Join us for Bike the Arb! Cyclists are encouraged to leave behind their cars for the day and bike to the Arboretum by utilizing the Highway 5 Regional Trail. Biking to the Arboretum is a great way to experience nature, get some exercise and reduce your carbon footprint in the process. Once you arrive, expect a host of bike-related activities to keep you entertained. Check out the schedule below for details.
Free admission will be granted to everyone who chooses to bike instead of drive to the Arboretum for the day. Advanced registration is required for free admission reservations as well as regular paid admission tickets.
Rules of the Road
Three-Mile Drive will be closed to vehicles from 8-10 a.m. for cyclists to enjoy. After 10 a.m., cyclists are still welcome to cruise on their bikes along any roadway in the Arboretum, but they’ll have to share the road with vehicles. Helmets and bright clothing are strongly recommended. People cycling are asked to be aware of vehicles driving around them and allow them to pass by when it’s safe to do so. Bicyclists can only use Three-Mile Drive to explore the grounds. They are not permitted on Three-Mile Walk, which is reserved for pedestrians.
Thank you to our partners, Michael's Cycles and TCBC!
Schedule
See below for the Bike the Arb activity schedule.
8-10 a.m. Open Ride on Three-Mile Drive
The day will kick off with a family-friendly bike ride, looping cyclists around Three-Mile Drive. Three-Mile Drive will be closed to vehicles from 8-10 a.m. During this two-hour, vehicle-free timeframe, cyclists of all ages and abilities are invited to enjoy the rolling terrain peppered with interesting flora and fauna as the route winds them through the Arboretum’s unique plant collections and specialty gardens.
8 a.m.-3 p.m. Amazing Race
Check-in: Snyder Pond
Location: Three-Mile Drive
Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with an Arboretum bike adventure! While biking your way through the Arboretum plant collections, you’ll solve clues, complete activities, and maybe learn a thing or two. Check in by the Snyder Pond for the Amazing Race details and supplies. This fun event has clues strategically placed along Three-mile Drive, so be prepared to bike at least 3 miles. Everyone who finishes the Amazing Race and turns in their completed form will be entered into a drawing to win a prize from Michael’s Cycles.
10 a.m. Group Rides (Meetup between 9:30am-10am)
10 a.m. Sharp Roll Out (Meetup between 9:30 a.m.-10 a.m.)
Locations: Victoria, Excelsior, Chaska, Chanhassen
Never biked to the Arboretum before? Join up with one of our group leaders at one of the four off-site locations and bike straight into the Arboretum. Upon arrival at the Arboretum, ride leaders will then guide those who wish to attend the Wilder Buffalo Concert within the Arboretum. Group rides are suggested for ages 10 and above. Ride distances range from 4-7 miles (this doesn’t include the distance it takes to get to the Wilder Buffalo Concert location).
Group Ride Locations:
- Chanhassen - Target Parking Lot - 851 W 78th St, Chanhassen, MN 55317
- Ride Map Link
- Distance: 4.3 miles, pavement
- Group Ride Lead: Perennial Cycle
- Excelsior - Excelsior Library Parking Lot - 337 Water St, Excelsior, MN 55331
- Ride Map Link
- Distance: 6.5 miles, pavement and crushed limestone trail
- Group Ride Lead: Matt Hoven
- Victoria - Enki Brewing Parking Lot - 1495 Stieger Lake Ln, Victoria, MN 55386
- Ride Map Link
- Distance: 3.2 miles, pavement and crushed limestone trail
- Group Ride Lead: Cara Kail
- Chaska - Southwest Transit Station - 2120 N Chestnut St North, Chaska, MN 55318
- Ride Map Link
- Distance: 6.9 miles, gravel trails and pavement
- Group Ride Lead: Chris Alto
For further information about the group rides, please contact Wendy Composto or Ella Grote.
10 a.m.-2 p.m. TCBC, Bike Repair Station & Bike Donations
Swing by the Snyder Pond, located right in front of the Snyder Building, to check out Twin Cities Bicycling Club and Chris’s Repair Station. Chris will be offering free bike repairs throughout the day and accepting old bike donations. He will also be selling a handful of donated bike parts for more significant repairs.
TCBC is the largest recreational bicycling club in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. TCBC will be offering memberships to Twin Cities Bicycling Club. Everyone who registers for a membership will receive a free T-shirt!
11 a.m. Wilder Buffalo Concert
Location: Oak & Nut Collection along Three-Mile Drive
Join us for a Wilder Buffalo Concert Ride brought to you by Ben Weaver, Strong Buffalo, Jothsna Harris of Change Narrative and QUDDUS MASKAX (fka The Witches). Everyone is welcome to participate in the group ride, outdoor concert and conversation. Riders choosing to participate in the group ride will meet off-site and bike into the Arboretum, gathering at the Oak & Nut Collection. Attendees will be sent an email on June 9th containing information about the group ride and concert. If you choose not to participate in the group ride, feel free to just join (by bike, car, or foot) for the performance. The Wilder Buffalo concert is included with gate admission.
What to Bring
Please consider the weather. Even in June we can have windy and cold mornings. Bring water and snacks for yourself and your group. There will be some seating available, and we invite you to bring a chair or blanket to sit on if you wish.
Why and what is Wilder Buffalo?
Each day we walk around in the presence of two systems. The first system I call the "original system." It is made up of plants, animals, water, air, fire, dirt, etc. The second system I call the "secondary system." It is a system that has been imposed on top of this "original system" and is made up of concrete, roads, banks, jobs, internet, houses, power lines, etc.
The words and songs that come through me are meant to offer witness to the original system, this network of life connecting the moss, trees, water, birds, dirt and roots back to each one of us.
I have felt an urge to create concerts and conversations in the woods that bring others into witness of this original system. As a time of deep and immanent adaptation becomes more and more certain for civilization I want to make a space to connect, share and experience the joy that resides in these places. It's in this joy that we thrive as humans and in this joy that we find opportunities to connect. If disconnect is the main offering of the "secondary system" then I say we look to the "original system" for connectivity so we can to build refuges, in the woods, near the water, where reciprocity is boundless and a way forward is possible. -- From Wilder Buffalo
As with all ecosystems, all are welcome to join these events. Wilder Buffalo is offered free to the public with support from local organizations and businesses. Wilder Buffalo Bike the Arb is being supported directly by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
1-3 p.m. Arboretum Art Ride
Curious about the Arboretum’s sculptures and artwork? Hop on your bike and enjoy an Art Ride through the Arboretum grounds. Docents will be stationed near select sculptures to provide you with an in-depth account of the sculptures located in our most popular gardens and plant collections. Check in at the Snyder Pond to find out how to participate in the Art Ride.
Featured Sculptures:
- Clarencetown Light by John Raymond Henry
- Otherwise/Forest Transformation Wall by Rebecca Krinke
- Gahn Dancer II, Apache Mountain Spirit Dancer by Craig Dan Goseyun
- Kiciuzapi by John Sterner
- Family by Douglas O. Freeman