Trail Report – : Hurley, Wisconsin – January 17, 2020

Reporter:Lodging

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: Varies

Date of Report: January 17, 2020

Area Report:

❄️❄️Hurley Area Snow Report Friday January 17, 2020

The White Thunder Riders report “Another beautiful night grooming trails in and around Hurley. 25 below was found at one point, so needless to say the marshes have firmed up along with all the trail surfaces.”

We continue to hear good things about Mercer, Manitowish Waters, Vilas County and our neighbors to the east.

STAY OFF THE LAKES AND FLOWAGES.

Trail 15 to 15A is now open with NO REROUTE.

Trail 6 in the Whitecap Mountains Resort area has an active logging operation. Use CAUTION. (Between E and E)

Trail 160 in Michigan is OPEN with a reroute.

We would like to remind everyone to STAY on the TRAIL. Stay OFF the lakes and flowages. RESPECT our landowners. If you come upon a groomer WAIT for the groomer driver to come to a complete stop and signal for you to continue.

Show your appreciation by attending club events, not just ours but neighboring clubs as well. Remember “United we Trail, Divided we Fail”

Upcoming Club Events:
Mercer Sno Goers, Winter Blast Saturday 1/18/20
Gogebic Range Trail Authority, Meat Raffle Saturday 1/18/20
Manitowish Waters Sno-Skeeters, Breakfast at Ye Olde Shillelagh Sunday 1/19/20

Ride RIGHT. Ride SAFE. STAY together.

Trail Report – : Western UP, Michigan – January 17, 2020

Reporter:Western U.P. Snowmobile Report

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 36-20

Date of Report: January 17, 2020

Area Report:

Western U P Snowmobile Trail Report— 1/17/2020

Gogebic Range Trail Authority – Snowmobile & ORV Club Trail Report

Trail Condition: Excellent
Last Groomed: January 17th, 2020
Base Snowfall: 36″
Reported On: January 17th, 2020 @ 8:05am

Groomer Report

Overall Story: VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT

Friday 1/17 8:30 am CST: -20 below zero last night! We are down one groomer but this crew embraces challenges, our Tucker has been on the trails for 24 hours straight and will wind up grooming nearly 30 hours straight before it’s inside for a quick thaw today before trails are groomed tonight through Sunday. Trails are in fantastic shape!! December 2018 we groomed 800 miles. December of 2019 we groomed almost 2,500 miles, woofta! We continue to receive an inch or so of snow every other day since last week.

WARNINGS AND NOTICES: We are begging riders to ride off trail legally as there are 1-million acres of public land east of Wakefield to off trail ride on – please only ride legal areas! The Ottawa National Forest is 990,000 acres and much of it open to cross-country riding (no trail/road) if there is 6″ or more of snow. Several restricted areas, contact the forest for further information. Call 906-932-1330

Trail 2 from Hurley to Ramsay US-2 Crossing:

Overall rating: EXCELLENT

Last groomed 1/16/2020. Please do not ride on sidewalks near Holiday and try to keep noise down in town.

Trail 2 from Ramsay Crossing to Wakefield:

Overall rating: GOOD TO EXCELLENT

Last groomed 1/16/2020. The entire stretch is in excellent condition! Featuring a brand new section to enjoy this season, the club eliminated Prospect road route and moved the trail completely into the woods eliminating 1.5 miles of road route. PLEASE STAY ON THE TRAIL AND RESPECT THESE LANDOWNERS!

Trail 2 from Wakefield to Marenisco:

Overall Rating: GOOD TO EXCELLENT

Last groomed 1/17/2020. There is logging 4 miles east of Wakefield. Please yield to logging traffic, they are working and you are playing!

Trail 8 from Wakefield to Tula Crossing:

Overall Rating: GOOD TO EXCELLENT

Last Groomed 1/17. There is a new traffic pattern on the northern end due to a plowed section. Please follow the new route for the remainder of this season.

Trail 160 from Wal-Mart to Montreal River (WI):

Overall Rating: EXCELLENT

Last Groomed 1/16. There is logging about 1/2 way north on the trail, YIELD TO LOGGERS AND GIVE THEM RESPECT – IT’S THEIR LAND! All detours now fixed and trail 100% open! STAY ON THE TRAIL!!!!!! This is our most scenic trail and is a treat to ride! There are several scenic vistas on the trail such as Bald Mountain “NORTH” lookout viewing Madeline Island/ mouth of the Chequamegon Bay of Lake Superior, the Bald Mountain “SOUTH” lookout viewing Gogebic Range (Powderhorn, Copper Peak), the Montreal River Gorge look out and finally the amazing Superior Falls Waterfall Complex. Stay on the trail in the farm fields. Over 25 landowners are involved to make this trail a reality, please respect them and ride responsibly.

11S (Wakefield, MI to Winchester, WI):

Overall Rating: GOOD TO EXCELLENT

Last Groomed 1/13, planned for tonight 1/17. A couple icy areas remain rough due to freezing the trail in. PLEASE YIELD TO ANY AND ALL LOGGING TRAFFIC. There is a short section of dual use the landowner (Keweenaw Land) has graciously approved us to use along with them. It is private land and we are guests, please act like it. THANK YOU to all the people who have helped brush this trail! You made our groomer operators day twice over by helping brush the trail for us. This is what makes snowmobiling great!!

11N (Wakefield, MI to South boundary Rd/White Pine): Closed due to off trail riding. Seeking local community support with ideas on how to reopen it. 200 yards of private property closed this 25 mile trail.

GOGEBIC AREA GROOMERS 1/14/2020

Gogebic Area Grooming, Inc. Trail Report

Trail Condition: Excellent
Last Groomed: January 14th, 2020
Base Snowfall: 36+”
Reported On: January 14th, 2020 @ 9:58pm

Groomer Report

January 14, 2020

All trails in the Lake Gogebic Area are being groomed nightly and are in GOOD to EXCELLENT condition! Our forecast is cold and snow daily and John Dee is showing 12-24” between Jan 18-24^th! Great riding going on right now!!

Currently:

Trail # 1N: Bergland to White Pine. This trail is being groomed daily and is reported to be in excellent condition.

Trail # 1South from Marenisco to Wisconsin Border: This trail is being groomed daily and is reported to be in excellent condition.

Trail # 8: from Bergland to Wakefield. Good to excellent. Groomed daily and all hazards and wet spots are gone!

Trail 102from Bergland to Trail #11, Groomed daily – good to excellent!

Trail # 13North from Bergland to 101: This trail is being groomed daily and is reported to be in good to excellent condition.

Trail # 13south of Root Cellar to trail 2 is in open and in good condition.

As always, ride safe and enjoy our area. All the Grooming Clubs have been busting their butts off to fight Mother Nature once again. So don’t hesitate to join a club that you visit. We sure do appreciate it and also need it to make this possible.

U.P. Thunder Riders Trail Report 1/14/2020

Trail Condition: Good To Excellent
Last Groomed: January 14th, 2020
Base Snowfall: 20″
Reported On: January 14th, 2020 @ 10:10am

Groomer Report

Thunder Riders are grooming daily and the trails are in very good to excellent condition.

Trail #3 from the Wisconsin border to Watersmeet very good condition, Watersmeet to Paulding very good condition. We have 2 logging project on this trail one north of Forest Rd 5250 (trail 150) and the other is north of Bond Falls Rd so please use caution and respect the loggers.

Trail #2 west of Watersmeet to Trail #1 south, very good condition

Trail #2 east of Watersmeet to Trail #107, very good condition

Trail #13 south to Cisco Chain, very good condition

Trail Report – : Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan – January 15, 2020

Reporter:SaultSteMarie

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 3″

Date of Report: January 15, 2020

Area Report:

Trail Condition: Good
Last Groomed: January 13th, 2020
Base Snowfall: 3″
Reported On: January 15th, 2020 @ 10:21am

Groomer Report

Trails are open and we have groomed all the way to the western end of our system. Trees are hanging low and many are broken and lying on the trail. Use caution, especially near wet areas.

There is now a plowed parking area at the beginning of trail #8 under the International Bridge, which has an all-season porta potty. Make sure you lock your vehicles and trailers.

If you are staying in the Sault please look at our list of supporters on our web page and give them your business. Please do that in all towns you visit. The grooming entities are all made up of volunteers who want you to support those who support us!!!!!!

Remember trail base is the amount of snow between your track and the ground below not the amount of fluff piled up in the woods. 10 inches of snow compresses to less than an inch on the trail.

Sault Ste. Marie to Brimley, Trail #8 –

Base 3 inches -Trail is in good condition.

Brimley to Raco, Trail #8 -good

Base 3 inches -Trail is in good condition.

When going across the bridge in Brimley make sure you go with your the flow of traffic! Blowing and drifting occur when you first leave Brimley.

Watch for trail change going south just before getting to Raco.

Raco to Naomikong Trail #8 [where Paradise meets us], Trail #8 – GOOD

Base 3 inches – Trail is in good condition. Brushing was completed Thursday. Thank you to the DNR and volunteers. 2018 trail change just east of Salt Pointe Rd. Moved trail out of twisty section back to the old straight route, about 2.5 miles. The different trail just east of Raco going to M28. Still cleaning up brush from the storm in western areas.

Sault Ste. Marie City Trail, Trails #497, #449, parts of #8 & #49 –

Base 3 inches – Trail is in good condition.

We now have a marked trail going to Chippewa Motors. It starts once you come out of the woods east of M-129 off #449. It comes into their parking lot from behind if you need parts or service.

City curfew is from 1 am – 6 am. Remember most City streets are open to traffic 20 mph, stop at all intersections, and ride on the right-hand side of the street, not on sidewalks. Watch for closed streets that are posted, mainly around the hospital, university, and state trunk lines.

Sault Ste. Marie to Kinross, Trail #49 -GOOD

Base 3 inches – Trail is in good condition except for wet areas. Use caution.

Make sure you follow reroute once you cross the bridge going south at 7 Mile Road.

When the trail is running along roads make sure you go with the flow of traffic on the right side of the road.

Kinross Loop & south to Pickford, Parts of Trail #49, #472, and #494 – FAIR to GOOD

Base 3 inches – Watch for wet areas on the trail. Brushing is ongoing.

Kinross to Raco & Rudyard, Parts of trail #472 & #480 -GOOD

Base 3 inches – Trail is in fair Condition. Major brushing was completed Thursday. Watch for reroute signs just west of Kinross.

Join us on Facebook too!!!

www.sootrails.org

Trail Report – : Oconto County, Wisconsin – January 17, 2020

Reporter:Oconto County Tourism

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 6-9

Date of Report: January 17, 2020

Area Report:

Red Arrow Snowmobile ATV Club (Townsend) – 1/16/20

All the trails from the Nicolet State trail ( the grade ) east of town are in VERY GOOD condition.

West of 32 heading towards highway 64, the problem areas between intersections 510 & 512 was groomed last night and the guys say it isn’t to bad considering, with the big snow on the way maybe it will be healed for the rest of the year? That region is what is called The Bob Kroll trail. It was plowed down to dirt after the big snow by the loggers who cleared the trees for us. Without their efforts it would still be blocked by trees.

Taking that area out of the picture, our trails are in VERY GOOD riding condition.

Paul Bunyan Riders Snowmobile Club (Lakewood) – 1/17/20 All Paul Bunyan Riders trails were groomed last night and are in excellent condition. We are expecting several inches of snow this weekend if the forecasters are right for a change. The groomers will be out all weekend. I will keep you posted on snow totals.

Chute Pond Snowmobile Club (Mountain) – 1/17/2020

The trail from INT#472 (at Old 64) north to INT#455 (18 Corridor) will re-open tomorrow morning, Thursday, January 16. Please use extra caution in this area as it will not be groomed for a while as we wait for the ice under the snow to develop more. The previous water hole will be icy, so go slow through that area.

Chute Pond Snowmobile Club trails are open, freshly groomed, and in good to very good condition on the NST (RR grade from Suring to INT#605) and all trails west of the NST. The NST is a little thinner from Suring to Breed, but it is rideable, and there is a Park & Ride adjacent to the trail on the north side of Main St (Hwy 32) in Suring. The wooded trails to Boulder Lake, Animal’s, the Mountain Lakes trail to Halfway Bar, and the 18 Corridor west of the NST are all in good to very good condition. The wooded trails east of the NST are in good “early season” condition, which means there will be some bumps, dips, and ruts to deal with as the groomers continue to work on the trails. The 18 Corridor east of the NST is a nice ride all the way to Crooked Lake. On our eastern trails, watch for possible slushy and/or wet/icy/rough frozen areas.

Exceptions (see map): Trails that will remain closed indefinitely are from INT#451-INT#453 (from east of Hwy 32 behind the Junction to Jack Pine Rd), and from INT#447 north to the 18 Corridor trail near Cooked Lake (the northern pipeline trail). DO NOT ride the closed trails- they have not been cleared from the July wind storms because the swamps are still wet and have not allowed equipment to get in to work on those areas yet. The closed areas are tangles of fallen trees in a swampy area- you don’t want to go there.

On our trails east of the NST (RR grade), “early season conditions”

Be aware that any off-trail riding- even to take one ski off to “grab a little loose snow”- could be dangerous. The July wind storms have devastated many areas of our forested trails, and there are many trees and limbs on the ground just off the edges of the groomed trails. Please stay safe- stay on the groomed trails. Riders are urged to reduce speed and ride with extra caution, as the forest and the trails look very different since the storm. There are numerous logging operations that will be ongoing throughout the season. Please use extra caution in these areas. No Chute Pond trails cross any lakes or rivers- and ice has been slow to form on most area lakes. Use extreme caution on all frozen surfaces. You are encouraged to carry a portable hand saw if possible, since limbs and branches continue to fall onto and over the trails. Please- ride sober, stay to the right, and stay on the marked trails.

Bagley & Brazeau Joyriders – The BB Joyriders, trails will completely open Saturday 8:00am. The trails may have icy spots and possible wet areas. Grooming of the trails will start next week, so help pack down the new snow this weekend.

We have some changes this year; the trail to Suring is the biggest change. It’s 4 miles longer to get downtown, Suring. The trial brings you to the RR grade which is 1 mile south of town. The intersection number is new, 195; this intersection is not on our county maps. There will also be an information sign at the intersection. The other change is, when you go across Kelly Lake and then toward Round Lake, there is open water by the Round Lake inlet. The path was moved 150’ to the west; a wonderful landowner is letting us cut through to the lake. So go slow next to the house to keep the noise down and don’t tear up the grass, or this will close. The trail going north to hwy 64 int.425 to 429 has changed do to logging, follow the signs.

Gillett Sno ATV Riders – Opening on Saturday, January 18th at 8:00am. This will include just the railroad grade from Shawano Line Road to Suring. The grade has 3-4 inches of packed snow on it and all the water spots we were fighting earlier this season froze up.

Oconto Falls Sno-Jokers – 1/17/20 CLOSED and will remain closed all weekend even with new snow arriving.

Lena Sno-Drifters – CLOSED.

Chase Sno-Chasers – CLOSED.

Snowmobile Information:

Bonfire in the Woods is Saturday at intersection #641 east of Townsend. Please try and join us for free hot dogs and hot chocolate and a lot of great trail talk? It runs from 11-3. A port-a-potty will be provided by the Town of Townsend. Thank you😉. Hope to see you there? If you have a vintage sled this would be a great opportunity to show it off a bit!!

Trail Report – : Phelps, Wisconsin – January 16, 2020

Reporter:Phelps Snowmobile Club

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 18″ to 24″

Date of Report: January 16, 2020

Area Report:

Welcome to Derby weekend. Phelps is just far enough away from the hustle of the derby for great trail riding. Trail 6, east of town, is detour free. The area has frozen up but, it has not been groomed through that stretch. Hopefully with temps tonight reaching -10, it can harden up to support the weight of a groomer and drag. All trails were groomed last night. We have some mechanical issues and trails will not see a groomer tonight. The plan is to groom every night this up coming weekend. Snow is in the forecast for Friday night through the day on Saturday with 4 to 8 inches expected. Cold weather moving in after the snow. Bundle up and please ride responsible. Please like and follow us on Facebook and visit our website for more information and membership applications.http://phelpssnowmobileclub.com

News and Reports:

-January 21 is the Tuesday club ride. this week is a trip to Boulder Junction. Please meet downtown at 9:00 a.m.

-January 27- 28 is an overnight trip to the casino in Carter. Please contact Tom Hickson for more info and to reserve your spot

Trail Report – : Chippewa County, WI – January 16, 2020

Reporter:cvsopresident

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 6″ – 10″

Date of Report: January 16, 2020

Area Report:

Chippewa County Snowmobile Trails are open and in good condition. The following trail is still closed.

Trail 14A from intersection 9 to Chain Lake. The lake route on this trail is not staked at this time.

Corridor 33 from the Albertville Tavern to Club 40 will open at 4:00 pm Friday January 17 This trail will remain open as with the rest of the trails providing riders stay on the trail and it is not ridden when trails are closed.

Trails are rated in good condition and most are groomed. Please ride with caution. Some trails have been re-routed due to standing crops. Many of the wetland areas have been packed by snowmobile but the ground is not frozen enough to support the weight of the groomer. We have tried to groom some of those areas and broken through ice, leaving the trail rough or possibly with open water. Many of the problem wet areas are now frozen but may be rough. Those areas are passable on the edge of the trail. If in doubt, turn around and find another route. Some sections of trail have not been groomed for this reason. Known areas with hazards are identified on an online trail map posted with the official trail report on the Chippewa Valley Snowmobile Association (CVSO) website http://chippewasnowmobiletrails.com/trail-conditions/

Remember that some small creek crossings can be hazardous so ride with caution. Check the official report pages to determine whether neighboring county trails are open. Do not cross into other counties without checking their trail status. Do not use routes crossing water at this time as the ice may not be safe. As always, stay on the trails we do not want to lose them.

Additionally snowmobilers have been riding the Old Abe horse trail that is parallel to the snowmobile trail between intersection 26 and intersection 96. No Snowmobiles are permitted on the horse trail.

Trail Report – : Ashland County, Wisconsin – January 16, 2020

Reporter:info@visitashland.com

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 8-10

Date of Report: January 16, 2020

Area Report:

Ashland County Snowmobile Report January 16, 2020

Ashland County trails are OPEN AND IN OVERALL GOOD CONDITION. There is a temporarily closed trail in Marengo but there is a detour there which is well posted!! And trail 77 in Cayuga is detoured and very well posted.

Much of the Ashland County snowmobile trail system uses private property and could be lost if the property owners experiences issues. The most common complaints are snowmobiles not staying on trails or going off into fields that are not part of the trail, and loud noise from non-stock muffler systems. Respect the trail system. The Tri-county corridor is open.

Detailed Reports by Area:

Mellen/Glidden: Base is 15 to 20 inches all trails are in very good condition and groomed except for (1)Trail 13 between Mellen and Glidden has a section of around 200 yards and (2)Trail 11 has a section that is detoured because of a beaver dam issue. With the help of Mother Nature these will be reopened as soon as possible. John Westfahl, President, Penokee Mountain Range Riders, Mellen WI

Trail Report – : Tomahawk, Wisconsin – January 16, 2020

Reporter:jan

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: up to 20 inches

Date of Report: January 16, 2020

Area Report:

Lincoln County’s funded snowmobile trails (County Administrated Trails) in Zones 1, 2,3 and 4 are OPEN.

Zone 1 trails remaining closed are as follows: Corridor 19 south of Highway 86 and Corridor 17 west from Intersection #65 to Intersection #33. All other Zone 1 trails are open.

Trails are in early season condition and may be rough and icy in some areas.

Winter ATV trails in Zones 2,3 and 4 will not open until 8:00 AM Thursday Jan. 23, 2020.

All trails are closed to winter ATV use when the temperature is above 28 degrees F.

Be aware of Trail Closed signs, stay on marked trails only and respect private land.

For up to date Lincoln County trail conditions, log on to: www.co.lincoln.wi.us or call our Trail Hotline at 715-539-1033.

This report will be updated when conditions change.

MOST ONEIDA COUNTY TRAILS ARE OPEN.

Some lakes have been marked. Ride and stay on marked trails ONLY.

Groomers are out where possible.

The following trail closures will be in effect until further notice:

Hodag Sno-Trails (McNaughton Area):

Funded Trail Corridor 12 is closed from TIN247 (Intersection of Trail 12 and 47)

Three Lakes Trails:

Funded Trail Alternate 13 is closed from TIN 122 (Rice Lake Rd) through TIN 022 (intersection north of Burnham Lk)

Please check the current conditions on the Chamber’s website at www.gototomahawk.com

This report will be updated when conditions change.

Trail Report – : Bayfield County, Wisconsin – January 16, 2020

Reporter:BayfieldCounty

Trail Conditions: Excellent

Snow Cover: 10-18 inches packed

Date of Report: January 16, 2020

Area Report:

Trails in Bayfield County are in excellent condition! We received a bit of fresh snow this week and there is more snow in the forecast for Friday. Should be some great riding this weekend!

Namakagon Trail Groomers: NTG – 10-12” base. Everything was groomed Monday 1/13. Will be grooming again tonight 1/15. Trails in excellent condition! Gene is grooming to Grand View and thru the Bibon Swamp this morning 1/16

Barnes Barnestormers: Trails are in excellent condition, good base and some new snow will make for some really nice riding. Trail 31 south of Mulligan Creek Road was groomed Sunday and is in good condition except for the last couple miles north of Seely Fire Lane. Because of the logging the last mile to the county line was not groomed. This is rideable just be cautious and expect poor trail conditions.

Drummond SnoJacks: All trails, 4,6,7,61 and 64 are in excellent condition. Trail 63 at Arne Carlson Road intersection is well marked to slow down for the rough area caused by water hole break up. Our groomer driver urges sleds to use caution in low areas due to “pot holes” of small open water spots. Both of these problem areas should improve with the new snow accumulations and colder temps. The trail through the Bibon Swamp is still being groomed by the Namakagon Club so check their report for conditions on trail 63 north.

Frosty’s Vintage Riders: Iron River Area is in excellent shape. Freshly groomed, Mason-Delta area is excellent. Trail 4 up to corridor is seeing a lot of traffic. Logging is done on Trail 4. With the snow today and Friday it should fill in nicely, all water areas have frozen up.

Washburn Valhallers: Trail 13 from Valhalla to Washburn, and Washburn to Ashland was groomed 1/14 and is reported in great condition. The hill just East of the Pub-&-Grub as well as the Sioux River hill is icy…riders should use caution. These trails will be done again this Friday, 1/17 and with more snow coming tonight and Friday, riding conditions in the Washburn and Valhalla area should be excellent!

Thanks to the Valhalla grooming crew for helping out on these trails. With luck, the Washburn LMC will back on the trails next week! The groomer out of Valhalla reports that the trails in the Valhalla area continue to be in excellent winter driving conditions.

South Shore (Port Wing, Herbster, Cornucopia): Groomed trail 1 from Herbster to Mountain rd. Trail 40 & 41 plus the Wally polk trail will be done. Trails are very good to excellent.

Trail Report – : Ely, Minnesota – January 16, 2020

Reporter:Ely Chamber of Commerce/Explore MN Visitor Center

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 30″

Date of Report: January 16, 2020

Area Report:

GENERAL INFORMATION: Many area lakes are now staked, and riders are asked to please ride in staked areas to ensure best conditions. We continue to have slush in the bays, but good reports from snowmobilers indicate that conditions are improving. As always, please use caution if venturing out on lakes by foot or machine. Areas around moving water may have not developed thick ice. Test ice depth before proceeding. Wetland areas have not frozen solid in some areas. Trails may divert around wetlands, so please follow the groomed trail sections. Forest trails are groomed for snowmobiles and skiing and are in good condition with the recent snow.

Area Trails:Lakes on the Grassy Loop, specifically Burntside, Shagwa, Little Long, Mud Lake and White Iron Lake, are now staked for snowmobile trails, and conditions are good along staked areas. Cedar and Birch are not staked. Mud Lake to Vermilion is not groomed as it is still too swampy. This area is passable by snowmobile, but riders should use caution.

Arrowhead State Trail

Snowmobiling: Condition-Very Good Trail – Partially groomed Base – 1-4”

The Arrowhead State trail is the backbone to an extensive Grant-in-Aid trail system that travels through remote areas.

TRAIL CONDITIONS: The entire trail has been groomed from the Taconite State Trail junction north to the Blue Ox trail except for a five-mile portion west of Hwy 53, in the Ericsburg area. This portion remains ungroomed due to thin ice remaining in beaver swamps. Trail crews continue to pack ice on those portions to allow ice to thicken enough for grooming equipment.

Bearhead Lake State Park

Snowmobiling: Condition – Very good Trails – Groomed Base 4-8”

Bearhead State Park trails provide rolling topography through birch and pine stands. You may see a variety of wildlife ranging from deer, wolves, ruffed grouse, and pine martens. You can snowshoe anywhere in Minnesota’s state parks and recreation areas, except on trails that are specifically groomed for another activity, such as snowmobiling or skiing.

Lake Vermilion – Soudan Underground Mine State ParkSnowmobiling: Condition – Good to Very Good Trails – Groomed Base – 1-4”TRAIL CONDITIONS: Except for the last mile and a half of trail to Cable, all the trails in the park have been groomed and are in good condition. Use caution on the trail to Cable Bay as there is a rough section of trail going through a swamp. We will be filling and grooming that section on Monday.

The park has 5 miles of snowmobile trails that connects from the Taconite State Trail to the Lake Vermilion ice trail. The ride takes you through old growth pines and young aspen forests with large wetland complexes to view along the way. You can snowshoe anywhere in Minnesota’s state parks and recreation areas, except on trails that are specifically groomed for another activity, such as snowmobiling or skiing.

Putnam/Fishing Lakes – Bear Island State Forest

Snowmobiling: Condition – Good to Very Good Trails – Groomed Base – 1-4”

The Putnam and Fishing Lakes Trails traverse forested, rolling topography through birch, ash, and pine stands. Several small lakes dot the landscape along these scenic trails.

TRAIL CONDITIONS: Riders should be aware that there are active logging operations on multiple sections of the trails. Please travel at appropriate speeds and stay to the right.

Taconite State Trail

Snowmobiling: Condition – Fair Trails – Groomed Base 1-4”

Taconite State Trail stretches one hundred sixty-five miles from Grand Rapids to Ely through many scenic vistas of rolling hillsides, lakes, rivers and forest.

TRAIL CONDITIONS: The entire Taconite is groomed from Ely to Hwy 73. With the recent snow in the last week, and early-season traffic, the trails are holding up well and looking great!

Taconite Spur West – Last groomed 1/14/20

Taconite Spur North – Last groomed 1/12/20

News and Reports:

Upcoming snowmobile events include:

2020 Snowmobile Fun Run January 25, 2020

Northland 300 Snowmobiling for Special Olympics January 22-26

More information on these events can be found by visiting our website at http://www.ely.org/mn/events