Southern Minnesota Ski Trails

Jay C. Hormel Nature Center: 10km

Beginner to intermediate, classic and skate trails through woods and prairie. Interpretive building with rentals serves as a warming house. No MN Ski Pass required.
Map

Oxbow Park: 3km

Groomed classic and skate trail loops winding through undeveloped prairie and wooded hills. Oxbow Park also offers fat tire bike trails seasonally.
Map

Chester Woods Park: 8km

All levels, groomed trails through a wooded and hilly county park with views of Chester Lake, usually groomed for both classic and skate skiing. Trails are well marked with maps at most intersections. Chester Woods Park also offers fat tire bike trails seasonally.
Map

River Bend Nature Center: 11km

Beginner to advanced, groomed classic through flat prairie and woods with some challenging hills. MN Ski Pass required.
Map

Frontenac State Park: 11km

All levels, groomed classic with overlooks of Lake Pepin. Two warming shelters available.
 MN Ski Pass required. More about the park
Map

Ney Nature Center: 10km

Groomed, classic ski trails through the 446-acre Ney Wildlife Preserve. Rentals available at the nature center. Equipment rentals available.
Map

Lake Washington Regional Park: 5km

Beaver Falls County Park: 3km

Groomed, double-track classic trail with multiple hills and turns.  There are open and wooded areas and terrain ranges from easy to difficult. Trails are shared and open to skiing hiking, snowshoeing and fatbiking. A vault style bathroom is available in the park’s recreation area, along with an open shelter.  The trail follows Beaver Creek, providing beautiful views and visitors can expect to see deer, turkeys and other wildlife. Trail users are encouraged to park at the south entrance off of 680th Avenue. Use of trails and parking is free for day use. Note that tracks are set only when snow cover is sufficient, otherwise they’re groomed flat.
Map

Flandrau State Park: 9.5km

Beginner to intermediate, groomed classic, flat trails on the bottom of the valley with more challenging routes on the oak shaded bluffs with several overlooks of Cottonwood River. Ski and snowshoe rentals available. Beach house serves as a warming shelter. MN Ski Pass required.
More about the park
Map

Carleton College Arboretum: 18km

Trails in the upper arboretum (6km) are groomed for skating and classic skiing, the remainder are classic only. Trails are shared with walkers.
Map

Brooktree Golf Course: 3km

Easy skate ski and classic loop.
Info

Kaplan’s Woods Parkway: 13km

Intermediate, ravine terrain provides challenging hills through hardwood forest near a lake and river. Wide trails suitable for skate ski and tracked for classic when snow is sufficient. Trail travels from Morehouse Park through Kaplan’s Woods Parkway and into the County Country Club grounds. Inside Kaplan’s Woods Park, 9km of trails are groomed for skiing and 6 miles are groomed for fat bikes. MN Ski Pass required for skiing.
Info

Cannon Valley Trail: 23km

The Cannon Valley Trail offers views of overhanging cliffs and stunning scenery and connects the communities of Cannon Falls, Welch and Red Wing. It’s open to a variety of uses in the winter. From Cannon Falls:

-Mile 1-15.5: Cross Country Skiing only.

-Mile 15.5-17.5: Side by side fat biking and cross country skiing.

-Mile 17.5-19.7: Trail is plowed and open to hiking and biking.

MN Ski Pass required for skiing only.
Info

Mississippi National Ski Trails: 8km

Beginner to advanced, groomed for classic skiing. 8km classic loop through wooded terrain offers extensive views of Mississippi River, considered one of the most spectacular in the state. Flatter and easier trails groomed for both classic and skate skiing are on the golf course to the south, where the trailhead is. MN Ski Pass required.
Map

 Eastwood Golf Course: 6km

All levels, groomed classic and skate ski loops with 2.5km lighted trails.
Map

Essex Park: 8.5km

Groomed classic and skate ski through woods and restored prairie. Rolling terrain.
Map

Gamehaven Reservoir: 11.5km

Trails of varied difficulty include a beginner’s loop and a 3.5km wide, out-and-back two-way trail with snowmaking. Most trails are out in the open. 
Map/Info

Quarry Hill Nature Center: 12km

Relatively flat, groomed trails through rolling hills around an old quarry. The north end of the system reaches into Parkwood Hills Park and is rated expert. Quarry Hill Nature Center is open all year and has equipment rentals.
Map

Root River State Trail: 48km

Beginner to intermediate trail offering views of tall bluffs and abundant wildlife. Track set between Isinours Forestry Unit north of Preston and the bridge outside of Houston. MN Ski Pass required.

Harmony-Preston Valley State Trail: 19km Tracked between Isinours Junction, where the two trails meet, and County Road 16. MN Ski Pass required.

Map

Skalbekken County Park: 2.4km

Groomed, double-track classic trail rated easy to moderate. The wooded trail follows the Minnesota River and visitors can expect to see deer, turkeys and other wildlife and see the 1868 Skalbeck log cabin. Trails are shared and open to skiing, hiking, snowshoeing and fatbiking. There is a vault style bathroom near the park entrance, along with an open shelter. Users are encouraged to park in the horse camp off of County Road 10.  Use of trails and parking is free for day use. Note that tracks are set only when snow cover is sufficient, otherwise they’re groomed flat.
Map

Great River Bluffs State Park: 5km

Beginner to intermediate, groomed classic with overlooks of the Mississippi River Valley. MN Ski Pass required. More about the park
Map

Saint Mary’s University: 14.5km

Mostly intermediate to advanced with some flat terrain for beginners. Groomed classic and skate ski, through hardwood forest, an old apple orchard, and near Gilmore Creek. Some lit sections.
Map