Explore Minnesota Winter Trails Update - Jan. 2, 2020

 

Mild temperatures are in the forecast for the next few days so riders and skiers will enjoy comfortable conditions out on the trails!

Good to excellent cross-country ski and snowmobile trail conditions can be found throughout the northern half of Minnesota. Many ski trails in the southern half of the state are in fair to good condition.

 

[Northeast] [Northwest] [Central] [Minneapolis-St. Paul Area] [Southern]

 

Northeast Region

International Falls/Voyageurs National Park

Voyageurs National Park staff have staked and groomed the Green Trail from Rainy Lake to the Ash River and Sullivan Bay. Large areas of slush have developed on the lake, and the Lake Namakan ice is too thin for staking at this time. Only wide-track snowmobiles are recommended, especially when venturing off the groomed trail.  No roads have been plowed. Various cross-country ski trails are open, packed and tracked. The Rainy Lake Visitor Center is open Thursdays through Sundays from Jan. 2 through mid-May. The Visitor Center parking lot is available for riders needing a place to park their vehicles and trailers. A snowshoe and cross-country ski loan program is available at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. Please call 218-286-5258 to check on availability.

Grand Rapids/Bigfork

The Cow Horn Road and River Road cross-country ski trails running through Golden Anniversary State Forest are groomed, and conditions are reported to be good. The trails have a 1-6 inch base, and the ground is covered in 12-16 inches of snow. The Grand Rapids section of the Taconite State Trail is groomed and in good condition for snowmobiling. The trail base measures 3-6 inches. The ground is covered in 10-18 inches of snow. Learn more about the many Grand Rapids area trails.

Hibbing/Side Lake

The snowmobile trails at McCarthy Beach State Park have been groomed and are in fair condition. Local snow depth is 25 inches. The northern portion of the nearby George Washington State Forest - Bear Lake Snowmobile Trail is partially groomed. The trail base is 3-6 inches thick, and riders report fair conditions. The southwest section remains ungroomed due to unfrozen swamps. Just off the trails, the ground is covered in 12-18 inches of snow. Sections of the Arrowhead/David Dill State Snowmobile Trail have been groomed, and conditions are fair. The base of the trail measures 2 inches. There is a portion of ungroomed trail north of Elephant Lake and the Arrowhead Link Trail due to thin ice in the swamp west of the Arrowhead Link. Thin ice remains in some swamps and water crossings. Use caution while on the ungroomed portions of the trail which is rough and has areas of open water.

Ely

Total snow accumulation in the Ely vicinity is 19-22 inches. At Bear Head Lake State Park, the ski trails are groomed and in very good to excellent condition. The trail base measures 5-9 inches. The snowmobile trails have also been groomed and are reported to be in very good shape, with a 4-8 inch base. Riders must use caution, however, since areas such as swamps have not yet frozen. Please note that Bear Head Lake is covered in slush.

Grand Marais/Gunflint Trail

In Cook County, just outside of Grand Marais up the Gunflint Trail, the new year is starting out with wonderful ski trail conditions. The Upper Gunflint Trail is freshly groomed with a 7-10 inch base. The off-trail snow depth ranges from 17-22 inches. Conditions are excellent! Similar conditions are reported for the Central Gunflint Ski Trail System. At Cascade River State Park, 14 inches of new snow has left the ski and snowmobile trails in good condition. Groomers hit the trails Dec. 30-31 following the snowstorm, leaving both trails with a 4 inch base on average. From 14-24 inches of snow covers the ground. Check out some of the trails via web cams placed throughout Cook County. For the most current conditions, check the Cook County Trail Conditions web page.

Lutsen/Tofte

At Temperance River State Park near Tofte, 15 inches of snow covers the ground. The snowmobile trails are groomed, with good conditions reported along the 4 inch trail base. While the ski trails remain ungroomed, they offer a great opportunity for backcountry skiing and snowshoeing.

Two Harbors

The ski trails are groomed Gooseberry Falls State Park. These trails have a base measuring at least 6 inches, and conditions are good. The snowmobile trails are reported to be in fair condition overall. It is unknown whether the trails have been groomed. Total snow accumulation in the park is 20-22 inches.

Duluth/Grand Marais

As of Dec. 27, good conditions were reported for the C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Snowmobile Trail, running from Duluth to Grand Marais. The entire trail was groomed, and the trail base ranged from 4-6 inches. Snow cover along the trail was 16-24 inches.

Hinckley/Moose Lake

Many of the ski trails at Jay Cooke State Park are groomed and in very good shape. These trails have a 14 inch base on average. The snowmobile trails are fully groomed, and riders report good conditions. The base of these trails also measures 14 inches. Local snow depth is 30 inches. The Willard Munger State Trail was regroomed for snowmobiling this week. The trail base is roughly 6 inches thick, and conditions are good. The ground along the trail is covered in 15-20 inches of snow.

Northwest Region

Thief River Falls

The snowmobile trails at Old Mill State Park are groomed and in fair condition. The base of the trails measures 4 inches, with 13 inches of snow on the ground.

Waskish - Upper Red Lake

The snowmobile trails at Big Bog State Recreation Area are reported to be groomed and in good condition. The base of the trails is roughly 6 inches thick. Local snow depth is 12 inches.

Bemidji

Roughly a foot of snow fell last weekend, and Lake Bemidji State Park looks like a winter wonderland! The cross-country ski trails have a 5 inch base, and skiers report excellent conditions. The snowmobile trails also have a 5 inch base. Conditions are considered very good. Area snow cover is nearly two feet.

Walker

The Paul Bunyan State Trail in the Walker vicinity is groomed and riders report good conditions for snowmobiling. The trail base measures 7 inches, with roughly 2 feet of snow along the trail.

Park Rapids/Nevis

Roughly 12 inches of snow fell throughout the area last weekend. All ski trails at Itasca State Park are groomed and tracked, and conditions are very good. The trail base measures 3-5 inches overall. The snowmobile trails are also groomed and in very good condition, with a 4 inch base. Itasca offers a number of snowshoe trails, which are currently in great shape! Approximately 20 inches of snow covers the ground within the park.

Detroit Lakes

To learn about the many snowmobile trails in the Detroit Lakes area, check out the Winter Wonderland Snowmobile Trail Report.

Central Region

Pelican Rapids/Battle Lake

The cross-country ski trails at Maplewood State Park have been down-graded to fair condition due to heavy drifting. The ungroomed trails have a 10-18 inch base. The snowmobile trails are in good condition, with a 10-15 inch base. The ground is covered in roughly 20 inches of snow.

Brainerd/Pequot Lakes

Snowmobile trail conditions remain good along the Paul Bunyan State Trail. The trail has a 4 inch groomed surface, with more than a foot of snow in the woods. The snowmobile trails running through Crow Wing State Park are partially groomed. Riders report good conditions on the 1-3 inch base. Total snow cover within the park is 15 inches.

Onamia/Garrison

Most ski trails at Mille Lacs-Kathio State Park are groomed with a single track — the beginner trails have a double track. The trails have a 3 inch base overall, and conditions are considered good. The snowmobile trails are groomed, and reported to be in good condition. Approximately 16 inches of snow covers the ground.

Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Monticello

As of Dec. 30, the cross-country ski trails at Lake Maria State Park were groomed, and skiers reported good conditions. The trails had a 3 inch base. Snow cover within the park measured 6 inches.

Center City

The cross-country ski trails at Wild River State Park are partially groomed and in good condition. The trails have a 3-4 inch base, with nearly a foot of snow on the ground. Ski and snowshoe concessionaires offer rentals on select days.

Afton

All 12 miles of Afton State Park's cross-country ski trails have been groomed. The trails have a 1 inch base on average, and conditions are considered fair. Local snow depth is roughly 4 inches.

Three Rivers Park District parks in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Scott and Wright counties

Good conditions are reported for all groomed cross-country ski trails at parks with snow-making facilities such as Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove and Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington. Fair conditions can be found on many ski trails with natural snow within Three Rivers Park District parks. Check out the Three Rivers Park District Trail Conditions web page for the most current conditions. Rentals are available at some parks.

All snowmobile trails remain closed or are listed in poor condition due to a lack of snow.

Southern Region

Winona

All cross-country ski trails at Great River Bluffs State Park are groomed. The trails have a 3 inch base on average, and park visitors rate the trails in fair condition. Some sections are icy. As of Dec. 31, all of the Nordic ski trails at nearby St. Mary's University had been groomed and tracked. The trails on the main loop and smaller trail sections were in fair to marginal condition. The packed trails offered good skate skiing. Local snow depth was roughly 4 inches.

New Ulm

Park staff groomed the ski trail running through Flandrau State Park on Jan. 1. The ski trails have a 1/2 inch base, and conditions are described as fair. Please note that some portions of the trail are icy. Roughly 3 inches of snow covers the ground.

All snowmobile trails and most other ski trails remain closed or are listed in poor condition due to a lack of snow.

 

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.