Whether you’re looking for a hilly country route or an easy ride through town, Cape Girardeau is a beautiful place to explore on your bike.

The Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail is a paved trail that cuts right through the center of town, and its a great flat ride at 5.67 miles long and with many access points that allow you to make it as long or as short as you’d like.  Make your way around town with this interactive map of bike lanes and trails.  The Cape Riverfront Trail is a wide, paved trail that follows the banks of the Mighty Mississippi River in downtown Cape Girardeau.  The views cannot be beat!

Steve Gerard is an organizer of an annual local charity ride, and knows the ins and outs of exploring Cape Girardeau from two wheels! He shared one of his favorite routes with us: 

“Bicycling in the Cape Girardeau area in about as good as it gets.  A cyclist can leave the center of the city and, within minutes, can be enjoying quiet, scenic, smooth country roads with varying terrain. One of our favorite routes is what cyclists refer to as the Trail of Tears Loop. The route begins in downtown Cape and travels North with a quick stop to enjoy the view from the Cape Rock over look. From there, the route continues on North Missouri State Highway 177, a smooth and undulating road designated as part of the Mississippi River Bicycle Trail. Although it is a state highway, traffic is normally light to moderate and offers riders fantastic scenery on the way to Trail of Tears State Park. Once ariving, cyclists can enjoy several routes within the park with the Mississippi River viewing platform a “must see” destination. From there, cyclists then travel County Road V over “Widowmaker Hill” to the village of Oriole. From Oriole the route travels onto County Road Y to the intersection of County Road 621. This intersection provides a shady stop across from horse barns and pastures and is bordered by a small creek. The route then continues on CR 621 and climbs up to the top of “KBSI Hill”. Cyclists then enjoy a smooth and fast downhill run all the way back to the Cape Girardeau city limits along the very scenic La Croix Creek. This route is obviously a favorite of area cyclists. The route is incorporated as a portion of the Tour de Cape 30, 65 and 100 mile routes.”

The Bicycling in the Cape Girardeau area in about as good as it gets. A cyclist can leave the center of the city and, within minutes, can be enjoying quiet, scenic, smooth country roads with varying terrain. One of our favorite routes is what cyclists refer to as the Trail of Tears Loop. The route begins in downtown Cape and travels North with a quick stop to enjoy the view from the Cape Rock over look. From there, the route continues on North Missouri State Highway 177, a smooth and undulating road designated as part of the Mississippi River Bicycle Trail. Although it is a state highway, traffic is normally light to moderate and offers riders fantastic scenery on the way to Trail of Tears State Park. Once ariving, cyclists can enjoy several routes within the park with the Mississippi River viewing platform a “must see” destination. From there, cyclists then travel County Road V over “Widowmaker Hill” to the village of Oriole. From Oriole the route travels onto County Road Y to the intersection of County Road 621. This intersection provides a shady stop across from horse barns and pastures and is bordered by a small creek. The route then continues on CR 621 and climbs up to the top of “KBSI Hill”. Cyclists then enjoy a smooth and fast downhill run all the way back to the Cape Girardeau city limits along the very scenic La Croix Creek. This route is obviously a favorite of area cyclists. The route is incorporated as a portion of the Tour de Cape 30, 65 and 100 mile routes, although ridden in the opposite direction. 16th Annual Tour de Cape is happening tomorrow, if that enticing route makes you want to hop on your bike!  Group rides take off from downtown Cape at 8:30 a.m.

Explore the Great Outdoors in Cape Girardeau this Fall, by hitting the trail, getting hands on with nature at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center, checking out a park and more!  Plan your outdoor adventure here.