Recognition of the U.S. Bicycle Route 41, designated last year and spanning from St. Paul to Grand Portage State Park on the far North Shore at the Minnesota-Canada border, gets official Saturday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that launches a six-day ride along the route.

Almost half of the bicycle route, also known as the North Star Route, is on state, regional and local trails. There also are road segments best-suited to experienced cyclists. The route travels 315 miles from its start at the junction of the state's other U.S. Bike Route — the Mississippi River Trail Bikeway.

The heart of Route 41 is the Willard Munger State Trail, flat and paved, which begins in Hinckley and runs to Duluth. The Minnesota Department of Transporation said it intends to formally review the route every five years. More details on the transportation department's website. See a related Star Tribune story here.