With the weather cooling off to a more comfortable temperature for outdoor activities, now is the perfect time to hop on your bicycle! With six must-ride bike routes, come discover the natural beauty that awaits you in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. As autumn is right around the corner, the Soo area is your place to explore when you’re ready to shift gears into fall mode.
Thanks to our friends at Bike Friendly Soo, we are able to help guide you on your next cycling adventure as the leaves begin to change. As always, remember to ride safely and be on the lookout for traffic!
East Portage – Riverside – Nicolet – Scenic
Totaling 18-miles of pavement, this route follows along the shoreline of the St. Marys River. The path is suitable for cyclists of all skill levels by being a mostly flat route. Your journey begins at the farmers’ market corner at Ashmun Street and Portage Avenue. Then head nine miles south along the St. Marys River towards 7 Mile Road. Along the way, you’ll be able to see freighters, the Sugar Island Ferry, Clyde’s Drive-In, and more!
West Portage – Easterday – West
Heading north along the shores of Lake Superior, this trial is 14-miles and flat. Starting at the farmers’ market corner, this time you’re going to head westward. There are a few alternate routes included with this one to cater to all skill levels. You’ll be able to discover the recycling center on 12th St, the beach near the Shallows, Lake Superior State University, and Sherman Park!
Circle Tour of Southern Sault Ste. Marie
This straight forward path will take you 7 miles through residential areas in Sault Ste. Marie and along Shunk Road near the Kewadin Casino. Like the other paths, it begins at the farmers’ market, but eventually diverts to Shunk Road before heading southward to 3 Mile Road. There is a sizeable hill near the Seymour/3 Mile intersection you should be prepared for! Although it isn’t very steep, it will give you quite a good workout!
Circle Tour of Southern Sault Ste. Marie #2
This modification of the first circle tour sees riders follow a similar route as the aforementioned tour, but does shave a mile off the ride by riding along Marquette Avenue. Cyclists avoid a larger hill, but still spend the majority of their ride in a slow-moving traffic area surrounded by nature.
Circle Tour of Portage and Spruce Street
Like the previous routes, we begin pedaling at the farmers’ market intersection of Portage and Ashmun. For this one we head east all the way to Mission Road near Aune Osborn Park. From here we hop on Mission and merge onto Spruce Street. This 6-mile ride takes us back across town in the residential areas of the Soo, passing over the power canal before looping downtown and back to the farmers’ market.
Circle Tour of Downtown Sault Ste. Marie
And of course, no bicycling trip to the Soo would be complete without taking a dedicate cruise through the downtown area. This route takes riders 2.3 miles, but offers glimpses at plenty of foliage, the Soo Locks and more. If you’re new to the area and looking to check out plenty of great places to shop and eat, this is the route for you.
Where is your favorite place to cycle in the Soo? Be sure to share your pics with us and tag them with #ilovethesoo on your social media. We would love to see the locations that you have pedaled! For more Sault Ste. Marie fun, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
