State Trails

Introduction

State trails in Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin are a great way to see the wilderness fast. Trail have a variety of recreational opportunities ranging from snowmobiling to biking. Trails are often very long and pass through several communities offering an authentic way of traveling. Some are paved and some are not, check out the list below to find the one that fits your recreational desires and get started today!

Minnesota State Trails

Arrowhead

• Location: Between Tower and International Falls, MN
• Length: 135 miles, 69 are good for mountain biking.
• Activities: hiking, horseback riding, biking, snowmobiling, fishing and camping
• Map
• More: The Arrowhead trail is a natural surface trail primarily used for snowmobiling. For more information including parking and directions, see the linked map above.

Gitchi-Gami

• Location: North Shore between Two Harbors and Grand Marais, Minnesota
• Length: This trail is divided into segments. When completed, it will span 86 miles along the North Shore of Lake Superior. According to the Department of Natural Resources as of August, 2011 21 miles of the trail have been paved.
• Activities: hiking, biking, in-line skating, camping and swimming
• Map
• More: The Gitchi-Gami will eventually connect Two Harbors and Grand Marais along Lake Superior’s North Shore. Check out the linked map above to see which sections are complete.

North Shore

• Location: Between Duluth and Grand Marais, MN
• Length: 146 miles
• Activities: hiking, horseback riding, biking, snowmobiling, camping and fishing
• Map
• More: The trail provides access to many state forests and parks. There are 14 shelters with pit toilets and campsites along the trail if you plan on taking a multi-day trip. Expect great views of Lake Superior and a back country, wildlife experience.

Taconite

• Location: Between Grand Rapids and Ely, MN
• Length: 165 miles (first 6 miles out of Grand Rapids are paved for biking, the rest can be tackled on your mountain bike!)
• Activities: hiking, biking, horseback riding, in-line skating, camping, fishing, swimming, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling
• Map
• More: The trail links to three state parks: Bear Head Lake, Soudan Underground Mine, and McCarthy Beach.

Willard Munger and Matthew Lourey 

• Location: The Willard Munger consists of three segments, the first stretches between Duluth and Hinckley, MN. The Matthew Lourey segment connects the St. Croix State Park with the Nemadji State Forest  between Pine City and Holyoke, MN. The Alex Laveau Memorial Trail links Carlton with Gary, MN.
• Length: 63 miles between Hinckley and Duluth. 80 miles between Pine City and Holyoke. 16 miles between Carlton and Gary.
• Activities: hiking, horseback riding, biking, in-line skating and snowmobiling
• Map
• More: The Willard Munger consists three multi-use trails between Duluth and Hinckley. There are three segments: Duluth to Hinckley, Alex Laveau Memorial Trail, and Matthew Lourey State Trail. See the linked map for more information.

Wisconsin State Trails

Bearskin

• Location: The Bearskin begins in Minocqua and passes through Hazlehurst, Goodnow and Harshaw.
• Length: 18 miles
• Activities: camping, hiking, biking, snowmobiling, canoeing, fishing, hunting, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.
• Map
• More:  ”Named for the Bearskin Creek the trail follows, this 18-mile former railroad corridor is an opportunity to experience the north woods of Wisconsin. The trail stretches for 18 miles through the forests of Oneida County. The railroad line was built to export white pine logs from the forests of northern Wisconsin to the cities of the Midwest. Today the Bearskin trail is a recreation corridor, surfaced with compacted granite suitable for walking and bicycling in summer and snowmobiling in winter. The Bearskin State Trail passes through the communities of Minocqua [exit DNR], Hazlehurst, Goodnow and Harshaw. The South Blue Lake rest area is at the center of the trail, and has water, restrooms, picnic tables and grills. The Northern Highland—American Legion (NH-AL) State Forest is nearby and offers a wide variety of recreation opportunities, including camping, hiking, bicycling, snowmobiling, canoeing, bird watching, fishing and hunting. The following map of NH-AL forest has an inset of the Bearskin trail. Snowmobile use is only allowed on the Bearskin trail when Oneida County opens all trails in the county for snowmobiling. Traffic is two-way on the trail; use caution when snowmobiling for the safety of all users. The 6-mile Hiawatha trail in Lincoln County is also nearby. The Hiawatha trail, on another segment of the same rail bed as the Bearskin trail, travels south from Heafford Junction to Tomahawk.” -WI DNR

Cattail

• Location: Between Amery and Almena
• Length: 18 miles
• Activities: ATV, UTV, hiking, biking, horseback riding, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling
• Map
• More: “The Cattail State Trail travels for 18 miles on a former rail corridor between the communities of Amery and Almena in northwestern Wisconsin. Forests, farmlands, prairies, hills and various wildlife habitats surround the trail, which also passes through the village of Turtle Lake. The trail is maintained and managed by Polk and Barron counties.” -WI DNR

Saunders

• Location: Begins near Saunders and passes through Boylston Junction, Boylston and Borea.
• Length: 8.4 miles
• Activities: ATV, UTV, hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and horseback riding
• Map
• More: “This 8.4-mile county-operated trail links with the Gandy Dancer State Trail south of the city of Superior in Douglas County. The trail begins near the town of Saunders and passes through the communities of Boylston Junction, Boylston and Borea before continuing into Minnesota. Along its route, the trail crosses Clear Creek and the Pokegama River. In Minnesota, the trail is maintained and operated by the Minnesota DNR as an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trail known as the Soo Line South ATV Trail” -WI DNR

Tuscobia

• Location: Between Park Falls and the Wild River State Trail
• Length: 74 miles
• Activities: ATV, UTV, hiking, biking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, skiing and snowshoeing
• Map
• More: “This 74-mile trail on a former rail corridor is one of the longest rail trails in the state, running from Park Falls to the Wild Rivers State Trail just north of Rice Lake. The trail passes through part of the Flambeau River State Forest and the rugged wilderness of Wisconsin’s Blue Hills. The trail connects seven small communities in Barron, Washburn, Sawyer and Price counties, each providing year-round accommodations and services. The Tuscobia State Trail is a year-round multiple use recreational trail that offers opportunities for ATVs, snowmobiling, horseback riding, off-road bicycling and walking. Trail activities vary by time of year and by county. The western end of the trail is part of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. It is important to use good trail etiquette to ensure the enjoyment and safety of all trail users.” -WI DNR

Wild Rivers

• Location: Between Superior and Rice Lake
• Length: 104 miles
• Activities: ATV, UTV, hiking, biking, horseback riding, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling
• Map
• More: “The Wild Rivers State Trail stretches 104 miles through Douglas, Washburn and Barron counties in northwest Wisconsin. The Wild Rivers trail is maintained and managed by each of the three counties it passes through. The area surrounding the Wild Rivers trail is rich in natural resources and wildlife habitat. The trail crosses numerous rivers and streams, including the Namakagon River, a federally designated river which is part of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. The trail, following a former railroad corridor, begins just south of Superior, near the intersection of County Highway C and County Highway A, and passes through the communities of Solon Springs, Gordon, Minong, Trego, Spooner and Haugen, ending in Rice Lake.” -WI DNR