Skiers and snowmobilers will enjoy good to excellent conditions along groomed trails in the northern one-third and southern one-third of the state. The central one-third of the state did not receive the substantial snowfall that fell on the rest of the state during the last two snow storms.
For help planning your next Nordic ski adventure, check out Cross Country Skiing in Minnesota. To learn about Minnesota's amazing snowmobile trails, order a copy of 2017-18 Minnesota Snowmobiling Destinations.
Northeast Region
Grand Marais/Gunflint Trail
In Cook County, just northwest of Grand Marais up the Gunflint Trail, the Central Gunflint Ski Trail System is freshly groomed for classic and skate skiing. The trails have a 9 inch base on average, and conditions are excellent. More than a foot of snow covers the ground. Nearby, the Banadad Ski Trail offers 41 kilometers of intimate classical groomed trails. These trails have a 15 inch base and are in excellent condition. The Cook County snowmobile club has groomed the trails along the Gunflint Trail. The trail base measures 12 to 21 inches following grooming, and conditions are good. The most comprehensive source for information on ski and snowmobile trails in the Cook Country vicinity can be found at Visit Cook County's Winter Trail Conditions web page. At Cascade River State Park, 8 to 14 inches of snow blankets the ground. The ski trails have a 3 to 4 inch groomed surface, and conditions are very good. The snowmobile trails are in good condition, with a 2 inch groomed surface.
Grand Rapids/ Bigfork
The Cow Horn Road and River Road ski trails running through Golden Anniversary State Forest were last groomed on Jan. 17, and trail conditions are reported to be good. The trails have a 2 inch base, and the ground is covered in roughly 6 inches of snow. Many area snowmobile clubs are grooming their trails, and riders report fair to good conditions. Learn more about all of the Grand Rapids area trails.
Ely
Total snow accumulation in the Ely vicinity is approximately 13 inches. The Babbitt Golf Course and Birch Lake Plantation ski trails are groomed and in very good to excellent condition. The Arrowhead/David Dill State Snowmobile Trail has been groomed, and conditions are very good. The trail base measures 1 to 4 inches. Please note that there is a 3 mile section of trail between Elephant Lake and Elephant Lake Road to the south that is being shared with loggers. Please slow down and use extreme caution in this area. At Bear Head Lake State Park, the ski trails have been tracked. These trails have a 1 to 3 inch base, and conditions are fair. The snowmobile trails are also groomed with a 1 to 3 inch base. Riders report good conditions. Most other area snowmobile trails are in decent condition but have a thin base due to recent warm weather and a lack of snowfall. Please use caution while riding.
Silver Bay/Two Harbors
Tettegouche State Park is covered in 10 to 12 inches of snow away from Lake Superior. The ski trails are groomed and in good shape, with a 6 inch base. Area snowmobile trails have a 5 inch groomed surface with fair conditions reported. Just to the south, good conditions are reported for the 12 miles of traditional cross-country ski trails at Gooseberry Falls State Park. The base of these trails measures 3 to 4 inches. Riders report good conditions along the park's snowmobile trails. Both trails are freshly groomed.
Duluth/Grand Marais
The northern section of the C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Snowmobile Trail offers fair conditions for snowmobiling. The trail is groomed with a 2 to 5 inch base from Finland to Grand Marais. The southern section has also been groomed, but conditions are generally poor with some icy sections. The southern base measures 1 to 4 inches. Local snow depth ranges from 5 to 21 inches.
Carlton
All 32 miles of ski trails at Jay Cooke State Park were groomed in mid-January, but the trails have since turned hard and icy in some areas. Skiers report fair conditions. The trails have a 5 inch base on average. No information is available on the snowmobile trails.
McGregor
All ski trails at Savanna Portage State Park are groomed, but recent warm temperatures have left them icy. The trails have a 2 inch base on average, and conditions are reported to be fair. The snowmobile trails have a 1 inch groomed surface, and conditions are described as poor. Roughly 8 inches of snow covers the ground. Similar conditions are reported for the ski and snowmobile trails running through nearby Savanna State Forest.
Northwest Region
Lake Bronson/far NW corner
The Lake Bronson State Park cross-country ski trails are groomed with a 5 inch base. Conditions are considered very good. Area snowmobile trails have also been groomed and are in good condition. Local snow depth is roughly 8 inches. Nearby, the snowmobile trails within Old Mill State Park have been groomed, and conditions are reported to be good. The trail base measures 4 inches on average. Roughly 9 inches of snow covers the ground in this area.
Roseau
Snow cover at Hayes Lake State Park is more than a foot. Both the ski and snowmobile trails have a 5 inch groomed surface, and conditions are reported to be fair to good.
Bemidji
Both the ski and snowmobile trails at Lake Bemidji State Park are groomed, with a 4 inch base. The trails are reported to be in very good condition. Area snow cover is approximately 9 inches.
Walker
The Paul Bunyan State Trail near Walker is groomed and in good condition for snowmobiling. The trail base measures 3 to 4 inches, with roughly 1 foot of snow on the ground. Please watch for deer and other wildlife that may also be using the trail.
Park Rapids
All of the Soaring Eagle ski trails are groomed. Conditions are considered very good to excellent for classic and skate skiing. At Itasca State Park, the ski trails are in fair to good condition with a 4 inch groomed surface. The snowmobile trails have been down-graded to poor condition due to bare areas.
Central Region
Pelican Rapids/Battle Lake
The ski trails at Maplewood State Park have a 3 inch groomed surface, and skiers report poor to fair conditions due to a lack of snow. The snowmobile trails are in very poor condition. Local snow depth is roughly 6 inches.
Onamia/Garrison
The ski and snowmobile trails at Mille Lacs-Kathio State Park are in poor condition due to bare areas along the trails. Recent warm temperatures have reduced the snow pack to 3 inches.
Willmar
The Sibley State Park ski and snowmobile trails have been closed due to a lack of snow.
Twin Cities Greater Metropolitan Vicinity
Alma -east of North Branch
Wild River State Park is covered in roughly 6 inches of snow. The ski trails are partially groomed, but conditions are mostly poor and icy. The trail base measures 1 inch. Ski and snowshoe rental are available at the Trail Center on weekends. Please call ahead for availability. 651/257-0685.
Afton - north of Hastings
The ski trails at Afton State Park are in very good condition overall. The trails have a 4 inch groomed surface, but the base is thin and icy in some areas. Snow cover in the woods is roughly 9 inches. Snowshoe rental is available at the park, and there are eleven miles of snowshoe trails.
St. Paul
There are 11 miles of cross-country ski trails running through Fort Snelling State Park. Skiers report good conditions. The trail base measures roughly 6 inches. Ten inches of snow covers the ground.
Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Scott and Wright counties
Fair to good conditions are reported for many of the ski trails at parks within the Three Rivers Park District. Some of the best conditions are along the ski trails at parks with snow-making facilities such as Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove and Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington. Learn more about ski trail conditions at the Three Rivers Park Trail Conditions web page.
Southern Region
Frontenac -south of Red Wing
Frontenac State Park is covered in 3 to 4 inches of snow. The ski trails have a 2-4 inch partially groomed surface. Conditions are considered fair.
Winona
Saint Mary's University has re-groomed many of their ski trails and conditions are reported to be fair to good overall but the snow is a mix of ice particles and snow. Classic track has not been set. Please be aware that all trails outside the groomed areas are extremely icy and should be avoided.
Owatonna
The 3 miles of snowmobile trails at Rice Lake State Park are groomed and in good condition, with a 6 inch base. The ski trails are ungroomed, but conditions are also good. About a foot and a half of snow covers the ground.
Rochester
The Douglas State Trail is in good condition for skiing and snowmobiling, with a 3 inch groomed surface. The trail runs through oak savanna overlooking the Minnesota River and native prairie. Local snow depth is 8 inches.
New Ulm
The Flandrau State Park ski trails are groomed. The trails have a 2 inch base and conditions are good overall, but trails running through open areas are icy. Approximately 6 inches of snow covers the ground.
Explore Minnesota will report winter trail conditions each Thursday during the winter season, with updates as changes in conditions warrant. Information used to compile the Winter Trails Update is provided courtesy of the Minnesota DNR, Voyageurs National Park, the Three Rivers Park District, and communities throughout the state.
Begin planning your winter getaway by one of our travel counselors at 888-VISITMN (888-847-4866), or request a customized travel planner at Contact a Travel Counselor.
Please note that a Snowmobile State Trail sticker is required for all snowmobiles operating on state or grant-in-aid trails. All cross-country skiers on state park or forest ski trails, or on state or grant-in-aid trails, who are 16 years or older must have a Minnesota Ski Pass. For further information, contact the Department of Natural Resources, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 1-888-646-6367. To order cross-country ski passes and snowmobile trail stickers, dial 1-888-665-4236 or access the DNR Online License Sales web site. To locate a license center in Minnesota to purchase ski passes and snowmobile stickers, check out DNR License Agents
|
