Low Snow Winter Things To Do
Grand Rapids, Minnesota is a great winter getaway. Here is a Top 10 Low Snow Things To Do in Grand Rapids Minnesota this winter. Just because mother nature doesn’t give us the snow depths needed for snowmobiling, doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything to do. Here in northern Minnesota, there is always things to do in the winter – snow or no snow! You will find an abundance of low snow outdoor activities to enjoy as well as fun indoor activities.
#1: Ice Fishing
Ice Fishing – There are 1,400 lakes in the greater Grand Rapids, MN area. The smaller lakes north of Grand Rapids are great places to catch panfish like crappies, bluegills, and perch. Some lakes to consider are Sand, Round, and Bass lakes. All of these lakes offer public boat accesses that make it easy to walk out onto the lake. Some of the larger lakes that have public boat accesses where you can walk out and some you can four-wheeler and snowmobile from are Bowstring, Lake Winnibigoshish, Pokegama and Trout. On these lakes you will catch panfish (crappie, bluegill and perch), as well as walleye, northern pike, and trout. Read the weekly Ice Fishing Report.
Resource: MN DNR Lake Finder
#2: Cross-Country Skiing
Cross-Country Skiing – The Northern Lights Nordic Ski Association helps maintain approximately 200KM of cross-country ski trails in Itasca County. The Northern Lights Nordic Ski Club maintains seven trails: (Legion, Sugar Hills, Robin Baker Blueberry, Amen Lake, Suomi Hills, Trout Lake, and Mount Itasca). There is a base of anywhere from 4-8 inches which has allowed for packing, rolled and fethered with some trails being considered for setting tracks. A reminder is that you will need to purchase a MN Ski Pass to ski on these trails. Resource: Northern Lights Nordic Ski Association
#3: Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing – With over 1 million publicly accessible forest acres around the Grand Rapids, MN area, even a low snow provides for a snowshoeing opportunity. The Chippewa National Forest and Tioga Recreation Area two great places to snowshoe. The City of Cohasset Park & Recreation offer FREE snowshoe hikes throughout the winter where snowshoes are provided Ardent Bicycles in Grand Rapids offer snowshoe rentals. Resource: City of Cohasset Park & Recreation
#4: Downhill Skiing, Snowboarding and Snow Tubing
Mt Itasca Winter Sports Center in Coleraine is only a 15 minute drive east of Grand Rapids. This facility makes snow, so there is no need to worry of the snow conditions. They offer a chairlift for downhill skiing and snowboarding, and a hill designated for snowtubing. They provide rentals on site and a concession and public area to warm up. They also groom trails for cross country skiing. Resources: Mt Itasca
#5: Fun Places to Eat & Drink
Grand Rapids, Minnesota offers a wide variety of places to eat & drink. These locally owned establishments offer Northwoods cuisine to chef inspired menu’s. Try a flight of locally crafted beer at one of the breweries. Try the smash burgers at one of the bar/grills that are located off the trails. Try the locally owned restaurant where the locals go. Enjoy the dining by the fireplace that overlooks a frozen lake. Taste the best pizza in Minnesota. Resources: Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and Deer River Chamber of Commerce.
#6: Weekly Live Entertainment
This small town offers entertainment of a much larger town! This is in part to local breweries, bars and restaurants providing weekly live music and other types of entertainment, and our hidden gem of a theater. The Reif Performing Arts Center hosts 10-15 live performances a month in their 700 seat theater. They host Broadway style performances, concerts and comedy shows during their performance season of September to May. Then in the summer months they provide off site concerts in area communities, on Pokegama Lake, and other park like settings. Resource: Check out the Reif Center upcoming performances and Events Calendar for the great Grand Rapids, MN ar
#7: Historic Sites
Grand Rapids is a diverse community that supports the arts and Minnesota history. MacRostie Art Center is located in historic downtown Grand Rapids. They offer art classes, host two art galleries that change exhibits monthly, and a gift shop where they sell local artists and Minnesota artists work. The new Giinawind Creative Space at MacRostie Art Center is a gathering place for the creative community, an opportunity for cultural connections, and a catalyst for community development through the arts. You can also take a self-guided art and historic walk through downtown Grand Rapids. There are several historic attractions where you can discover Minnesota history like the Judy Garland Museum, the Children’s Discovery Museum, the Itasca County Historical Society, and the Forest History Center. All of these museums are welcoming to everyone and all ages. This is an opportunity to explore new historic sites and learn more about Minnesota’s history.
#8: Beautiful Art & Cultural Experiences
While you are visiting the MacRostie Art Center, you have to spend time in the Giinawind Creative Space. The Giinawind Creative Space is a gathering place for the creative community, an opportunity for cultural connections, and a catalyst for community development through the arts. Enjoy the beautifully created art and attend cultural experiential events in the Giinawind Creative Space. Giinawind is an Ojibwemowin inclusive pronoun that means we/us and. It was chosen for the name of this program because it reflects the vision for a space that centers Indigenous art and artists while welcoming the whole community.
#9: Boutique Style Shops
In historic downtown you will find locally owned boutique style shops that offer one of a kind items like home decor, gift, jewelry, locally created art, stained glass, furniture, clothing, and so much more! While downtown you will want to take a self-guided tour of Old Central School. And take a self-guided tour of the Grand Rapids Art & Historic Site that are located south of the Mississippi River that flows right through downtown.
#10: Warm & Cozy Lodging
In Grand Rapids, Minnesota you will find a wide variety of warm and cozy places to stay. In town Hotels, Motels, Vacation Rentals and Bed and Breakfasts are conveniently located near places to shop, eat & drink, and in town trails, and the golf course. The Minnesota Resorts are located on beautiful lakes and situated in more remote locations while still offer close by facilities to eat & drink, get gas, and shop. The Vacation Lake Rentals are located on pristine area lakes and offer you full home amenities and 1-5 bedrooms. Many of the properties offer fireplaces and fireplace suites to cuddle up by after you experience our winter wonderland. The wide variety of warm and cozy lodging, gives you many opportunities to come to northern Minnesota during a low snow winter season. Resource: Book Your Lodging
Start your planning now by viewing the interactive Grand Rapids Visitor’s Guide, and viewing the Winter Page which will highlight top things to do in the winter, winter resources, and trail conditions and ice fishing reports. Start Planning HERE.
