Gunflint Trail – Cross Country Ski Trail Conditions

Central Gunflint Ski Trail Report: 11/23/2019: Summer Home, Campground, and Oxcart are open for skiing. Early season conditions, of course, but initial reports were that it’s pretty good.

• Groomed with classic track:
• Groomed with skate lane:
• Surface Conditions:
• Last grooming day:
• Total season snowfall:

  Note: Grooming frequently occurs between the release of weekly trail reports. Expect trail grooming after every snowfall.

  A Central Gunflint Trail Ski Pass is required to use our trails. Passes are for sale at Bearskin Lodge, or at Golden Eagle Lodge. You can access the ski trail from either resort, you just start in different sections of the system. Parking in the day skier lot can become challenging on Fridays and Saturdays after about 11:30 AM, so we encourage you to come early and make a full day of it. Bearskin Lodge has chili and soup available all weekend for lunch, or enjoy an espresso, hot chocolate, or a glass of wine or beer in front of the lodge fireplace. For the most up to date grooming information, as well specific trail conditions, please contact Bearskin Lodge (1-800-338-4170) or Golden Eagle Lodge (1-800-346-2203).

Upper Gunflint Ski Trail Report: December 4, 2019: The Upper Gunflint Nordic Ski Trails are open for the season! We have a 5 inch base, with 10 - 12 inches of snow beside the trails. With the inch of snowfall today, we are up to 21.5 inches of snow for the season. The vast majority of trails are groomed and tracked. There are still a few rocks in the trails, so I would recommend using your older skis. Another good snowfall should cover them up. The winter snowshoe trails are open around Gunflint Lake. Our easy options include the Lookout Point and Lonely Lake Hiking Trails. The Hidden Trail is of moderate difficulty. Our Lost Cliffs and High Cliffs Hiking Trails are very challenging, and should only be attempted with snowshoes or other extra traction devices.

Most of the Upper Gunflint Nordic ski trails are suited for the intermediate skier. However, there is plenty of good skiing for beginners and some challenging parts of the trails for the advanced. Everyone can enjoy the trail system from any of the three resorts on Gunflint Lake. The system is designed with many loops that permit easy day outings. Signage is made available to inform the skier of trails and trail information.

All the Upper Gunflint ski trails are groomed with gyro groomers and track setters. Most of the trails are double tracked for skier enjoyment. A few trails are single tracked, they are narrower and more remote but offer the skier a sense of being one with his or her environment. The staff from the three resorts are out on the trails every few days making sure everything is kept in the best shape.

Detailed trail information is available from any of the three resorts on Gunflint Lake: Gunflint Lodge, Gunflint Pines Resort and Heston’s Country Store and Lodge. From these businesses that know these trails, valuable information can be learned prior to a skier’s trek. Feel free to ask questions and enjoy over 100 km of some of the greatest nordic skiing anywhere.

Ski Pass Required: Upper Gunflint Trail System. The 40 miles of the Upper Gunflint Ski Trail system is maintained by the Gunflint Lake Trails Group, and requires an Upper Gunflint Trail Ski pass for usage. Funds raised from these passes pay for land lease fees and grooming expenses. Daily, weekend, week, and seasonal passes are available. 

Passes are available at Gunflint Lodge (800-328-3325), Gunflint Pines (800-533-5814), or Heston's Lodge (800-338-7230). 

Groomers Report: 11/24/2019: 7k of tracked trails. Skiing very good to excellent.

The Banadad Trail System is a public ski trail managed by the Banadad Ski Trail Association, in agreement with the Gunflint Ranger District — USFS and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Minnesota Ski Pass is required to ski the trail. Free public parking is provided at the Eastern and Western Trail Heads. The System consists of the 27 kilometer Banadad trail, a single tracked intimate trail through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), and another 14 kilometers of trails taking off from the Banadad's eastern end. All the trails are single tracked. The Trail is centrally located along the 200-kilometer Gunflint Nordic Trails. The eastern end of the Banadad connects with the Central Gunflint Trails and at the western end skiers can ski into the Upper Gunflint Trail System. Trail access for the Eastern Trailhead is located along the Little Ollie Road. The Western Trailhead is off the Gunflint Trail, 1/4 mile south of the Loon Lake Public Landing. Other trail access is across Poplar Lake at the Swamp, Lizz and Mead Lake Portages. In the summer the Banadad Trail is an interesting hiking trail, providing you with a glimpse of what much of the interior of the BWCAW looks like when not viewed from a Boundary Waters lake. While Nordic Skiing is normally considered an eco-friendly sport, the Gunflint Nordic Trails have taken this one step further. Many years ago the Banadad Ski Trail became carbon neutral ski trails. In addition to the Banadad, the trail system consists of the Lace Lake, Tall Pines and Tim Knapp Trails. The Banadad is the BWCAW's longest tracked ski trail and likely the longest wilderness tracked ski trail in the USA. For more info call 218-388-4487.

For more information go to https://www.banadad.org/newsletter

Ski Pass Required: Minnesota Ski Pass required. More information on the pass and a link to purchase on-line is located at http://mnnordicski.org