My Favorite Midwest Bikepacking Route

This 572-mile route connects some of the Midwest’s finest trails, quiet backroads, small towns, state parks, and the Mississippi River between Chicago, Illinois and Saint Paul, Minnesota. Along the way, it passes through Lake Geneva, Kettle Moraine, Madison, Devil’s Lake, the Elroy-Sparta Trail, La Crosse, Lanesboro, Mystery Cave State Park, Frontenac State Park, and the Twin Cities. Filmed alone with a single camera, everything carried on the bike. Rode over ten days in May and June, 2025. ––– The Route: I created this RidewithGPS route several months after completing the ride, so I can’t guarantee that it perfectly matches every mile I rode. It does, however, accurately represent the overall route and the places I visited. If you’re planning to ride this route yourself, I encourage you to use it as a starting point rather than following it exactly. There are many great ways to ride between Chicago and Saint Paul, and your ideal route may look different depending on your daily mileage, camping preferences, and the places you’d like to see. I intentionally linked as many state parks as possible, and because I was filming this video, my daily mileage varied a lot. Build the route that best fits your own trip. Get out there and enjoy it! https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55094568 ––– Filming Notes: Fujifilm X-T5 23mm + 50mm f/2 primes 4K / 24fps Camera: https://amzn.to/4gu2nsT 23mm lens: https://amzn.to/4vu0obM 50mm lens: https://amzn.to/3RzurRr Drone: https://amzn.to/4fvulDs Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. ––– If you enjoyed this, consider subscribing. Thanks for watching.