Winter Wonderland in Minnesota's Otter Tail County.
Minnesota's Northwestern Ski Region Offers Variety
From the edge of Lake of the Woods to the Headwaters of the Mississippi, from the hardwood forests of Maplewood State Park to the jail trail of St. Cloud, northwestern Minnesota offers the widest variety of cross country ski trails in the state.There are many winter ski resorts and lodging outlets with ski packages that include meals and a hot sauna.
Key WH = Warming House P = Parking B = Bathroom
Aitkin No Achen Trail
10.1km 218-927-7364 (P) Beginner to advanced, groomed classic and skate trails through rustic forest. MN ski pass required.
Alexandria Spruce Hill Park
6.4km 320-762-2966 (P, B) 97 acre park with gentle wooded hills through tamarack. MN ski pass required.
Argyle Old Mill State Park
6km 218-437-8174 (WH, P, B) Beginner to intermediate trails with three scenic bridges over Middle River. Sledding hill, shelter with fireplace. Not groomed
Battle Lake Glendalough State Park
11km 218-864-0110 (WH, P, B) Beginner to intermediate, classic trails on rolling hills over prairie and northern hardwoods that pass several lakes. Weekend shelter with fireplace, historic lodge rental, camper cabins. Ski and snowshoe rentals. MN ski pass required.
Baudette Franz Jevne State Park
5.6km 218-783-6252 (P, B) Unique rock outcrop near Rainy River. Secluded and peaceful.
Not groomed.
Bemidji Buena Vista Ski Trail
25km 218-243-2231 (WH, P, B) Intermediate to advanced loops through woods. Family resort since 1949 with downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing, sleigh rides, replica logging village, large lodge, kitchen and shops. Home of the Minnesota Finlandia and Snowjourn races. Also downhill skiing. MN ski pass required.
Bemidji C.V. Hobson Forest Trail
7km 218-759-0164 (P, B) Beginner, groomed for classic. Red and white pine and tamarack bog along Lake Lyra. MN ski pass required.
Bemidji High School Trail
7km 218-759-0164 (P) Easy beginner trail, groomed classic and skate. MN ski pass required.
Bemidji Lake Bemidji State Park
17.6km 218-318-2300 (WH, P, B) Beginner to advanced, four loops, groomed double classic near Lake Bemidji. Warming shelter during office hours, annual candlelight ski. 28 miles of skate ski within 5 miles of park. MN ski pass required.
Bemidji Montebello Trail
4.5km 218-759-0164 (WH, P, B) Beginner, gentle course in the city of Bemidji with 2km of lighted trail. Close to hotels and restaurants. MN ski pass required.
Bemidji Movil Maze Trail
14km 218-759-0164 (P, B) Intermediate to advanced, classic and skate. Steep and rolling hills through black spruce bog, red pines and hardwoods. Used by local racers to train. MN ski pass required.
Bemidji Three Island Park
28km 218-759-0164 (P, B) Beginner to intermediate, groomed classic and skate with beautiful views of Three Island Lake and Turtle River. MN ski pass required.
Bemidji Fern Lake Trail
3.5km 218-759-0164 (P, B) Intermediate to advanced, groomed classic ski trail. MN ski pass required.
Brainerd Crow Wing State Park
9.6km 218-825-3075 (WH, P, B) Beginner to intermediate trails through woods along Mississippi River with town of Crow Wing historic site and historic Red River Oxcart Trail. Not groomed.
Brainerd French Rapids
16km 218-825-0410 (P) Expert only. Well-groomed and challenging trails in glaciated area with great views of Mississippi River Valley. MN ski pass required.
Brainerd Northland Arboretum
20km 218-825-0410 (WH, P, B) Beginner to intermediate, classic and skate ski with nearly 5 km lighted trail. MN ski pass required.
Brainerd Pine Beach Trail
40km 218-825-0410 (WH, P, B) Mostly beginner to intermediate with some advanced loops. Varied terrain through pine and hardwood forest around several scenic lakes. Trail links Kavanaugh's and Cragun's resorts. Ski rentals at Cragun's. MN ski pass required.
Callaway Maplelag Resort
64km 218-375-4466 (WH, P, B) All levels, many well groomed loops through maple forest with rolling hills. Mostly classic with some skate ski. Privately owned cross-country ski resort with lessons and rentals. Sauna and hot tub.
Carlos Lake Carlos State Park
9.5km 320-852-7200 (WH, P, B) Intermediate, groomed classic only, rolling terrain through tamarack bog, marshes, woodland ponds and lakes. MN ski pass required.
Crosby Wolf Lake Ski Trail
13km 218-546-8131 (P) Beginner to advanced, groomed classic with challenging hills through hardwood forest and mature pine. Shelter along trail, maps at intersections.
Crosslake Nordic Ridge Trail
11km 218-218-692-2688 (P) All skill levels. Groomed trails through a mixture of scattered old pines with lots of young conifer plantings and young aspen.
Deerwood Larson Lake Ski Trails
15km 218-546-8131 Beginner, skate and classic, with some advanced loops, rolling hills, wooded area with oak trees, red and white pines, wetlands and tamarack bogs in the Lansin R. Hamilton Memorial Forest. Passes by Larson and Dogfish Lakes.
Detroit Lakes Detroit Mountain
7km 218-844-SNOW (P,B WH) Ski trails ranging from skate and classic to classic only. Beginner to advanced. No MN Ski Pass currently required. See website for details.
Detroit Lakes Dunton Locks
6.1km 218-847-9202 (P, B) Beginner with some hills, west of Detroit Lakes, groomed classic all levels.
Detroit Lakes East Frazee Ski Trails
16km 218-847-9202 (P) Mostly beginner with loops for all levels, groomed single-track through pines, lakeshore, forest and meadows.
Detroit Lakes Mountain View Recreation Area
5k 218-847-9202 (P) All levels, both classic and skate skiing on wide, regularly groomed trails through hardwood forest.
Detroit Lakes Pickerel Lake
9km 218-847-9202 (P) Narrow single track trails through hardwood forests. Groomed occasionally.
Detroit Lakes Pine Lake
12km 218-847-9202 (P, B) Beginner to intermediate, generally even terrain with a few short hills. Occasionally groomed, plus 20 miles of ungroomed trails. Located in the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. MN ski pass required.
Fergus Falls Spidahl Skigaard
24km 218-736-5097 (WH, P, B) All levels. Groomed classic and skate through 340 acres of hardwoods and prairie near Maplewood State Park. Privately owned. Fee applies. Ski and snowshoe rentals.
Glyndon Buffalo River State Park
9.6km 218-498-2124 (WH, P, B) Beginner trails, through remnant prairie and hardwood forest. Not groomed.
Hackensack Deep Portage
18km 218-947-3338 (WH,P, B) Beginner to advance through rolling hills. 6km groomed for skate ski. Located in the Deep Portage Conservation Reserve. Interpretive Center open all week. MN ski pass required.
Hackensack Hiram Ski Trail
8km 218-947-3338 (P) Beginner to advanced, inside Foot Hills State Forest. MN ski pass required.
Kensington Andes Tower Hills Ski Area
15km 320-965-2455 (WH, P, B) All levels of classic and skate through forest and around lakes.
Adjacent to downhill ski area with 1.5km lit trail. Ski rentals available.
Lake Bronson Lake Bronson State Park
11.2km 218-754-2200 (WH, P, B) Beginner trails with no hills along Lake Bronson.
Heated shelter with restrooms. Snowshoe rentals available. Not groomed.
Little Falls Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
5.6km 320-616-4959 (P, B) Beginner trail, groomed with two parallel tracks, with gentle hills. Trail follows Platte River, skirts around several wetlands, winds through mixed hardwoods, crosses fields restored with prairie grasses. Waterfowl observation deck along trail overlooking Skunk Lake.
Little Falls Charles A. Lindbergh State Park
5km 320-616-4959 (P, B) Beginner to intermediate. Not groomed, but user tracked. No ski pass required.
Longville Goose Lake Recreation Area
16km 218-947-3338 (P, B) Beginner to intermediate trails through woods, over gently rolling hills and around wetlands. MN ski pass required.
Milaca Milaca Trails
8km 320-983-5729 (P) City of Milaca trails are groomed single track.
Nisswa Grand View Lodge
20 km 800-432-3788 (WH, P, B) All levels over three loops, well groomed for classic and skate through 360 acres of pines, prairie and wetland. Lodging available with pool, hot tub and spa. Rentals and changing rooms on site.
Onamia Mille Lacs Kathio State Park
32km 320-532-3523 (WH, P, B) Beginner to advanced, several loops through wooded terrain.
Not groomed.
Outing Washburn Lake Solitude Area
11km 218-947-3338 (P) Beginner to advanced trail in the Land O'Lakes State Forest with a trail shelter.
Palisade Long Lake Conservation Center
7.2km 800-450-5522 (P) Beginner to intermediate, groomed classic ski trails through rustic forest. MN ski pass required.
Park Rapids Itasca State Park
45km 218-699-7251 (WH, P, B) Beginner to advanced, groomed with many loops. Ski to the headwaters of the Mississippi River amongst towering white pines on easy rolling hills. Visitor center with fireplace is open year round. Mississippi Headwaters Hostel is inside the park. MN ski pass required.
Park Rapids Soaring Eagle Trail
10km 218-732-4111 (WH, P, B) Beginner to advanced trails that wind through a varied forest ranging from baby aspen to mature balsam and pine with rolling hills. Skate and classic. MN ski pass required.
Pelican Rapids Maplewood State Park
20km 218-863-8383 (WH, P, B) Intermediate to advanced, four loops of classic ski through hardwood forest, over hills and around many lakes. Annual candlelight ski. MN ski pass required.
Pine River Cut Lake Trail
16km 218-947-3338 (P, B) Beginner to advanced skiing.
Rice Mississippi River County Park
6km 320-255-6172 (P, B) All beginner trails, groomed for classic skiing right along the Mississippi River.
Roseau Hayes Lake State Park
9.6km 218-425-7504 (P, B) Groomed beginner trails along Hayes Lake and North Fork Roseau River. Snowshoe rentals available. MN ski pass required.
Saint Augusta Warner Lake Park
6km 320-255-6172 (P, B) Beginner to intermediate, groomed classic through woods with some challenging hills. 41-acre site surrounding Warner Lake.
Saint Cloud Graystone Trails
17km 320-255-6172 (WH, P, B) Beginner to intermediate with a few challenging hills. Many loops through scenic woods, pastures and apple orchards. Maintained by the Nordic Ski Club of Central Minnesota. MN Ski Pass required
Saint Cloud Riverside Park
5km 320-650-3053 (WH, P, B) Beginner to intermediate trails with flat to rolling hills along the Mississippi River near downtown St. Cloud.
Saint Joseph Kraemer Lake-Wildwood County Park
6km 320-255-6172 (P, B) Beginner to advanced. Six classic ski loops that wind through a wooded setting. MN ski pass required.
Sauk Centre High School Trail
2.25km 320-352-5201(P) Groomed classic and skate ski trails next to the Sauk River. Rated easy to moderate with cut-offs to avoid the few large hills.
Thief River Falls Greenwood Trails
1.5km 218-686-9785 (P) Beginner classic ski trails that wind through a wooded setting along the Red Lake River.
Thief River Falls Golf Course Trail
12km 218-686-9785 (P) Beginner to intermediate classic trail. Ski on the frozen Thief River from Red Robe Park to the golf course. Monthly moonlight ski event.
Wadena Black's Grove
9km 218-632-7704 (P) Beginner to advanced, classic ski trails that wind through a wooded setting.
Waite Park Quarry Park and Nature Preserve
6.3km 320-255-6172 (P, B) Beginner to intermediate with a skating loop and classic loops. Ski past granite quarries and rock piles on lighted trails. 323 acre State Scientific and Natural Area within park with additional 5km of ungroomed rustic trail shared by snowshoers and skiers. Quarry Park parking pass required.
Walker Shingobee Recreation Area
23km 218-947-3338 (P, B ) Beginner to expert trails on the slopes of the Shingobee River Valley. Groomed for classic and skate skiing. MN Ski Pass required.
Waubun Rainbow Resort Trails
23km 218-734-2241 (P, B) Beginner to intermediate trails on Little Bemiji Lake, groomed for classic and skate skiing. Day passes and ski rentals available.
Williams Zippel Bay State Park
17.6km 218-783-6252 (P, B) 14k trail ranging from beginner to intermediate near Lake of the Woods. Catch glimpses of timber wolves and deer. Not groomed.
Sources: Minnesota DNR, Minnesota Nordic Ski Association, Skinnyski & Individual Trails
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