Epic Mississippi River Bike Tour

Mississippi River Bike Tour

Overview

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 9 – 14, 2023)
    Headwaters to Minneapolis; 5 Riding Days / 6 Nights – $3095
  • Stage II (September 15 – 26, 2023)
    Minneapolis to St. Louis – 11 Riding Days / 12 Nights – $4295
  • Stage III (September 27 – October 2, 2023)
    St. Louis to Memphis – 6 Riding Days / 6 Nights – $3195
  • Stage IV (October 3 – 12, 2023)
    Memphis to New Orleans – 9 Riding Days / 11 Nights – $3995

Starting Date

September 9, 2023

Registration is Open

Recognized in Forbes | Cycle of Life Adventures
Recently Recognized in Forbes

Details

Rider Level

Active – Advanced

Distance

2,057 miles

Meals
All breakfasts, dinners and picnic lunches on riding days.
Accommmodations

All lodging is included

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

Dates

September 9 – October 12, 2023

Pricing

Per Person
$13,800/person
  • All inclusive of meals on riding days, hotels, mechanic, guide and van support. No camping and no self supported options.
  • Single Room Supplement - $140/day; $3300/entire tour
  • Rental Bike - $195/week; $800/entire tour
Does this look like fun? Book this tour today!

Itinerary

Day 0 (Saturday/September 9, 2023)

Minneapolis Airport – pick up at 11 am; shuttle to Bemidji; bike fitting and Orientation Dinner

Day 1 (Sunday/September 10, 2023)

Shuttle to Headwaters – Bemidji – Paul Bunyan Trail – Walker

63.2miles / 1407 ft elevation

Highlights: Headwater, Paul Bunyan Babe Statues

Day 2 (Monday/September 11, 2023)

Walker – Brainerd

71.8 Miles / 1695 ft elevation

Highlights: Paul Bunyan Trail

Day 3 (Tuesday/September 12, 2023)

Brainerd – St. Cloud

77.2 miles / 1000 ft elevation

Highlights: Charles Lindbergh Museum

Day 4 (Wednesday/September 13, 2023)

St. Cloud – Coon Rapids

62.4 miles / 1457 ft elevation

Highlights: Beaver Island Trail, Coon Rapid Dam

Day 5 (Thursday/September 14, 2023)

Coon Rapids – St. Paul

32.6 miles / 1076 ft elevation

Highlights: Extensive Urban Trail systems

Day 6 (Friday/September 15, 2023)

OFF DAY – Airport pick up, St. Paul by 2 pm

Start of Stage II (712 miles / 22,400 ft elevation)

Highlights: Downtown Minneapolis / St. Paul

Day 7 (Saturday/September 16, 2023)

St. Paul – Red Wing

54 miles / 1693 ft elevation

Highlights: St. Paul waterfront

Day 8 (Sunday/September 17, 2023)

Red Wing – Wabasha – La Crosse, WI

98.2 miles / 2259 ft elevation

Highlights: Lake Pepin, Kellogg, River crossing

Day 9 (Monday/September 18, 2023)

La Crosse – Prairie du Chien

59.8 miles / 1640 ft elevation

Highlights: History of PDC, Interpretive displays, Views from bluffs

Day 10 (Tuesday/September 19, 2023)

Prairie du Chien – Dubuque, IA

77.7 miles / 4274 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 20, 2023)

Dubuque, IA – Fulton, IL

64.2 miles / 3364 ft elevation

Highlights: National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, rural riding, small towns

Day 12 (Thursday/September 21, 2023)

Fulton, IL – Davenport, IA

41 miles / 649 ft elevation

Highlights: Bellevue State Park

Day 13 (Friday/September 22, 2023)

Davenport, IA – Burlington, IA

77.5 miles / 1781 ft elevation

Day 14 (Saturday/September 23, 2023)

Burlington, IA – Keokuk, IA

48.6 miles / 1730 ft elevation

Highlights: Riverfront trails, Rural roads, Ft Madison, Hopewellian Mounds

Day 15 (Sunday/September 24, 2023)

Keokuk, IA – Hannibal, MO

62.1 miles / 1535 ft elevation

Highlights: Rolling Hills, Rural routes, MRT

Day 16 (Monday/September 25, 2023)

Hannibal, MO – Pere Marquette, IL

80.2 miles / 2387 ft elevation

Highlights: Mark Twain Hometown, Louisiana MO and cross MR into IL

Day 17 (Tuesday/September 26, 2023)

Pere Marquette, IL – St Louis, MO

48.9 miles / 1088 ft elevation

Highlights: Chain of Rocks Bridge, cross MR back into MO, riverfront trails in St Louis

Day 18 (Wednesday/September 27, 2023)

OFF DAY in St Louis; 2pm Airport pickup

Start of Stage III (395 miles / 13,460 ft elevation)

Highlights: Gateway Arch, Budweiser Tour

Day 19 (Thursday/September 28, 2023)

St Louis, MO – St. Genevieve, MO

67.6 miles / 3687 ft elevation

Highlights: Arch, Mural, Wall, Rt 66, Pevy, St. Genevieve history and interpretive displays

Day 20 (Friday/September 29, 2023)

St. Genevieve, MO – Cape Girardeau, MO

68.4 miles / 3375 ft elevation

Highlights: Historic downtown Cape Girardeau, Dexter BBQ

Day 21 (Saturday/September 30, 2023)

Cape Girardeau, MO – Union, TN

94.0 miles / 1806 ft elevation

Highlights: Floodwall murals, Fruitland, rural routes, Louis and Clark expedition, Ferry to Kentucky

Day 22 (Sunday/October 1, 2023)

Union, TN – Ripley, TN

99.6 miles / 2234 ft elevation

Highlights: Reelfoot lake, MRT, Landscapes changes

Day 23 (Monday/October 2, 2023)

Ripley, TN – Memphis, TN

65.4 miles / 2401 ft elevation

Highlights: Serious rural routing on the MRT

Day 24 (Tuesday/October 3, 2023)

OFF DAY in Memphis

Start of Stage IV (623 miles / 9880 ft elevation)

Highlights: Riverfront attractions, Mud Island, Beall Street, local cuisine

Day 25 (Wednesday/October 4, 2023)

Memphis, TN – Helena, AR

92.5 miles / 1325 ft elevation

Highlights: Arkansas, Horseshoe Lake, Levee Wall Murals, Blues Heritage Trail

Day 26 (Thursday/October 5, 2023)

Helena, AR – Greenville, MS

102 miles / 1127 ft elevation

Highlights: Moon Lake, Temple Mound, Rural Routing

Day 27 (Friday/October 6, 2023)

Greenville, MS – Vicksburg, MS

102.5 miles / 762 ft elevation

Highlights: Rural – Flat riding

Day 28 (Saturday/October 7, 2023)

Rest Day in Vicksburg

Highlights: Guided tour at Vicksburg Battlefield National Park, Murals, Historic Downtown

Day 29 (Sunday/October 8, 2023)

Vicksburg, MS – Natchez, MS

82.1 miles / 4184 ft elevation

Highlights: Natchez Trace Parkway, Emerald Mound

Day 30 (Monday/October 9, 2023)

Natchez, MS – New Roads, LA

85 miles / 491 ft elevation

Highlights: Riverfront views from the bluffs, flat easy riding into Louisiana

Day 31 (Tuesday/October 10, 2023)

New Roads, LA – Baton Rouge, LA

59.8 miles / 1080 ft elevation

Highlights: Downtown Baton Rouge, Levee trails

Day 32 (Wednesday/October 11, 2023)

Baton Rouge, LA – Darrow, LA

43.3 miles / 236 ft elevation

Highlights: Levee trails, LSU campus, Plaquemine ferry and locks, elegant plantation hotel settings

Day 33 (Thursday/October 12, 2023)

Darrow, LA – New Orleans, LA

75.8 miles / 500 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

“Super beautiful, well done! If you are looking for a magical and romantic place then this is a great place to go! I’d recommend this to anyone who loves a good adventure!”
Ali McBeth
Adventurer

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