STORY & PHOTOS BY STAFF
From the Iowa border to Canada, from the Dakotas to Wisconsin – snowmobile trails in Minnesota will take you there and back, with lots of fun in between.
It’s true: Minnesota has more snowmobile trail miles (about 22,000) than highway miles (11,694 – and that includes US and Minnesota highways as well as interstate miles). It doesn’t hurt that two major snowmobile manufacturers are based in the northwestern part of the state, but in reality, it’s the dedicated society of snowmobile clubs over the past 60 years that make the trail system what it is today.
Snowmobiling in Minnesota is a dream for sledders who like touring or who like to pack on the miles. It also has more than its fair share of local gems. Since Snow Goer is based in Minnesota, you know that we all have our favorite trails, pitstops and locals-only experiences. We’re letting you in on our trail secrets and the places we happily return to again and again.
We’re not the ones to say, “Shhh, don’t tell anyone and keep the riff-raff out.” Yes, there are popular areas but with such a vast trail network, there’s truly room for all.
Milaca–Wahkon Loop: a Perfect Mix
Two incredibly snowmobile-friendly restaurant owners who truly set the standard for trail support anchor this area. The Rough-Cut Grill and Bar, just north of Milaca, and Muggs of Mille Lacs in Wahkon are both huge supporters of the local trail systems. If there’s ever been a model for owners who get involved and give back to the sport, these two are it.
For this loop, we usually start at the Rough-Cut at the Rum River Sno Riders parking lot, and head north toward Wahkon. About 11 miles from the parking area, there’s a great trail shelter, Hoot Owl Ridge, provided by the Mystic Riders snowmobile club. From there, it’s roughly 20 miles to Wahkon, where we typically roll into town for lunch at Muggs.
After lunch, we’ll usually hop on the Soo Line Trail heading east and do a little loop around tight and twisty Red Top. This area is expertly maintained by the Mille Lacs Drift Skippers club. We then make our way back on the eastern route toward the Sno Riders parking lot. The full loop comes in around 95 miles and offers a great mix of riding — winding woods, open fields, stretches of railroad grade, and the bonus of a few neat trailside shelters along the way.
Like most areas in central Minnesota, you can easily shorten or lengthen this ride depending on the conditions or how much seat time you’re after. Either way, this ride never disappoints.
Little Falls / Brainerd Loop: Mini-MinneSota
This 126-mile loop through central Minnesota delivers it all — from prairie stretches to pine forests and frozen lakes, it’s a ride that changes character around every bend.
Launch from the Soo Line trail just off Highway 10 south of Little Falls. There’s plenty of trailer parking and quick access to the main corridor.
Ride east toward Pierz on a wide, well-groomed trail that flows through open countryside with just enough curves to keep it fun.
From Pierz, turn north on Trail 258 toward Upper Long Lake. Stop at Paradise Shores Resort, a longtime rider favorite, for lunch with a view — the burgers and lake backdrop are hard to beat.
Continue west on Trail 121 to Brainerd, then follow Trail 161 to Pillager. If time allows, detour into Pillsbury State Forest for some tight, twisty pine trails — a local favorite, especially midweek when traffic is light.
You can top fuel off in Pillager before heading south on Trail 258 past Lake Alexander and into Randall. This stretch mixes open cruising with wooded runs that keep the ride lively.
Cross the river at Camp Ripley and, if time permits, stop at the Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum. From there, follow Trail 258 back to the Soo Line and west to your starting point.
Detroit Lakes Northern Loop; Lake Country
This trail has multiple food/fuel options and can be as short as 30 miles or up to 120 miles with a mix of ditch, tight woods, and lake crossings.
A good place to start is on the east edge of town at the Detroit Lakes Technical College where the Cenex station has fuel and trail maps. Heading east on Trail 300 to Cotton Lake where you can either stay north on trail 300 or head east toward trail 400.
Trail 400 will take you along the east side of Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge to Ice Cracking Lodge, which is a great food/fuel stop. Trail 400 goes north and eventually ends at Pinehurst Resort (food/fuel) where the 300 Trail also ends. You can make a full loop depending on the trail you came up on to get back to Detroit Lakes.
A fun, shorter loop heading north on 300 is to veer off across Buffalo Lake and pick up Trail 100 in Richwood (food/fuel) or cross Rock Lake, which also connects to 100. Trail and 100 will take you ditch running to Sunlite Bar and Grill on Little Floyd Lake for a quick warmup with only a few miles back to your trailer at the Technical College.
North Shore Trail: A Shining Star
Do you want a slice of sledding nirvana? The CJ Ramstad North Shore State Trail offers long seasons, highly dependable snow, awe-inspiring scenery and truly spectacular trails.
We like to point the sleds north from the spacious lot at the trailhead just up the hill from Two Harbors. We’re quickly immersed in the very best aspects of trail riding: a wide, groomed path that weaves between super-tall, snow-laden trees, over quaint bridges that cross trickling creeks, and eventually to high overlooks – some with glimpses of glorious Lake Superior on the horizon.
After 34 miles of sweeping turns and rolling hills of the North Shore, we hit the first of three intersections of the Moosewalk trail system – each spurring off to the right. This spiderweb of narrower club trails provides a much more intimate snowmobiling experience, with tighter turns, closer trees and, somehow, almost always more snow on the ground than on the state trail. There also another towering scenic overlook on the shortest Moosewalk spur that shouldn’t be missed.
Running all three Moosewalk trails adds 23 miles to the adventure before spitting us back out on to the North Shore trail. Continue to the northeast for 24 miles to the Tomahawk state trail intersection. We like to take a short 3-mile jaunt up the Tomahawk for two reasons: (1) we love having lunch at the famous Trestle Inn; and (2) with 81 miles rolled up by now, we are usually starting to get a tad nervous about gas and know we can get it at Crooked Lake Resort down the hill from the Trestle (or, new this year, the Trestle will now serve gas for hungry snowmobiles).
After lunch, there’s no wrong answer. Continue west on Tomahawk toward Ely, or consider returning to the North Shore and head northeast toward Grand Marias. Either could create a higher-mile adventure. But often times, we’ll just return to the North Shore Trail and blast south back to the tow vehicle. With this plan, we’ll end the riding day with 143 miles on the sled’s odometer and can often still load the sleds onto the trailer before sunset.
The Remer–Grand Rapids–Hill City Area: A Staff Favorite
One of our favorite snowmobile loops sits right in the heart of Minnesota’s Northwoods — the greater Remer, Longville, Grand Rapids, and Hill City area. This stretch of country is a mix of everything that makes snowmobiling special: twisting forest trails, wide fast runs, friendly towns, and more than a few great places to warm up and grab a meal.
We usually kick things off near the Anchorage Inn on Lake Inguadona. From there, it’s about 16 miles into Remer — a ride that starts with a short stretch of tight, technical woods before opening up into wider, flowing sections that eventually connect with the Soo Line Trail. Remer’s a great stop with easy gas right on the trail.
From town, we like to head southeast about five miles down the Soo Line to a club shelter, where we take a left onto Trail 93. That stretch runs about 15 miles to the Itasca Driftskippers’ West Shelter and let me just say: this club knows how to take care of their trails. They are always well maintained. Their shelters are also always clean, stocked with firewood, and perfectly placed.
There are plenty of loops to explore from here, but our group usually continues toward Grand Rapids. The ride across Pokegama Lake is always a highlight with some impressive home-gazing. The Pickled Loon in the lake is our normal lunch stop. From there, heading south on the east side of Highway 169 is one of those perfect stretches — a rolling, twisting run that keeps us grinning the whole way.
It’s about 14 miles from Pokegama to the Itasca Driftskippers’ East Shelter, another top-notch stop, and then another 14 miles down to Haypoint, where the Corner Club is a reliable spot for gas, food, and a chat with other riders. From there, it’s a quick three miles back to the Soo Line, which loops you right back toward Remer and eventually our starting point on Lake Inguadona.
All told, it’s roughly a 114-mile loop, but you can make it shorter or longer thanks to the web of side trails in the area. Between the great shelters, steady fuel stops, and miles of beautiful Northwoods scenery, it’s a route that truely never gets old — the kind of ride that keeps you looking forward to the next snowfall.