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Bemidji, Minnesota

Snowmobiling Information

The MITS-71 actually consists of two major trails, the Paul Bunyan Trail running 100 miles between Bemidji and Brainerd, and the Blue Ox Trail, running 110 miles north from Bemidji to International Falls, Winnipeg and beyond. Quaint towns and great scenery are enjoyed along the way. Combined, Paul Bunyan/Blue Ox network is considered to be the longest rail conversion to recreation trail in America.

Excellent Grooming
For studded snowmobiles, less than five miles of trail are stud restricted. Easily accessible alternative routes have been arranged. The consistent high-quality of Bemidji’s trails is due to the efforts of the North Country Snowmobile Club, 400+ members strong. Groomed trails are well-marked with directional and caution signs.  

groomer-brdg2013

Most Challenging Ride
The variety of terrain found in the Bemidji area makes the trails not only scenic, but challenging. Thrill to trails dashing across 1,000 frozen lakes, along the Continental Divide, over bogs, beside rushing streams, up rolling hills and through snow-draped forests.

Most Scenic Rides
One especially scenic loop off the Blue Ox is to jump onto the Buena Vista Trail in Buena Vista State Forest. Or head south on the Itasca and Becida Trails to the most famous and appealing Itasca State Park, site of the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Here you can enjoy historic sites and countless trails.

Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minnesota

Reporter:Mike Heilmann

Trail Conditions: Poor

Snow Cover: POOR

Date of Report: February 17, 2020

Area Report:

SNOW HAS MELTED SOME,TRAILS ARE BARE IN SPOTS

Snowmobiling Information

Visit Freeborn County and ride more than 300 miles of groomed trails through scenic woods and hills as well as Big Island State Park with an abundance of wildlife and natural
alberta-leabeauty.

The Freeborn County Snowmobile Trail System is groomed 7 days a week on a rotating basis, so that each section of the trail is groomed 2-3 times each week. Two groomers run the trails daily. All trails are 10ft wide with the exception of hills, which are double-wide for safety. The trail system is extremely well marked with orange diamonds approximately every 300 feet.

There is trail access to most motels and restaurants in Albert Lea as well as restaurants throughout the county.

Watersmeet, Michigan

Reporter:Chamber

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: Too good for you not to be here!

Date of Report: February 10, 2020

Area Report:

Groomers are running nightly, trails are in good shape. Groomers run once a day and typically at night, so towards the end of the day with lots of traffic the trails are going to be rough until the groomer goes out again. Trail #3 from the Wisconsin Border and Trail #2 east are both seeing over 250 sleds during a 6 hr period and this is making it very hard to hold the groom

Trail #3 from the Wisconsin border to Watersmeet good but lots of traffic very hard to hold a groom, Watersmeet to Paulding good. Both logging project on Trail #3 are done

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

Trail #2 east of Watersmeet to Trail #107, good but lots of traffic hard to hold the groom

Trail #13 south to Cisco Chain, good

Snowmobiling Information

Winter snowmobiling excitement runs rampant throughout the Watersmeet Michigan area. Hundreds of lakes and acres of state and national forest lands provide a winter wonderland for enthusiastic riders. 

Watersmeet Michigan and Land O’ Lakes Wisconsin, located on the border of Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula provides an excellent home base for your winter excursions. Trails to the north connect with the serene trail network of the Upper Peninsula. Corridor 6 guides riders across the northern section at the eastern border, through Land O’Lakes as it continues on to Presque Isle.

Watersmeet, Michigan is the gateway to snowmobiling in the Upper Peninsula with access to Minnesota, Lower Michigan and Wisconsin. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan has a reputation for an extensive groomed snowmobile trail network, exciting terrain, and an abundance of snow. In the entire State of Michigan there are over 5,800 miles of snowmobile trails located throughout six state Forest, three National Forests and many acres of privately owned lands. About 230 miles are located in the Ottawa National Forest. Yearly Michigan trail permits are required.

This area offers the pure enthusiast miles of groomed trails in the north in Upper Michigan and short trips to various Wisconsin towns to the south, east, and west. Gas, rentals, sales, and meals, are within minutes of each lodging facility The snowmobiler can ride from any lodging location without the need of the vehicle that brought them.

Annual snow fall generally between 100 and 250 inches 35 miles of groomed trails that interconnect.

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Reporter:SaultSteMarie

Trail Conditions: Open

Snow Cover: 12″+

Date of Report: January 3, 2025

Area Report:

Remember, the Soo is sled friendly and most city streets are legal to ride!
City trails have some moguls, as expected, but they will groom up nicely with the new snow in town.
Trail #8 is pretty flat, considering it hasn’t been groomed since before the warm up. Lots of fresh snow, until about 5 Mile where it gets noticeably thinner.
Hopefully, the lake effect bands will be hitting west of us as forecasted today. 6-10” is expected, so we’ll see how it goes!

Snowmobiling Information

Download our Trail Map

Join us for the 54th Annual International I-500 Snowmobile Race and experience all the thrills of NASCAR on a one-mile oval ice track.

The I-500 is the BIGGEST event in the Upper Peninsula and in the entire snowmobile-racing world. No Hans devices. No padding. Just 100% raw courage!

When drivers accelerate to speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour on the straightaways, your heart will race…
If you enjoy NASCAR, you will love the I-500 Snowmobile Race. It’s, “NASCAR on Ice!”

Every snowmobile adventure requires one very important element: snow! Averaging more than 120 inches annually, Sault Ste. Marie is a snowmobiler’s dream and the perfect hub from which to explore hundreds of miles of groomed trails across the Eastern Upper Peninsula and beyond.

                                

Connecting a variety of small communities and running through national forests, state forest lands and snow-covered hills and plains across the region, touring the EUP by snowmobile is both exhilarating and awe-inspiring. Watch for the abundant wildlife and be sure to leave time for hearty lunches and dinners at area restaurants and taverns.

Most, but not all, city streets are open to safe snowmobiling and allow riders access to businesses and lodging. A break from the trail is equally exhilarating at Kewadin Casino or in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, where a local brew pub, wineries and restaurants await you. Be sure to put the first Saturday in February on your calendar, when the International 500 snowmobile race brings NASCAR-style excitement to the snowy city.

      

Ontonagon County, Michigan

Snowmobiling Information

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Snow

Winter lays a white blanket across the hills inviting all to come outdoors and play.

Snowmobile down endless groomed trails. Michigan is a snowmobiler’s paradise, boasting more than six million acres of state and federal lands along with hundreds of miles of privately owned trails

It’s Snow Time for West Michigan Snowmobilers Michigan ranks among the top eight snowmobiling states in the nation. It’s first in sheer beauty, with thousands of miles of groomed and ungroomed public trails. They span whole regions of countryside, winding across rolling fields, then plunging down woodland ravines up into deep pine forests, from town to town in West Michigan.

If wintry trails beckon you, West Michigan has it all. In fact, a growing number of hotels, motels and resorts offer door-to-trail proximity.

No agency has been more active in transforming West Michigan into a haven for snowmobile enthusiasts than the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). They are the creators and guardians of West Michigan’s major trail network through the state park system. But to use MDNR trails, you must have a permit. The cost is $45. Permits may be obtained by calling WMTA at 1-800-246-0260.

If you enjoy snowmobile racing, you won’t want to miss the North American Snowmobile Festival Sno-Cross Races in Cadillac, January 31, and February 1. The winter equivalent to motorcycle racing, competitors will run a manmade course of jumps, moguls, twists and turns. Race classes will be available for anyone over 10 years old. To enter the racing events, call the American Snowmobile Racing Association at (905) 476-7182.

The races signal the start of Cadillac’s North American Snowmobile Festival, February 3-8. In its 14th year, the event features a poker run, fireworks and a chili cookoff. Activities for kids and grown ups alike range from snow sculptures to winter softball, snowmobile safety classes, trail lunches and a cross-country ski tour. For information on the Snow-Cross Race the Snowmobile Festival or any of West Michigan’s other outstanding snowmobile events, call WMTA at (800) 442-2084.

Snowmobiling is becoming more and more a family sport. Safety is paramount. Most accidents occur when drivers override their headlights at high speeds on remote trails. Alcohol is frequently a factor. When you snowmobile in West Michigan, observe state laws. Protect the environment and your own safety by sticking to established trails. Use common sense and courtesy. And enjoy!

Marquette – Ishpeming, Michigan

Snowmobiling Information

The chilly north winds sweep over the rolling waves of beautiful Lake Superior creating the lake effect snows that blanket Marquette County in North Central Upper Michigan. More than 200 inches of powdery white fluff combined with over 750 miles of smooth, wide, picturesque trails entice snowmobilers to enjoy the splendor this area provides.

From Big Bay south, Trail 5 is teeming with wildlife and wilderness for nature lovers to behold as they travel to Cheapen, Republic, and on to Sagota. In Champion Trail 5 intersects with Trail 8 offering a journey west towards Michigamme and Three Lakes, or east to Ishpeming, Negaunee and Marquette. This area has ample fine dining, lodging and fuel stops in addition to pleasant scenery and friendly people waiting to welcome you.

South from Marquette, Trail 8 wanders to Gwinn where it turns east to Chatham before continuing on to Munsing, a popular snowmobiling destination located on Lake Superior. Excellent opportunities to capture photos of the majestic beauty of this region or of the bountiful wildlife, which inhabit this winter wonderland, are available. Be sure to stop and see the huge ice formations found at the Pictured Rocks National Shoreline and Trail 417 as it leads you west to Munising along the impressive shore of Lake Superior.

Marquette County is a snowmobiler’s delight as they offer lucky riders a warm welcome to come share the splendor of Michigan’s North Central Upper Peninsula. Delicious food choices ranging from a steaming bowl of chili to take the chill out, to a juicy steak dinner to fill the void after a long day of riding await riders. Warm, cozy lodging accommodations are available throughout the region.

Keweenaw Peninsula / Houghton-Hancock, South Range, Copper Harbor, Michigan

Reporter:Stretch

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 6″ base

Date of Report: January 21, 2025

Area Report:

It’s been bitter cold the past 3 days and snowy. So far I’ve recorded 17″ in those three days putting us at a total of 171″ for the year here in Toivola.  The groomers have been out hitting most of the trails every night. However with such high traffic on the weekends it’s real hard keeping them flat.

☠️ Stretch 

Snowmobiling Information

Snow, snow everywhere is a good description of what fortunate snowmobilers encounter when they ride the scenic well-groomed trails of the Keweenaw Peninsula of U.P. Michigan. Couple an extensive trail system, enabling the avid rider to experience the splendor of this area, with plenty of the white stuff, and you have a fantastic winter wonderland. More than 200 inches of snow blanket this region every season allowing sno-riders up to 5 months to enjoy their favorite sport!

The Bill Nichols Trail heads north through majestic forests and over the three Firesteel Bridges which are old railroad trestles rising more than 100 feet above the Firesteel River. This trail provides a tour past the towns of Twin Lakes, Toivola and South Range as it continues on toward the panoramic twin cities of Houghton and Hancock. Delicious, varied dining and comfortable lodging choices abound in this winter wonderland along with any other services snowmobilers may need.

Trail 15 travels east from the Houghton area through Chassel to the Keweenaw Bay. Here it turns south, winding along the bay to Baraga on the southern tip of Keweenaw Bay.

Traveling north from Houghton and Hancock on Trail 3 you encounter many historic signs of the mining of years past. Magnificent rides through Ripley, Dollar Bay and Hubbell grace the trail on your way to the historic towns of Laurium and Calumet. Continuing north on Trail 3 through Mohawk and Phoenix riders can experience the peaceful Eagles Loop, which leads along Lake Superior to the charming towns of Eagle River and Eagle Harbor.

Trail 3 heads east on the Brockway Mountain Trail, which yields a spectacular view of Lake Superior. On a clear day you can see Canada to the North and to the south the breathtaking carpeted forests that surround you. Just a short jaunt from this splendor, riders find themselves in quaint Copper Harbor, an excellent place to enjoy a delicious meal and spend the night in one of the comfortable lodging establishments.

Truly the Keweenaw Peninsula is an adventure every snowmobiler should experience. With over 200 miles of smooth groomed trails connecting to 2500 miles of trails, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula offers the avid rider unlimited riding opportunities. There are numerous warm, welcoming hotels, resorts and delicious dining choices to make your trip a remembrance of a lifetime.

Dickinson County, Michigan

Reporter:msertich7751

Trail Conditions: Closed

Snow Cover: 3 to4 Inches on trails.

Date of Report: January 26, 2025

Area Report:

Our trails are still closed.We do not have enough snow to open the gates.You will need to travel to the Houghton area,Munising area or Ishpeming area to find open trails.

THINK SNOW!!!

Snowmobiling Information

Dickinson County
In Michigan’s Beautiful Upper Peninsula

“The Gateway to the U.P.” Iron Mountain is located on the border of Wisconsin, providing snowmobilers with access to the entire UP of Michigan and Northern Wisconsin. Less than 2 hours north of Green Bay, Iron Mountain can be your hub for all your snowmobile adventures.

With over 140 miles of trails, just in our county, the scenery here can be breathtaking. From vertical granite outcroppings glistening with frozen waterfalls, to scenic forests where wildlife abound, great trail-side restaurants and lodgings, to crossing the Menominee River via a trestle bridge. Make Iron Mountain your home base and travel across the U P and northern Wisconsin. MINIMIZE your automotive travel, MAXIMIZE your snowmobile travel!!!!

The Tri-County Snowmobile Club does a tremendous job of keeping the trails open, cleaned up and groomed. They keep the trails well marked and also have road identification signs at many of the intersections. By staying on the groomed and marked trails, you will always have a safe and scenic journey!!

Enjoy many of great local establishments on and off the trail. From homemade Italian meals, locally made pastries, mouth-watering steaks and huge burgers, all appetites can be satisfied. From great live entertainment most nights of the week, to local fishing derbies, snowmobile races and the Continental Ski Jumping Tournament (Best Tailgate Party in the World!!), there is always something for our visitors. COME AND ENJOY, IRON MOUNTAIN AND THE DICKINSON COUNTY AREA!

Iron County, Michigan

Reporter:Colleen

Trail Conditions: Early Season

Snow Cover: 4-6 inches

Date of Report: February 1, 2025

Area Report:

Received a couple of inches of snow today… calling for 1-3 again tomorrow. Trails to the west and north of Iron River I am told have decent riding conditions. Temps have dipped back down to the normal range for this time of year. 

As our trail conditions improve with more snowfall, we will be updating this website to keep everyone in the loop for Iron County. 🙂

News and Reports:

Weather conditions are “Great” for ice fishing this year and don’t forget “Michigan’s Free Fishing” weekend is coming up February 15th & 16th, 2025. Iron County is host to MANY lakes and the fishing reports have been pretty good too!!  So don’t miss out on all the fun.. head north !! 

Pine Mountain (2025) Ski Jump Competition – Set for February 21st – 23rd, 2025 – Iron Mountain Michigan

Keyes Peak Up Hill Truck Drags – Set for March 8th, 2025 – Florence, WI 

Snowmobile Information:

Snowfall still remains low for the season. Conditions are a little icy with 3 to 5 inches of snow cover.  Decent riding can be found by traveling north and west about 15 – 20 miles. 

Snowmobile permits can be purchased on-line in advance.. or picked up in local gas stations in Iron River and the Crystal Falls area.

Trail Maps can be picked up at several local businesses, motels, gas stations and the Iron County Chamber office in Iron River, MI.

Please continue to check back in with us regarding any updates we can provide to you for the Iron County Trail System. 

Snowmobiling Information

Iron County, where fun-filled snowmobiling is close at hand with a short trip to Iron County in south central Upper Michigan. This scenic region features more than 300 miles of well-groomed trails which enables the rider to experience the inherent beauty and wildlife that abounds in this area.

The Iron Range Trails cover Amasa, Crystal Falls, Iron River, and Sidnaw, providing hundreds of miles of excellent sledding. These trails also connect with the vast trail systems of the Upper Peninsula and Northern Wisconsin. And with plenty of abandoned railroad grades and many straight-open stretches of two miles or more, Iron County is the place for you!

Iron River serves as a main hub for many trails in the area, providing all the amenities snowmobilers could ask for. Trail 16, known as the “Chippewa Trail”, travels east on a well groomed scenic route to Crystal Falls. From here it continues on to the Sagola area on the Arsenia Hershey Trail. A jaunt on Trail 15 takes riders north deep into the magnificent Upper Michigan northwoods offering the luck rider many opportunities to view or capture on film wildlife and scenery. This trail gives sno-tourers the option of traveling to Sidnaw or connecting with Trail 4 toward Kenton or Trail 111 to Amasa.

Wide open trails and groomed scenic journeys through the woods are Iron County’s trademark. When planning a trip to Iron County Michigan to snowmobile, be sure to pack warm

 clothes as the temperature can drop below zero for several days.

Iron County, Michigan Snowmobiling Conditions and Iron County, Michigan Snowmobile News For the adventurous traveler, a forest map and compass will take you to deep powder, but bring a tow rope – you just might need it. If eating on the trail is your idea of fun, bring saddlebags to carry food and beverages. The ground scenery, with wide open expanses, lakes to play on (at your own risk), check with other riders for ice conditions, slush, beaver dams, ice fishing holes, and inlet waterways before snowmobiling on area waters.

Venturing on to lakes carries an “at your own risk” policy and help is often a long distance away. Carrying a survival kit including a tow rope, extra clothing, matches, a flashlight, a map and compass, and first-aid equipment is highly recommended.Well-marked and groomed snowmobile trails make the U.P.’s Iron County Michigan a snowmobiler’s paradise.

 

The options and destinations are unlimited for snowmobilers in Iron County, Michigan. Whether you’re looking for a memorable dining experience or pleasant lodging accommodations after a long day on the trails, it can all be found here.

Iron County snowmobile trail maps are available at the Iron County Chamber of Commerce office,
at most area gas stations, and many local businesses. Trail permits can be purchased at the Chicaugon Lake Inn.

Cheboygan, Michigan

Snowmobiling Information

Cheboygan, Michigan offers access to over 500 miles of groomed snowmobile trails for hours of winter adventure. Cross-country skiing trails are also available with a series of beginner, intermediate, and advanced trails at Black Mountain. Sports enthusiasts will love Cheboygan’s indoor ice rink for family skating or an exciting hockey game.

The West Mullett Lake Trail, is an 11-mile stretch between Cheboygan and Indian River, this trail now connects the entire Gaylord to Mackinaw City corridor. This trail follows the shoreline of Mullett Lake, offering beautiful views of the lake, and allows access from Indian River to Mackinaw City through Tobinabee and Cheboygan, Michigan. The City of Cheboygan has also opened new trails to allow access to Downtown Cheboygan shopping, dining, and attractions! There are now three new arteries into Cheboygan off of the trail which had been the Michigan Central Railroad.

A short jaunt from Downtown Cheboygan is the Black Mountain Recreation Area. Snowmobiling has been very popular in the Black Mountain Area for many years. You can access a large snowmobile trail system or you can go through the area after getting on the system near Cheboygan or Millersburg Michigan. There are more than 80 miles of groomed trails awaiting you in this area alone! Not only does the Black Mountain Area offer wonderful snowmobile trails, but there are also over 30 miles of cross-country skiing trails. Skiers and snowmobilers alike will find themselves sailing under majestic pines, taking in views of Black Lake, and under the right conditions, even
getting a glimpse of Lake Huron. Four separate parking lots are available in the Recreation Area.