Explore Minnesota Winter Trails Update - Jan. 9, 2020

 

Good to excellent cross-country ski and snowmobile trail conditions can be found throughout northern and central Minnesota. Most ski and snowmobile trails south of the Minneapolis/St. Paul vicinity are in poor condition or remain closed due to a lack of snow.

 

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

 

Northeast Region

International Falls/Voyageurs National Park

Voyageurs National Park staff have staked and lightly groomed the Green Trail from Rainy Lake to Crane Lake. The lake trail is rough with scattered slushy areas. Riders are finding slushy conditions when venturing off trail, but these areas are not impassable. Most land trails beyond the park are groomed and in good shape. 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 fair but icy. 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. Just to the north, at Scenic State Park, the ski and snowmobile trails are groomed and in very good shape. Overall, the trails have a 12 inch base, with more than 2 feet of snow on the ground. Learn more about the many Grand Rapids area trails.

Hibbing/Side Lake

The snowmobile trails at McCarthy Beach State Park are groomed and in very good condition. Some of the cross-country ski trails are also groomed, but icy sections exist. Conditions are fair overall. Both trails have a 4-8 inch base. Local snow depth is 25 inches.

Tower

Sections of the Arrowhead/David Dill State Snowmobile Trail that have been groomed are in good condition. The base of the trail measures 1-4 inches. A portion of the trail from Lake Kabetogama to the Blue Ox Trail remains ungroomed due to thin ice. Also, the ice remains thin in some swamps and water crossings. Please use caution while on ungroomed portions of the trail as it is rough and has areas of open water. Snow off the trail measures 10-25 inches.

Ely

Total snow accumulation in the Ely vicinity is 17-22 inches. Area cross-country ski trails, including the Birch Lake Plantation, Trezona and Hidden Valley trails, are groomed and in excellent condition! Many area snowmobile trails are good shape. Riders must use caution if venturing out onto lakes since areas around moving water have thin ice. The wetland areas are not completely frozen in some areas. Trails may divert around wetlands, so please follow the groomed trail sections. 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. Total snow accumulation in the area is 19-22 inches.

Grand Marais/Gunflint Trail

In Cook County, just outside of Grand Marais up the Gunflint Trail, the Upper Gunflint Trail is freshly groomed for skiing, and has a 10-11 inch base. The off-trail snow depth is roughly 24 inches. Conditions are excellent! Most area snowmobile trails are groomed and in good condition. 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.

Silve Bay/Two Harbors

Tettegouche State Park is covered in 2 feet of snow. Most of the ski and snowmobile trails have been groomed, and conditions range from fair to good. The base of the trails measures 8-10 inches. Just to the south, the ski trails are groomed at Gooseberry Falls State Park. These trails have a base measuring more than 6 inches, and conditions are considered very good. The snowmobile trails are reported to be in fair condition overall, but it is unknown whether the trails have been groomed. Total snow accumulation in the park is 20-22 inches. On Saturday, Jan. 11, the 12th Annual Veterans Appreciation Snowmobile Ride will be held in Two Harbors.

Duluth/Grand Marais

Good conditions are reported for the C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Snowmobile Trail, running from Duluth to Grand Marais. The entire trail has been groomed, and parts of the trail will be regroomed Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. The trail base measures 7 inches. Snow cover along the trail is 12-28 inches.

Hinckley/Moose Lake

The snowmobile trails at St. Croix State Park are groomed and in good condition. The trail base is roughly 5 inches thick, with 10 inches of snow in the woods. Please note that the Kettle River Crossing is impassable at this time. The classic and skate ski trails are also groomed, and skiers report mostly fair conditions. The base of these trails measures 5 inches.

McGregor

Rain, sleet and drizzle have left many of the trails at Savanna Portage State Park very icy. The ski trails have a 6 inch base, with fair conditions reported. Park staff are trying to freshen up the trails for the weekend. Local snowmobile clubs have been out packing and grooming the trails. Most are open and in good riding condition. Overall, the trail base measures 6 inches. More than a foot of snow covers the ground.

Northwest Region

Thief River Falls

The snowmobile trails at Old Mill State Park are groomed and in good condition. The base of the trails measures 6 inches, with 11 inches of snow on the ground. To the north, at Lake Bronson State Park, similar conditions are reported for snowmobiling.

Walker

The portion of the Paul Bunyan State Trail which runs through the Walker vicinity is groomed, and riders report good conditions. The trail base measures 9 inches, with roughly 2 feet of snow along the trail. Please watch for groomers, and stop or yield at intersections where high snow piles may be present.

Park Rapids/Nevis

Most ski trails at Itasca State Park are groomed and tracked, and conditions range from good to excellent, depending on tree cover. The trail base measures 3-5 inches. The snowmobile trails are fully groomed and in very good condition, with a 4 inch base. Itasca offers a number of snowshoe trails, which are currently in great shape due to the abundant snow. Approximately 18 inches of snow covers the ground within the park.

Detroit Lakes

For the most current conditions along 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 are in excellent condition, with a 10-18 inch base. The snowmobile trails are also in excellent condition, with a 10-15 inch base. The ground is covered in roughly 20 inches of snow. Please note that local lakes have areas of open water.

Alexandria

The ski trails at Lake Carlos State Park are in great shape, with a 6 inch groomed surface. Conditions are unknown for the snowmobile trails groomed by the Douglas Area Trails Association. Local snow depth is roughly 10 inches.

Brainerd/Pequot Lakes

As of Jan. 7, snowmobiling along the Paul Bunyan State Trail was reported to be very good. The trail had a 4 inch groomed surface, with more than a foot of snow in the woods.

Onamia/Garrison

Most ski trails at Mille Lacs-Kathio State Park are groomed and in fair condition. The trails have a 3 inch base overall. The snowmobile trails are groomed, and reported to be in fair condition. Expect a hard and icy surface on much of the trails. Approximately 14 inches of snow covers the ground.

Willmar

All ski trails at Sibley State Park were groomed on Jan. 6. The trails with classic track that are not exposed to wind are in fair to good condition. The skate ski trail is also in fair to good condition overall, depending on wind exposure. The trails have a 2 inch base. Snowmobile trails running through the park are groomed and in good condition, with a 2 inch base. Roughly 8 inches of snow covers the ground.

Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Monticello

The cross-country ski trails at Lake Maria State Park are groomed, and skiers report fair conditions. The trails have a 3 inch base. Snow cover within the park measures 6 inches.

Marine on St. Croix/north of Stillwater

The classic and skate ski trails at William O'Brien State Park are groomed and in fair condition, with a 3 inch base. The classic track is shallow in some areas. Four inches of snow covers the ground within the park.

Ramsey County

Ramsey County provides 25 miles of marked and groomed cross-country ski trails at five locations. As of Jan. 3, most of the ski trails were packed and tracked, and conditions were reported to be fair. On Jan. 8, one skier noted that the trails at Battle Creek Regional Park West were in good condition.

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

Fair to good conditions are reported for all groomed cross-country ski trails with man-made snow at Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove and Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington. Fair conditions are reported for some of the of the groomed ski trails with natural snow within the 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.

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

Southern Region

All ski and snowmobile 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.