Minnesota named 'Best Trails State'

The announcement follows Minneapolis being named the No. 1 bicycling city in the U.S. by Bicycling Magazine and Minnesota being ranked the fourth most "bicycle friendly" state in the country by the League of American Cyclists.

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the state agency manages more than 600 miles of paved trails for biking, 1,000 miles of equestrian trails, 1,300 miles of cross-country skiing trails, 1,000 miles of off-highway vehicle trails, 4,400 miles of water trails, 1,000 miles of snowmobile trails and several thousand miles of hiking trails.

Trails managed through a grant-in-aid system by local units of government and local clubs include more than 21,000 miles of snowmobile trails, 700 miles of cross-country ski trails and 1,300 miles of off-highway vehicle trails. Thousands of additional trail miles are provided by national, regional, county and local units of government, as well as nonprofit organizations.

A University of Minnesota economic impact study found that spending by users of Minnesota trails totaled more than $2.4 billion in 2008 and that some 30,900 full-time and part-time jobs were supported by that revenue. Walking and hiking are the most popular activities on Minnesota trails, followed by biking, running, inline skating, ATV riding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and horseback riding.