Cross Country Ski Trail Conditions in Grand Marais
Grand Marais has 52.9KM of groomed cross-country ski trails within minutes of downtown Grand Marais the Pincushion Mountain Ski Trail System, Bally Creek, and George Washington Pines. Find updated cross-country ski trail conditions reports here once the season begins.
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Click to expand on the trail system for complete trail report and trail details.
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- 1 Pincushion Drive
The Pincushion Mountain Trail System is a 25 kilometer silent sport trail system perched high above Lake Superior, 2 miles north of Grand Marais, Minnesota. Because of its varied terrain, excellent trail design and spectacular vistas of Lake Superior and Devil Track River canyon…
TRAIL CONDITIONS
- Date: 2/6/2025
- New Snow Last 24 Hours: 7"
- New snow last 7 days: 12"
- Trail Base: 6"-8"
- Snow depth in woods: 28"
Trail Conditions Update/Notes: From Pincushion Ski & Run Club: 2/6/2025: All trails groomed for skate and classic skiing. Conditions are excellent. (Timothy Lederle, Pincushion Ski & Run Club)
Firsthand Trail Reports: From skinnyski.com: 2/5/2025: Plenty of snow and great grooming offers great skiing right now. Firm and clean tracks offered a good glide despite the cold temperatures there have been here. The skating lanes were touched up again today. (jJm Smith)
Firsthand Trail Reports: From skinnyski.com: 2/4/2025: Great conditions at Pincushion. Skied all the trails and the tracks were well set and firm. Double poling was a bit of a struggle due to soft pole plants but it worked. Snow is cold but it made the hill climbing easier! (Tim Nelson)
Firsthand Trail Reports: From skinnyski.com: 2/2/2025: Freshly groomed and packed. Classic ski tracks were sharp and best ski of the year yet on the Pincushion loop! (Josie Gable)
The ski trails at Pincushion are maintained by the Pincushion Ski and Run Club, with the financial support of sponsorships and memberships and also a grooming grant we receive from the Great MN Ski Pass program.
Click here to become a member or renew your PSRC membership
Click here to purchase or renew your Great MN Ski Pass (required to ski at Pincushion and other MN public ski areas)
Upcoming Events and Activities at Pincushion
Sunset Social Ski with Friends New and Old!
Join us on Wednesday, February 5th at 4:30 PM at the Pincushion Ski Trails for a fun and inclusive ski!
- All skill levels are welcome!
- Meet at the chalet to get started.
- Beginners will enjoy skiing the West Overlook Trail, which is lit for a cozy evening experience.
- Advanced skiers can enjoy the fresh snow and recent grooming on our beautiful, more advanced trails.
Don't miss this opportunity to connect with fellow skiers and enjoy the sunset views from the trails.
Full Moon Ski and Gatherings at Pincushion
We'll be hosting Full Moon Ski gatherings at the Pincushion chalet every month through the winter. Join friends for a ski around the lighted trails and then gather for socializing in the chalet or around the bonfire. Hot drinks will be served.
- Where: Pincushion Chalet
- When: Wednesday, February 12 at 7 p.m.
- What to bring: Headlamp recommended. The West Overlook Trail will be lit up for skiing.
- Cost: Free
Pincushion Winter Festival Ski Races, Sunday, Feb 16, 2025
We are planning on having the following races this year:
- 6km classic tour and woodies division
- 17km classic and freestyle
- Kids races ranging in length of .5km to 3km
- Skijoring races
Pincushion Ping Pong Club Returns
We are starting up again with weekly club-sponsored ping pong evenings. A change this year is that we will be meeting in the Fellowship Hall at Bethlehem Lutheran Church instead of at the Pincushion chalet. There are two tables available and we will play round-robin style games. Hope you can join us!
- What: Weekly Ping Pong Evening
- Where: Bethlehem Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 417 1st Ave W
- When: Weekly on Thursday evenings, beginning Jan 16
Annual Membership Campaign - Please Join or Renew
Our Annual Membership Campaign is underway now, raising the funds we need for the club's programs and activities at Pincushion in 2025. We are a volunteer-led non-profit organization (501(c)(3)) and we rely on donations from members and sponsors for the majority of our club's annual operating budget. More information can be found here: Link to Join or Renew Pincushion Ski and Run Club Membership/Sponsorship
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- 18 Bally Creek Road
Bally Creek Trail System is a multiple short loop cross country ski trail system with several access points. Variety of cedar swamp, balsam and pine forest. Meanders along wildlife pond. The main access is a parking area off of FR 158 just short of Bear Track Camp. Depending on…
TRAIL CONDITIONS
- Date: 1/30/2025
- Trail Base: 10"
- Snowfall Last 24 Hours: .05"
- Snowfall Last 7 Days: 5"
- Average Depth off the Trail: 18"
Trail Conditions Update/Notes: From US Forest Service: 1/30/2025: All loops at Bally Creek have been groomed, including the NE loops. But the Cascade connector has still not been groomed. Most loops are clear of brush, but there are a few parts of the trail that have some brush sticking out. B skis are recommended it you plan on going off the main portion of the trail. The NE loops are getting better every time we groom. We rolled the Cascade connector for the first time this week as well, so stay tuned for updates. (Brett Gerrard, USFS)
Trail Conditions Update/Notes: From US Forest Service: 1/23/2025: All loops at Bally Creek have been groomed, except for the Cascade connector trail. The NE loops have been groomed for the second time this season and are shaping up. The last snow on Tuesday night made for some beautiful tracks, and really helped filling in the trail. Most loops are clear of brush and rocks. Some spots still contain brush sticking out but is getting few and far between. Your most precious skis are still not recommended on all loops. (Brett Gerrard, USFS)
Firsthand Trail Reports: From skinnyski.com: 1/30/2025: The entire trail system was in great shape. There's some brush sticking up through the trails. Everything was groomed Wednesday. They even rolled the connector down to Pike Lake Rd! (Brian Gregg)
Firsthand Trail Reports: From skinnyski.com: 1/26/2025: Skied all the trails and loop on Sunday. Trails were skier groomed through 4-6 inches of fresh snow since last grooming. Underlying deck was good and firm, kicking on blue wax excellent. No pole plant plunging. Great day.(Tim Nelson)
Firsthand Trail Reports: From skinnyski.com: 1/24/2025: Wildly beautiful today at Bally Creek with the light new snow and freshly groomed trails - thank you trail groomers! If you are a beginner, or a cautious skier like myself, this is a great place to ski. There are many trails with only gentle elevation, and the signage makes it easy to navigate the trail system. Note: As I was leaving, two snowmobilers headed down the road towards the groomed trails. (Kay Dierking)
Download a georeferenced map of Bally Creek Ski Trails here.
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- Gunflint Trail
George Washington Pines Winter Recreation Trail is a relatively short 3.3 km trail located only 6 miles up the Gunflint Trail. It passes through a beautiful grove of pines, the George Washington Memorial Pine Plantation. More information on the memorial pines plantation on the…
TRAIL CONDITIONS
- Date: 2/4/2025
- Trail Base: 16"
- Snowfall Last 24 Hours: 0"
- Snowfall Last 7 Days: 6"
- Average Depth off the Trail: 22"
Trail Conditions Update/Notes: From the USFS: 2/4/2025: We did several rounds of packing and set a track, making for some really nice skiing and hiking conditions.The trail has really smoothed out with not a lot of vegetation sticking up. Please snowshoe single-file to keep out of classic tracks and pick up after your pets. (Kris Rich USFS)
Firsthand Trail Reports: From skinnyski.com:
Gunflint Trail Trail Conditions
Welcome to winter on the Gunflint Trail. Cross country skiing is one of the #1 activities on the Gunflint Trail in winter. Trail reports are updated weekly once the season begins, typically mid-November – April.
Lutsen And Tofte Trail Conditions
Lutsen and Tofte feature 153.2KMs of groomed cross-country ski trails on several different trail systems. Sugarbush Ski Trail Association, Norpine Ski Trail Association, Cascade River State Park, and Lutsen Mountains. Find complete…