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Cross-Country Skiing: Making tracks up, down, over, and around the Twin Cities

By Greg Breining Minnesota Monthly

Think you have to head way up north to get your skiing fix? Think again. Some 100 cross-country ski-trail systems lie within an hour’s drive of Minneapolis and St. Paul, ready to be explored.

William O’Brien State Park
Landscape is William O’Brien’s selling point: a restored mix of native prairie, oak savanna, and woodlands on the bluffs overlooking the St. Croix River. The 12 miles of trails are located 50 minutes northeast of Minneapolis, in Marine on St. Croix, and are groomed for classic cross-country and skate skiing, and range from easy to difficult. A fun perk to the park (if you can score them) are the three heated cabins available to rent for overnight excursions. As at all state parks, skiing at William O’Brien requires a Minnesota ski pass for those 16 and older ($6 a day; $20 a season).

Address: 16821 O'Brien Trl. N., Marine on St. Croix
Website: dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/william_obrien/index.html
Phone: 651-433-0500

Afton State Park
Afton is similar to William O’Brien in nature—prairie and oak savanna on the bluffs overlooking the St. Croix Valley—but differs in its trail offerings. The park is located 40 minutes southeast of Minneapolis, near Hastings. A beginners loop is 2.5 miles long, but the rest of the trails are rated intermediate or expert. In fact, the park boasts some of the longest and hairiest twisting down-hill challenges among Twin Cities cross-country ski trails. The 18 miles of trails are groomed for classic skiing only. That’s too bad for skaters, but it does give the place a secluded, backcountry feel. Four camper cabins with electricity and heat are available year-round for weekend adventures.

Address: 6959 Peller Ave. S., Hastings
Website: dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/afton/index.html
Phone: 651-436-5391

Battle Creek Regional Park
Perched on the Mississippi River bluffs just east of St. Paul, Battle Creek Regional Park offers a variety of hilly, winding, and wooded trails. The eastern section of the park has 3.6 miles of classic trails groomed ranging from easy to difficult, with plenty of possible combinations. The western section has nearly 8 miles of mostly difficult trails, groomed for both skate and classic skiing. About 2.5 miles are lighted for nighttime skiing. A Minnesota ski pass is required.

Address: 75 S. Winthrop St., St. Paul
Website: parks.co.ramsey.mn.us/parks/Pages/Cross-country-Skiing.aspx.
Phone: 651-501-6347

Fort Snelling State Park
Located in the bottomlands at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, Fort Snelling State Park is about as flat as it gets—the perfect park for shuffling along while watching for deer, foxes, owls, and other wildlife. The park has 12 miles of easy trails groomed for classic skiing, with the most popular trail circling Pike Island.

Address: 101 Snelling Lake Rd., St. Paul
Website: dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/fort_snelling/index.html
Phone: 612-725-2724

Lebanon Hills Regional Park
A sprawling park of woods, wetlands, and lakes, 2,000-acre Lebanon Hills is the largest park in the Dakota County system. Located in Eagan, 30 minutes south of Minneapolis, the park contains more than 14 miles of trails for both classic and skate skiing wind around, up, and down lakes, ponds, and hills. Most trails are easy, although one loop has some tough slopes. Equipment is available for rent at the visitors center. A Dakota County cross-country ski pass is required for skiers 18 years of age or older ($5 a day; $20 for the season).

Address: 860 Cliff Rd., Eagan
Website: co.dakota.mn.us/parks/parksTrails/LebanonHills/Pages/default.aspx
Phone: 651-554-6530

Carver Park Reserve
One of the best-kept secrets in the Twin Cities, Three Rivers Park District’s Carver Park, located 40 minutes southwest of Minneapolis, lets you get away from the crowds, even on weekends. Its 12 miles of trail, groomed for both classic and skate skiing, dart through open prairie and oak and pine forest, and past lakes and marshes. Loops range in difficulty from beginner to advanced, with a few tough hills thrown in for good measure. Skiers ages 12 and older will need a Three Rivers cross-country ski pass ($4 a day; $50 for the season).

Address: 7025 Victoria Dr., Victoria
Website: threeriversparks.org/parks/carver-park.aspx
Phone: 763-694-7650

Theodore Wirth Winter Recreation Area
This Minneapolis park is a surprising 700-acre oasis of secluded forest in the middle of the city. One moment you feel you’re in wilderness, the next you see a stunning view of the Minneapolis skyline. Wirth offers 15 miles of trails groomed for both classic and skate skiing. The park’s snow-making capabilities means you can ski even when snow is lacking. After a day on the trails, unwind and refuel with soup and sandwiches at the chalet. Skiers ages 13 and older will need a Minneapolis Park and Recreation ski trail pass ($8 a day; $45 a year per family).

Address: 1301 Theodore Wirth Pkwy., Mpls.
Website: minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=680
Phone: 763-522-4584

Elm Creek Winter Recreation Area
There’s plenty of variety—and opportunities for backcountry solitude—at 4,900-acre Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove, just 20 minutes northwest of Minneapolis and the largest unit of the Three Rivers Park District. The park has more than 11 miles of trail groomed for both skating and classic skiing, three miles of which are lighted for nighttime skiing and 1.5 miles available to get a coating of artificial snow when needed. Loop difficulty ranges from beginner (including most of the lighted area) to expert. On evenings and weekends, hot drinks, burgers, and fries are available for purchase at the Elm Creek Chalet, which also rents ski equipment. Two camper cabins equipped with electricity and heat are available to rent for $50 a night. Skiers need a Three Rivers ski pass ($4 a day).

Address: 12400 James Deane Pkwy., Maple Grove
Website: threeriversparks.org/parks/elm-creek-park.aspx
Phone: 763-694-7894