Best Cross Country Skiing Trails in MN | Grand Rapids
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CROSS COUNTRY SKIING

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Glide through the North.

Millions of mile of trails….

This winter has just begun, and we are crossing our fingers for good snow depths. Remember to purchase your MN Ski Trail Pass. You must have to ski on these trails. Please support the Itasca cross-country ski trails by considering being a member of the Northern Lights Nordic Ski Club

ALDER POND

Monday March 14, 2022
The Alder Pond trail group had good ski-formed tracks with just a few places that were ice glazed, I guess depending on how much sun the trail segment had gotten. Trail debris was not very troublesome, and there were maybe three spots where a rock protruded. The South trail loop had light snow cover over the groomed tracks.

SUOMI HILLS

Advanced Level: The remote and stunning Suomi Hills has 19 miles of snowshoe, hiking, biking and ski trails and is part of a semi-primitive nonmotorized area. The rolling topography offers mountain bike trails for intermediate and advanced cyclists. Stay off of the groomed single track cross country ski trail.

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ROBIN BAKER BLUEBERRY HILLS

Sunday March 13, 2022
Recently groomed trails, with the addition of about an inch or less of new snow overnight, made for excellent skating conditions.

SUGAR HILLS

Advanced Level: The remote and stunning Suomi Hills has 19 miles of snowshoe, hiking, biking and ski trails and is part of a semi-primitive nonmotorized area. The rolling topography offers mountain bike trails for intermediate and advanced cyclists. Stay off of the groomed single track cross country ski trail.

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TIOGA TRAILS

Beginner to Advanced Level: Trails wind around the mining dump once used by Hanna Mining in their quest for iron ore. A few trails are challenging, but the snowshoer will be rewarded with excellent vistas overlooking surrounding lakes.

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SIMPSON CREEK

Beginner Level: In 1907, Sam Simpson’s crew built the first tote roads and trails in the Cut Foot Sioux area. Today, this system makes up the 13-mile Simpson Creek Trail. Enjoy rolling topography through pines and along glacial eskers, with overlooks onto Cut Foot Sioux Lake and journeys into the cedar swamp. Access to the trail is located at the Cut Foot Sioux Visitors Center parking lot.

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WABANA

ntermediate Level: A beautiful area to snowshoe and cross country ski. Remember to stay off of the groomed single track cross country ski trail. Many loops to snowshoe. The Wabana County Trail offers skiers five loops to choose from within a mixed forest and wildflower sanctuary.  Especially beautiful is the river loop that follows the Wabana Creek. Clearwater Lake lies to the south of the trail system. Wabana is one of two designated county wildflower sanctuaries. The Wabana Trail is located on county tax forfeited property that is managed for timber, wildlife, and dispersed recreational use by the County Land Department.

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TRAIL CONDITIONS

The Itasca County Cross Country Ski Trail remain open weather dependent. This page is updated every Thursday. You can check on the Northern Lights Nordic Ski Association Trail Report to get daily updates. Remember to purchase your MN Ski Trail Pass. You must have to ski on these trails. Please support the Itasca cross-country ski trails by considering being a member of the Northern Lights Nordic Ski Club

Sunday April 2, 2023
Skied midday. There were usable tracks everywhere except a couple short sections. My old extruded base non-waxable skis provided decent glide in the mid 30sF and granulated snow conditions.

Saturday April 1, 2023
Amazing conditions for April 1. Perhaps the best skating of the year this morning; was groomed with Pisten Bully Friday night. Classic tracks were deep and fast, if a bit icy. Was starting to get soft in sunny areas in afternoon. Still a lot of snow out there. We had an April Fools Nordic Fest and were blessed by the conditions!

Thursday March 30, 2023
Blackwater was groomed on Thursday since winter won’t end!

Wednesday March 29, 2023
Portage was groomed on Wednesday. Winter won’t end!

Thursday March 23, 2023
Packed and set track on south suomi trails. Didn’t do the connecting trail to orange lake road. Got stuck at the bottom of the mean hill, use caution when coming down.
 
Thursday March 23, 2023
Packed and set track on amen lake trails and south suomi. More snow than I thought, so unhooked the groomer and packed first.

Monday March 20, 2023
Skied Doan Lake trail (left loop). High drifts on lake section, boot prints and chevron steps roughed up hill tracks. Icy, sticky depending on sun exposure. Always a beautiful day on skis.

Sunday March 19, 2023
Not groomed, No classic tracks. Did not ski.

Saturday March 18, 2023
Stopped by early afternoon. Not groomed. Fair amount of snow over the trail by parking lot and around visitor center. Didn’t look further down in the trees.

Wednesday March 15, 2023
The snow was wet and heavy when I was out. There are no bare spots. The track varies from shallow to nice and deep due to how the snow compacted.

Monday March 13, 2023
Prelude loops groomed and tracks set. Snow conditions were perfect midday where I had been skiing north of Marcell. I was too tired to ski again at Blueberry, but grooming looked good.
 
Wednesday March 8, 2023
County groomer reports trails have been packed and tracked. This nice easy beginner trail is close to GR and allows canine companions. But watch out for wolves!

Wednesday March 8, 2023
County groomed and set tracks. Clearwater Creek likely to be open and flowing, Very pretty against backdrop of snow covered banks.

Tuesday March 7, 2023
County packed only part of the system, no new track setting due to warm temps.
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Thursday March 2, 2023
DNR alert: Groomer broke down on the trail Thursday and was retrieved with a skid steer damaging north loop 1 from Danson Road parking lot to south loop 2. Boomer Blue, Loop 3 and north loop 2 to the shelter were fully packed and tracked on Thursday and are in great condition.
 
Sunday February 5, 2023
No logging quite yet other than old E/W road just south of parking lot pushed in up to loop #2. Skied entire system on excellently groomed three loops. The Sherry Lake Loop goes through two very special groups of old growth white pine and upland white cedars. Sadly, no moose tracks this time for first time in twenty years. Cross my fingers that this logging cut doesn’t wipe out Stoney Ridge Loop forest. There was a DNR Fire Tower near ski trail/ logging road intersection fifteen to fifty years ago. I got in the tower forty years ago, what a view!

Wednesday February 1, 2023
Good, hard tracks for classical. I was skate skiing today. There’s been no grooming for 1.5 weeks but for classic, you’ll be fine. Skate skiing us only in the middle where snowshoeing and dogs are allowed. A bit mushy and slow going.

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