Stearns County, MN Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Ordinance No. 594, § 8
- Bicycle speed limit
- 20 mph on county trails (§ 8.19)
- Keep-right rule
- Stay right when meeting/being passed (§ 8.12)
- Passing rule
- Pass only on the left, when clear (§ 8.13)
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $700 fine or 90 days (§ 11.1)
Summary
Stearns County's Recreational Trails Ordinance sets the traffic rules bicyclists must follow on county trails: keep to the right, pass only on the left when safe, yield at crossings, and cap speed at 20 mph. Ordinance No. 594 § 8 enforces the rules with a misdemeanor and a $700 fine.
8.12 When on a trail treadway, all trail users must stay on the right half of the trail treadway when meeting or being passed by another trail user. 8.13 When passing another trail user traveling in the same direction, a trail user must pass on the left half of the trail treadway and may pass only when such left half is clearly visible and is free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead to permit such overtaking and passing to be completely made without interfering with the safety of any trail user approaching from the opposite direction or any trail user being overtaken. 8.16 Motorized and non-motorized vehicles must be under control of the operator at all times and shall not be operated in a careless or reckless manner. 8.19 The maximum speed limit for all other vehicles, motorized and non-motorized, is 20 miles per hour on trails.
Full Breakdown
Stearns County Ordinance No. 5, a category that also covers unicycles, roller blades, wheelchairs and electric-assisted bicycles under Minn. 011, subd. 27. 13 confines passing to the left half and only when it is clearly visible and free of oncoming traffic for a safe distance. 15 set right-of-way: a rider entering or crossing a treadway must yield to trail users already on it, and where two riders reach an unmarked intersection at the same time, the rider on the left yields to the rider on the right.
16 requires every motorized and non-motorized vehicle to stay under the operator's control and bars careless or reckless riding. 18 sets for snowmobiles. 20 requires riders to yield to horseback riders on trails signed for horse use. 13.
Violations & Fines
Riding recklessly, passing unsafely, ignoring right-of-way rules, or exceeding the 20 mph trail speed limit is a misdemeanor under Ordinance No. 594 § 11.1, punishable by a fine of $700 or up to 90 days in jail, or both. The Stearns County Sheriff and Park Director staff enforce the trail rules under Section 11.2.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast can I ride a bike on a Stearns County trail?
Which side of the trail should cyclists ride on?
What's the penalty for reckless bike riding on a county trail?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stearns County
Compare Stearns County to another location·View the Minnesota mobility & curb rules overview
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