this area is wonderfully snaky and fun before it spits riders out onto the ditch of Highway 169 .

Then it ’ s decision time again ! While considering options , a stop at The Joint just north of that intersection is a fine place to warm up or get truly great comfort food and hospitality .

Option 1 would be to stay north of the lake and run the fun loops there . If that ’ s the plan , head north on Trail 41 in the Highway 169 ditch to Aitkin ( the local county seat ) then head east and run a combination of the five looped trails in that area north of Mille Lacs ( with another popular snowmobile pitstop for food and gas – The Glen Store – along the way ).

Riding here is a combination of frozen wetlands and intriguing woods that will eventually lead snowmobilers toward the McGregor area mentioned earlier and the Solana State Forest . There are so many intersecting trails in this area that riders can spend the rest of their day running loops before dropping south again either to McGrath or Isle before making their way back to their tow vehicle .

Loop The Lake

Option 2 from the Trail 163 / 41 intersection along Highway 169 would be to complete the full loop by trail around Mille Lacs by dropping south on its west side . That ’ s a fine idea , but our advice would be to NOT take the shortest route you see on a trail map . The trail closest to the west side of the lake has many road crossings , a lot of road traffic and some landowner disputes that make the ride directly south of Garrison kind of a carbide-eating , head-swiveling pain in the derriere .

Instead , from the north edge of Garrison take Trail 18 ( which aptly follows Highway 18 ) north and west for a bit , then hook back to the south , then east and south again on Trail 121 . It follows interesting ditches and farmland . Stick with 121 where it turns south before Pine Center , and the path with dive into dense woods for a marvelously meandering spin .

The trail straightens for a bit , then tees into a Morrison County trail maintained by the Hillman Swampstompers . That trail should be followed back in the general direction of Mille Lacs Lake and into the Mille Lacs Kathio State Park .

The Mille Lacs Drift Skippers clubhouse ( left ) is found at the intersection of two major trails . Riding on Mille Lacs Lake ( right ) is another fun option .

Riding in Kathio has always been fun , but it ' s gotten even better in recent years . The topography here gets surprisingly rugged , thanks to a “ terminal moraine ” landscape that dates to the last ice age 10,000 years ago . Three winding loop trails take riders up and down abrupt hills that are surrounded by white-trunked aspen and birch trees intermixed with other darker-trunked hardwoods .

Traditionally , trails in Kathio have been very narrow and tight , which gives an intimate , “ single-track ” feel that is great fun , until you meet another sled . Well , in the last two years , the local clubs and state officials have worked tirelessly to widen many trails in Kathio in key spots . It still feels remote , but it ’ s now easier for the clubs to groom and it feels safer . It ’ s also another cool reflection of how local snowmobilers and government officials have been working together in this area to their mutual benefit .

After the trail splits in several locations to take riders on some wonderful loops , it comes together near the southwest corner of the big lake and then folds back into the Soo Line rail trail near the small but busy city of Onamia .

Head Home , Or Not !

Depending on how many of the optional routes were taken , at this point riders would have 100-plus miles on their odometers and could be approaching 200 . Not bad for a day ’ s work . But as you can probably tell , there are still options to explore . And we haven ’ t even mentioned the fun of riding on Mille Lac ’ s Lake itself . In winter , it ’ s a small city on ice , thanks to its famous ice fishing and hanging-out opportunities . But the lake ' s so massive ( with 280 miles of surface ) that you can always find a play area .

Whether you now follow the Highway 169 ditch south back down to the parking lot behind the Rough Cut Bar & Grill or opt to grab a local hotel room for more exploration by sled the next day is up to you . But we know that if you experience this easy-toreach area once , you ’ ll be back for more .

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