Y We Bike - Fall Color Ride Retreat

Join us for our Y We Bike Fall Color Ride at YMCA Camp Northern Lights for a memorable weekend of cycling, community, wellness, and Minnesota's spectacular fall colors.

Choose Your Ride

Explore the beautiful Mesabi Trail with one of three ride options:

🚴 Ely to Tower Round Trip – Approximately 52 miles
🚴 Ely to Eagle's Nest Trailhead Round Trip – Approximately 26 miles
🚴 Ely to Tower (One Way) – Approximately 26 miles (Perfect for participants traveling with two vehicles. Simply park one vehicle in Ely and another in Tower for a convenient one-way ride.)

The Mesabi Trail offers beautiful forest scenery, rolling terrain, and a few challenging hills. If 26 or 52 miles feels like more than you'd like to ride, that's perfectly okay! You're welcome to ride whatever distance feels comfortable and simply turn around and head back to Ely.

This is your ride. Enjoy the scenery, stop for photos, and ride at a pace that feels right for you.

Not interested in cycling? That's okay! Come enjoy the beauty of northern Minnesota, connect with friends, and experience everything camp has to offer.

Camp Activities

When you're not riding, enjoy everything YMCA Camp Northern Lights has to offer:

• Hiking
• Mountain biking on camp trails (mountain bike rentals available)
• Yoga
• Sound Bath experiences
• Sauna
• Massage therapy (additional fee applies)
• Relaxing by the lake
• Spending time with friends in a peaceful Northwoods setting

Lodging & Meals

We'll stay in shared full-facility cabins. While cabins are shared with other participants, everyone will have their own bedroom or private sleeping area, along with shared living spaces, bathrooms with showers, and a fully equipped kitchen.

Before the retreat, camp staff will send a questionnaire regarding:

• Lodging requests
• Dietary restrictions
• Special accommodations

Please note: We will not be using upper bunk beds.

Meals Included:

• Lunch
• Dinner

Breakfast is not provided but can easily be prepared in your cabin kitchen.

Helpful Information

🏕️ YMCA Camp Northern Lights Amenities
(Be sure to check out the cabin photos!)

🚴 Mesabi Trail Information
A Mesabi Trail Wheel Pass is required ($10 for 3 days). You can also request a free trail map and additional information from the Mesabi Trail website.

Weather Policy

Our retreat will take place rain or shine.

If the weather isn't ideal for cycling, we'll make the most of our weekend with camp activities, wellness offerings, and time together.

Weekend Schedule

Thursday, September 10

Arrival and Meet & Greet. Settle into camp, meet fellow riders, and get ready for an amazing weekend.

Friday, September 11

Ride Day! Choose the Mesabi Trail route that best fits your fitness level and enjoy one of Minnesota's most scenic fall rides.

Saturday, September 12

Build Your Own Adventure Day. Spend the day your way. Stay at camp and enjoy the activities, explore Ely or Babbitt, head out for another bike ride, or simply relax and take in the beautiful fall colors.

Sunday, September 13

Departure by 11:00 a.m.

Mesabi Trail Ride Information

While riding the Mesabi Trail from Ely to Tower is the highlight of our weekend, the heart of the Y We Bike Fall Color Ride is the retreat itself.

This weekend is an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with nature, enjoy Minnesota's spectacular fall colors, and welcome the beginning of autumn. Whether you're riding, relaxing at camp, participating in wellness activities, or spending time with fellow riders, this retreat is about much more than the miles—it's about the experience.

Ride Support

This is a Y We Bike retreat, not an organized cycling event. There will not be aid stations, refreshment stops, medical tents, or SAG (Support and Gear) vehicles along the trail.

Y We Bike Support Riders will accompany participants riding the 26-mile and 52-mile routes. They will provide encouragement, assist with minor mechanical issues when possible, and help keep the group together.

Participants choosing to ride a shorter distance before turning around will be riding independently without a designated support rider. Please be prepared to carry your own:

• Water
• Snacks
• Spare tube
• Basic repair supplies

Emergency & Mechanical Assistance

Your safety is our highest priority.

In the event of a medical emergency, we will call 911 immediately and remain with you until emergency responders arrive.

If your bike experiences a mechanical problem that cannot be repaired on the trail, a Y We Bike Support Rider will stay with you while arrangements are made to transport you and your bike safely back to camp.

To help ensure a safe and enjoyable weekend, please arrive with a bicycle that is in good working condition and choose a ride distance that matches your fitness level, cycling experience, and comfort level.

Your Weekend. Your Adventure.

Whether you're coming for the cycling, the vibrant fall colors, the camp experience, the wellness activities, or simply the opportunity to connect with others, the Y We Bike Fall Color Ride Retreat is the perfect way to celebrate autumn in northern Minnesota.

We'd love to have you join us! Register today!

Questions about the Y We Bike Fall Color Ride? We're Here to Help!

Jennifer Northrup
📧 jennifer.northrup@ymcamn.org
📞 612-230-3477

Kelsa McCormick
📧 kelsa.mccormick@ymcamn.org
📞 651-747-0806