Mississippi along the borders of eleven states. The tour is southbound, but not all down-hill.
Indulge in cuisine varying from Wall-eyed Pike and wild rice, St. Louis-style Ribs to Crawfish Etouffee and powdered Beignets.
Along your route, enjoy the scenery on the 150-mile paved Paul Bunyan Trail, urban trails in Minneapolis, St. Louis, Memphis and the levee trails in Louisiana. Take in the rollers along the farmlands of Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. Relax or take in the sites of Anheuser Busch, The Arch or a day cruise on a riverboat in St. Louis. If you are a history buff, Memphis, Vicksburg and New Orleans will fill your head with facts on American, Native American and Civil War history. The impeccably maintained plantation houses of Louisiana will provide luxurious accommodations.
The Mississippi Bike tour is conveniently divided into 4 stages for those who cannot commit to the full 33-Day trek. The stages start and stop in major cities, making it easy to join any leg of the tour.
- Stage I (September 8 – 14, 2024)
Headwaters to Minneapolis; 5 Riding Days / 6 Nights – $3095 - Stage II (September 15 – 26, 2024)
Minneapolis to St. Louis – 11 Riding Days / 12 Nights – $4295 - Stage III (September 27 – October 2, 2024)
St. Louis to Memphis – 6 Riding Days / 6 Nights – $3195 - Stage IV (October 3 – 10, 2024)
Memphis to New Orleans – 9 Riding Days / 11 Nights – $3995
Starting Date
September 9, 2023. Registration is Open
Accommodations
All lodging is included
Special Note
We cannot accommodate tricycles or recumbent bicycles on our Epic tours.
Minneapolis Airport – pick up at 11 am; shuttle to Bemidji; bike fitting and Orientation Dinner
Itineraries
Day 1
(Sunday/September 9, 2024)
Shuttle to Headwaters – Bemidji – Paul Bunyan Trail – Walker
63.2 miles / 1421 ft elevation
Highlights: Headwater, Paul Bunyan Babe Statues
Day 2
(Monday/September 10, 2024)
Walker – Brainerd
71.4 Miles / 1695 ft elevation
Highlights: Paul Bunyan Trail
Day 3
(Tuesday/September 11, 2024)
Brainerd – St. Cloud
73.6 miles / 1085 ft elevation
Highlights: Charles Lindbergh Museum
Day 4
(Wednesday/September 12, 2024)
St. Cloud – Coon Rapids
61.6 miles / 1044 ft elevation
Highlights: Beaver Island Trail, Coon Rapid Dam
Day 5
(Thursday/September 13, 2024)
Coon Rapids – St. Paul
31.6 miles / 914 ft elevation
Highlights: Extensive Urban Trail systems
Day 6
Friday/September 14, 2024)
OFF DAY – Airport pick up, St. Paul by 2 pm
Start of Stage II (716.1 miles / 23,062 ft elevation)
Highlights: Downtown Minneapolis / St. Paul
Day 7
(Saturday/September 15, 2024)
St. Paul – Red Wing
57.7 miles / 2040 ft elevation
Highlights: St. Paul waterfront
Day 8
(Sunday/September 16, 2024)
Red Wing – Wabasha – La Crosse, WI
98 miles / 2355 ft elevation
Highlights: Lake Pepin, Kellogg, River crossing
Day 9
(Monday/September 17, 2024)
La Crosse – Prairie du Chien
61.8 miles / 1682 ft elevation
Highlights: History of PDC, Interpretive displays, Views from bluffs
Day 10
(Tuesday/September 18, 2024)
Prairie du Chien – Dubuque, IA
61.3 miles / 3891 ft elevation
Highlights: Rural county roads, Potosi – catfish capital of Wisconsin, Dickeyville, River crossing
Hotel: Holiday Inn (450 Main St, Dubuque, IA)
Day 11
(Wednesday/September 19, 2024)
Dubuque, IA – Fulton, IL
71.6 miles / 3062 ft elevation
Highlights: National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, rural riding, small towns
Day 12
(Thursday/September 20, 2024)
Fulton, IL – Davenport, IA
41.5 miles / 631 ft elevation
Highlights: Bellevue State Park
Day 13
(Friday/September 21, 2024)
Davenport, IA – Burlington, IA
79.6 miles / 1692 ft elevation
Day 14
(Saturday/September 22, 2024)
Burlington, IA – Keokuk, IA
48.1 miles / 1621 ft elevation
Highlights: Riverfront trails, Rural roads, Ft Madison, Hopewellian Mounds
Day 15
(Sunday/September 23, 2024)
Keokuk, IA – Hannibal, MO
60.6 miles / 1500 ft elevation
Highlights: Rolling Hills, Rural routes, MRT
Day 16
(Monday/September 24, 2024)
Hannibal, MO – Pere Marquette, IL
86.6 miles / 3603 ft elevation
Highlights: Mark Twain Hometown, Louisiana MO and cross MR into IL
Day 17
(Tuesday/September 25, 2024)
Pere Marquette, IL – St Louis, MO
49.3 miles / 985 ft elevation
Highlights: Chain of Rocks Bridge, cross MR back into MO, riverfront trails in St Louis
Day 18
(Wednesday/September 26, 2024)
OFF DAY in St Louis; 2pm Airport pickup
Start of Stage III (399.5 miles / 14,941 ft elevation)
Highlights: Gateway Arch, Budweiser Tour
Day 19
(Thursday/September 27, 2024)
St Louis, MO – St. Genevieve, MO
68.1 miles / 3573 ft elevation
Highlights: Arch, Mural, Wall, Rt 66, Pevy, St. Genevieve history and interpretive displays
Day 20
(Friday/September 28, 2024)
St. Genevieve, MO – Cape Girardeau, MO
76.1 miles / 3920 ft elevation
Highlights: Historic downtown Cape Girardeau, Dexter BBQ
Day 21
(Saturday/September 29, 2024)
Cape Girardeau, MO – Union, TN
90.9 miles / 2884 ft elevation
Highlights: Floodwall murals, Fruitland, rural routes, Louis and Clark expedition, Ferry to Kentucky
Day 22
(Sunday/September 30, 2024)
Union, TN – Covington, TN
100 miles / 2239 ft elevation
Highlights: Reelfoot lake, MRT, Landscapes changes
Day 23
(Monday/October 1, 2024)
Ripley, TN – Memphis, TN
64.4 miles / 2325 ft elevation
Highlights: Serious rural routing on the MRT
Day 24
(Tuesday/October 2, 2024)
Start of Stage IV (637.5 miles / 10,227 ft elevation)
Highlights: Riverfront attractions, Mud Island, Beall Street, local cuisine
Day 25
(Wednesday/October 3, 2024)
Memphis, TN – Helena, AR
90.8 miles / 2241 ft elevation
Highlights: Arkansas, Horseshoe Lake, Levee Wall Murals, Blues Heritage Trail
Day 26
(Thursday/October 4, 2024)
Helena, AR – Greenville, MS
100 miles / 913 ft elevation
Highlights: Moon Lake, Temple Mound, Rural Routing
Day 27
(Friday/October 5, 2024)
Greenville, MS – Vicksburg, MS
111.4 miles / 1106 ft elevation
Highlights: Rural – Flat riding
Day 28
(Saturday/October 6, 2024)
Rest Day in Vicksburg
Highlights: Guided tour at Vicksburg Battlefield National Park, Murals, Historic Downtown
Day 29
(Sunday/October 7, 2024)
Vicksburg, MS – Natchez, MS
83.5 miles / 4238 ft elevation
Highlights: Natchez Trace Parkway, Emerald Mound
Day 30
(Monday/October 8, 2024)
Natchez, MS – New Roads, LA
84.5 miles / 474 ft elevation
Highlights: Riverfront views from the bluffs, flat easy riding into Louisiana
Day 31
(Tuesday/October 9, 2024)
New Roads, LA – Baton Rouge, LA
45.7 miles / 568 ft elevation
Highlights: Downtown Baton Rouge, Levee trails
Day 32
(Wednesday/October 10, 2024)
Baton Rouge, LA – Darrow, LA
49.9 miles / 249 ft elevation
Highlights: Levee trails, LSU campus, Plaquemine ferry and locks, elegant plantation hotel settings
Day 33
(Thursday/October 11, 2024)
Darrow, LA – New Orleans, LA
71.7 miles / 438 ft elevation
Highlights: Levee trails, views of metro New Orleans, Audubon Park, Lafayette Cemetery, Garden District; bonus miles the following morning with an in-town tour
Total
2054.5 miles / 54,389 ft elevation
Included
All inclusive of meals on riding days, hotels, mechanic, guide and van support. No camping and no self supported options. Other details coming soon.
Not Included
- Airfare
- Meals on off days
- Souvenirs
- 12% gratuity for guides, mechanics, volunteers and tour staff is not included, but greatly appreciated
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