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Biking

Richard Bong State Recreation Area

Off-road biking trails are available on the trails north of Highway 142.

Trails north of Highway 142

You may hike, ski or bike (non-motorized bikes) on these northern trails. Bike riders 16 years of age and older need a state trail pass. Dogs are allowed on a leash 8 feet or less.  When trails are snow covered, dogs are only allowed on the service roads and the portion of the Red Trail north of Highway BB (ask for “A Guide for You and Your Dog” for rules). Ski trails are not groomed. When ski tracks are present, please do not walk on them.

  • Gray Trail (1.7 miles): The Gray Trail is relatively flat with no steep grades. Crossing Highway 142, the trail passes a nice pond to the west before heading through a semi-wooded area. At the turnaround point, the trail turns south through a heavily wooded area then turns east again to complete the loop and rejoin the initial trail section leading back to the parking lot.
  • Yellow Trail (4.4 miles): The Yellow Trail is a generally level to moderately rolling trail traversing a nice mixture of grassland, woodland and wetland. This is a good trail for birding. The trail crosses a paved road at the north and south ends of the loop. The raised ridge portion of the trail was built as the entrance road to the planned Bong Air Force Base. The trail exits on the west side of the ridge via stairs.
  • Orange Trail (6.4 miles): The Orange Trail crosses Highway BB twice as well as a county road at its northern end. At the first crossing, a pit toilet, hand pump and picnic tables offer a shaded rest stop in a hardwood forest. This trail provides benches that overlook wetlands and it winds through grassland punctuated with scattered brush.  There are wooded areas as well. This trail gets very wet in the spring.
  • Red Trail (8.3 miles): The park's longest trail touches on many vegetative types.  On its far north end, the trail gives a nice overview of what much of the park’s topography looked like before the landscape was altered by the Air Force. After the trail leaves the west junction of the Red and Orange loops, it passes through some nice wetland areas before turning east toward the parking lot.  The northern-most portion is the best place in the park to spot bluebirds.