No new snow this week, your best bet is to ride through woods.
Itasca State Park
3/12/2018 – Since Tuesday, it did melt down more. There may be some good coverage yet. Although some water spots/slush or bare spots down to dirt. Last weekend, snowmobilers were out enjoying the 8 to 12 inches of new snow the area received on Monday, March 5! A huge thank you to our dedicated groomers who do a great job making our trail system outstanding!
Groomers are out this week doing spot grooming in Itasca State Park, Trails #11, #18, #21, #22, the Scout Trail, and trails from Lake George to Emmaville.
PLEASE NOTE: Trail #32 from Holiday Corner (located at the intersection of trails #31 and #32 on the Pine Forest Road) going west for about a mile has been plowed to the gravel for logging purposes. Snowmobilers are driving on the plowed sides of the trail. After this part of the trail, the Pine Forest Road, Coon Lake, and Spider Lake trails going to Itasca State Park are great riding.
Due to the warm weather forecasted for the coming weekend, it may be the last good sledding weekend for the season. Get out and enjoy the fantastic scenery of the Forest Riders snowmobile trail system!
Park Rapids Area
3/10/2018 – Looks like a lot of riders out today and so glad to see. Looks like it might be the last weekend of good riding with temps getting in the 40’s this week. Trails seem to be holding up fairly well at this point. I was out twice this week and the trails were in great shape. A few bare spots here and there where the sun was bearing down. There is also a fair amount of slush out the also so be careful.
Also the Lester Lakes Trail has some logging going on and they have plowed the snowmobile trail down to the dirt. I would probably avoid this area if possible, It is a little over a mile stretch there, so not to terrible. We are hoping for a little more notice next year so we can work on alternative routes if needed.
As for our groomer, it has gone down with some fairly major repairs needed. So it appears with the weather and the repairs needed we are probably done grooming for the year.
Itasca Trails
Snowshoe Trails:Good snowshoeing conditions! Some trails might be getting more packed from use and the warm temperatures. If snowshoers go off-trail, the snow depth will vary from 20-inches plus in open areas to just a few inches under the conifers. Trails include: Dr. Roberts, Mary Lake, Brower, LaSalle (trailhead in Pine Ridge Campground), Schoolcraft. Please do not snowshoe on the ski trails.
Ski Trails:Trails are in very good to excellent condition! The grooming crew was out early in the mornings this week. Be aware, conditions can change as the week progresses and with the warmer temperatures forecast later in the week. Classic Track Fresh tracked trails (by March 13) includes: Bike, South Entrance Road (to Red Pine Trail), Red Pine (between South Entrance and Ozawindib), Ozawindib (from Wilderness Drive to Red Pine), Myrtle Lake Crossover, Aiton Heights Trail (from Ozawindib to the Aiton Heights Tower Road), Deer Park, DeSoto, Wilderness Drive from Douglas Lodge to DeSoto Trail. Skate Lanes Freshly Combed skate lanes (by March 13) include: Bike Trail, South Entrance Road (to Red Pine Trail), Wilderness Drive (from Douglas Lodge to Nicollet Creek/Bison Kill Site). Skate skiers are asked to not skate on the classic track on shared trails.
Hikers and snowshoers are asked to not walk on ski trails.
More Links:
Trail Reports from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources