Forum Tower - Northbound Details

Activities
- Mountain Bike
- Gravel Bike
- Winter Fat Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
- Snowshoe
- Backcountry Ski
- Nordic Ski
Riding Area

Lions Trail System
Fargo, North Dakota
Difficulty Rating

Blue Rate
Voted Difficulty

Green (1 vote)
Local Popularity
85 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 85 in Trail Running
- 90 in Hiking
- 100 in Snowshoeing
- 5 in Backcountry Skiing
- 5 in Nordic Skiing
Global Ranking

#17955 in Mountain Biking
Trail Type

Singletrack
Bike Type

AM, XC, Fat, Gravel
Direction

One Direction
Climb Difficulty

Blue
Physical Rating

Moderate
Trail Visibility

Always easy to follow
Dogs Allowed

Yes
Year Opened

2020
Land Owner

Fargo Parks

Forum Tower Loop was added in October 2020 and can be used as a single 1 mile loop or as an extension of Iwen North and Iwen South for total of approximately 7 miles or approximately 35-60 minutes at a reasonable pace.

Forum Tower Loop starts just south of the Forum Communications Tower near the intersection of 40th Ave S and University Drive. The trail heads east towards the river from the University Drive ditch, then turns north to run beside the river until it reaches the edge of the Forum Communications property, then runs west up onto the edge of the dike straight up from 40th Ave, then loops back south and west to University Drive.

Forum Tower Loop trail is great for biking & hiking. It has nice views of the river and the drain 27 river mouth. Deer and squirrels are plentiful in the area and mountain bikers ride through frequently, so make sure dogs are on a leash.

Trail direction for bikers is indicated by the signage and is in a counter-clockwise orientation. Hikers are encouraged to walk opposite the bike traffic for easier visibility.

The terrain is mostly wooded with good flow and a few short punchy climbs that roll back down and into the woods. By global standards this would be considered a green/easy difficulty, but by local standards its a solid blue trail.

Red River Valley soil is very clay based and the trail can become impossible to use when wet or muddy. Please don't ride when wet. If wet then it will be sticky, slippery, and will rut easily.

Forum Tower Loop can be ridden as a single one mile loop or, by riding over the Drain 27 bridge, it can be ridden as an extension of the Iwen North trail, that runs from Lions Conservancy to Iwen Boat Landing, and Iwen South, that runs from Iwen Boat Landing to 58th Ave S, for total of approximately 7 miles or approximately 35-60 minutes at a reasonable pace.

Access from the Northwest corner of Iwen North in Lions Conservancy by climbing up the University Drive ditch onto the sidewalk, cross Rose Creek Coulee, and the entrance is on the immediate right after the bridge.
An optional north entrance/exit is immediately over the dike from 40th Ave S.

Local Trail Association

Fargo Moorhead Trailbuilders (www.fmtrailbuilders.org)
Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to support
trail development & maintenance.
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Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week

3 rides
18 miles average

6 Months

31 rides
12 miles avg distance

All

129 rides
Last: Aug 4, 2026

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update trails status or condition

Forum Tower -... Trail Reports

status	date	description
	Mar 28, 2025 @ 6:38am Mar 28, 2025	Please use the Trailbot app for current trail conditions and reporting issues.
	Mar 23, 2025 @ 6:15am Mar 23, 2025	Trails still thawing/drying - estimating mid April for opening. Stay tuned!
	Mar 22, 2025 @ 7:50pm Mar 22, 2025	Spring thaw/drying still under way.
	Nov 20, 2024 @ 6:03pm Nov 20, 2024	Out snowshoe stomping the fat bike trail base in. We should get a few more inches of snow and Tim from the Trailbuilders will groom it Friday...
	Aug 8, 2024 @ 1:12pm Aug 8, 2024	Open and good to ride. Note that due to construction, Iwen North and Iwen South are not connected. Riders will have to take the street to go from...