Brainerd MN Annual Snowmobile Trail Conditions
This page is an archive of snowmobile trail conditions in the Brainerd Lakes Area for the past several years.
Snowmobile trail conditions are constantly changing in the Brainerd Lakes Area. The drastic weather changes leave us with mounds of snow one week, and bare trails the next! Stay up to date on trail conditions with the Brainerd.com Trail Conditions updates.
2017-2018 Snowmobile Trail Conditions
| Brainerd MN Snowmobile Trails - Conditions can change frequently, but they can also have extended periods with no change due to the nature of the Minnesota Winter. | |
| 4/1/2018 | ALL GRANT-IN-AID TRAILS ARE CLOSED UNTIL DECEMBER 1st. Minnesota State Corridor Trails (i.e. Paul Bunyan) close when there is insufficient snow cover. See you next year!!!
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 3/26/2018 | The trails will be officially closed on March 31st but many of the clubs have started closing and locking gates to protect our landowners. Trails like the Paul Bunyan will remain open. Please use common sense if we do get any rideable snow in the last 5 days. Also, use extreme caution on the lakes and rivers as many are showing a lot of signs of melt.Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 3/2/2018 | We have snow but the sun and warm weather has melted a lot of it this past week. While some of the ditches are getting thin, most of woods trails are fine. The clubs have groomed everything so get out and enjoy, not sure how much longer it will last.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 2/4/2018 | The Brainerd Lakes Area received 3″ of new snow yesterday. We haven’t heard from the clubs yet but the fresh powder on the trails and lakes are a welcomed site.
Be aware that there are hazards on the trails because of the low snow conditions. Remember, even with the cold temperatures the swamps and lakes may still have open water. Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 1/15/2018 | We received an additional 3″ of fluffy snow last night, so we have about 12″ of snow on the ground at the present time. We are expecting that the clubs will be reporting their grooming progress throughout the week. Be aware that there are hazards on the trails that the clubs will take care of as soon as they are grooming. Remember, even with the cold temperatures the swamps and lakes may still have open water. Please understand that the clubs will be on the trails as soon as conditions allow but we need more snow before that can happen.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 1/9/2018 | We have about 6″ of snow on the ground at the present time. There have been a lot of sleds out on the trails and the riding is very rough. Be aware that there are hazards on the trails that the clubs will take care of as soon as they are grooming. Remember, even with the cold temperatures the swamps and lakes may still have open water. Please understand that the clubs will be on the trails as soon as conditions allow but we need more snow before that can happen.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 12/29/2017 | The Brainerd Lakes Area had about 2″ on the ground and we received 5″ to 6″ on the evening of 12-20-17. Most of the clubs are now waiting for sleds to get out on the trail to pack what snow we have. The snow was a very narrow band that mainly hit the center of the CWCSTA.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 10/27/17 | All trails are officially closed until December 1st, 2017.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
2016 - 2017 Snowmobile Trail Conditions
| 3/6/2017 | All grooming has been suspended by all clubs in the CWCSTA. Most snow is gone from the trails and lakes are glare ice. If the melt continues most clubs will begin to close gates on the trails.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 2/16/2017 | All grooming has been suspended by all clubs in the CWCSTA – Conditions Poor.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 2/3/2017 | The Brainerd Lakes Area received anywhere from 2″ in the south to almost 6″ in the north. Some of our clubs are out grooming, others are not, it just depends on the conditions. Riding ranges from poor to good throughout the system depending on where you are. More snow is predicted next Tuesday, in the 3″ to 5″ range. Think Snow!!
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 1/25/2017 | All clubs have suspended grooming for now. Ditch trails have water, ice and many bare spots. Woods trails have some bare spots showing and very crusty, icy snow. Lakes have melted snow and showing now mostly ice. Riding conditions are very poor. Good news is that 3″ to 4″ of new snow would get us back up and running. Think Snow!!
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 1/6/2017 | The Brainerd Lakes received about 6″ of snow on 1/2/17 and many of the clubs are out on the trails. Swamps are still a problem in many areas as they are not freezing. Lakes require caution, Gull Lake has anywhere from 4″ to 14″ of ice so it is very inconsistent.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 1/3/2017 | The Brainerd Lakes received about 6″ of new snow last night so I’m sure the clubs will be out grooming soon (swamps are still an issue). I haven’t received any reports from the clubs yet but check back and we will update.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 12/15/2016 | We have between 3″ – 5″ of snow on the trails and with the cold weather many of the clubs have been getting to some of the swamp trails but it is still very wet in most places. Of course none of the lakes are safe for snowmobiling so please do not venture out.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 11/18/2016 | The entire CWCSTA Area received between 13″to 18″ of snow today. The Grant-in-Aid trail system opens on December 1st but State Trails like the Paul Bunyon are open for snowmobile use as soon as adequate snow cover allows snowmobiling (6″ generally). A word of caution from all the clubs is that most gates will remained closed because much of our system crosses swamp areas that are still not frozen. The clubs can’t get to many of these areas for trail work until frozen conditions exist. Please ride safe, use your head and respect our landowners.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
2015 - 2016 Snowmobile Trail Conditions
| 02/03/2016 | The blizzard that hit southern Minnesota missed us completely. Though many of the clubs have groomed once or twice, the warm weather has taken its toll on the trails and lakes. Lots of dirt and pavement showing and lakes are very icy.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 01/25/2016 | The (Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Assn) CWCSTA currently has 4″ to 5″ of snow. Though clubs have been out with their groomers on the trails, it is primarily for trail work and they are not grooming with the low snow conditions.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 12/30/2015 | The Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Assn (CWCSTA) which is made up of the 10 snowmobile clubs in Crow Wing County and 2 clubs in Southern Cass County want to urge caution to snowmobilers with the limited snowfall of the the season. While the snowmobile trails in Minnesota open on December 1st there are still a number of issues that the snowmobile clubs must address and this can’t be accomplished until we can get our equipment out on the trails. Remember we really haven’t had much cold weather yet and we have softness in the swamps and there is very little ice on the lakes that has reached safe levels. The clubs will move as fast as we can to get the trails open and useable for the season but please remember that we are all “volunteers” so our schedules vary. The new CWCSTA Map is out and available so please check for changes that may have occurred over the summer. Please respect private property and stay on designated trails, remember club members work very hard to obtain easements from private landowners and these trails exist because those landowners allow us to use their property.
Mark Kavanaugh Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 12/29/2015 | Sorry fellow snowmobilers, the Brainerd Lakes Area did not receive any of yesterday's storm. We currently have 2" to 3" of snow on the ground. The lakes have frozen but are not safe for travel and many of the swamp bottoms remain open. Until we get snow and cold the clubs will not be able to get to many of the areas to clear trails so gates will remain closed.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
2014 - 2015 Snowmobile Trail Conditions
| 04/1/2015 | The Brainerd MN Snowmobile Trails are set to open on December 1, 2015 Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 03/5/2015 | The Brainerd Lakes Area received about 4″ of snow on Tuesday but without a base the clubs will have very little to work with (if at all) on their grooming. Our temperatures are supposed to be in the mid 30’s this weekend with temperatures in the mid 40’s by the middle of next week so this snow is going to disappear in a hurry.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 02/25/2015 | Not enough snow yet to groom or ride.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 02/10/2015 | The Brainerd Lakes Area received about 3 inches of snow today, not enough to groom but we will post any trail reports from the clubs as we receive them.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 01/15/2015 | (1 inch of snow) We are waiting for snow on the trails, until that occurs we have left many of the gates on the trails closed to keep out non-snowmobile traffic until conditions make riding possible.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
| 12/23/2014 | NO SNOW!!! We are waiting for snow on the trails, until that occurs we have left many of the gates on the trails closed to keep out non-snowmobile traffic until conditions make riding possible.
Provided by Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association Clubs |
2013 - 2014 Snowmobile Trail Conditions
| 3/10/2014 | Wow, what a weekend for riding!
The temperatures on Saturday were great. Warm enough so you did not have to wear so many cloths, but yet cool enough to not impact the trail conditions. The trails held up great. On Sunday, the temps reached 50+ degrees. To warm for the air-cooled sleds and where the trails were out in the open, the snow started to soften. You could see the condition of the snow change and could feel that it was becoming slushy. Off the trail, the snow level compacted about 6”. High temps for the coming week are supposed range for 25 to 37. Reminder: This time of year you have to watch the temps. As the temps drop from a warmer day, the trail will start to ice up on you, giving you limited lubrication to your slides. Hank |
| 2/24/2014 | With the snow we received on Thursday night-Friday, the trails are in great shape. We have plenty of snow to ride on. The groomers have been out working the trials and cutting down the drifts. Unless we get some unusually high temps, the snow should last for a while.
On the down side, we are going back into the deep freeze this week. So there will not be much riding until it warms up. Hank |
| 2/3/2014 | Trails are still in great condition. Groomers have been out on a regular basis and there is plenty of snow for them to work with. Also, people have done limited riding because of the extreme cold weather.
Hopefully the extreme cold will hold off for a bit. Hank |
| 1/22/2014 | All Gull Lake Drifters trails have been groomed this week. Snow conditions are excellent.
John, Gull Lake Drifters |
| 1/13/2014 | Now that the bitter cold was gone, we were able to get out and ride.
On Saturday, rode from Brainerd to Breezy Point to Cross Lake and back. The trails are in very good shape. The lakes on the other hand are a mix. Some lakes you will still find slush in spots, but all-in-all they are solid. Saturday night/Sunday morning we received rain. Woke up to a thin layer of ice on everything. Where the snow was firm, it iced up. Where the snow was still fluffy, a thin layer of ice formed on the top that the sled kept breaking through. By Sunday afternoon, temps hit the lower 40’s and there was sun. Spots where the snow had dirt in it, or where it was thin, you could see the melting occur. There should be enough snow for the groomers to fix the trails. Hank |
| 12/26/2013 | We've been grooming all trails and swamps. Trails are looking good. The light posts are up on Gull Lake and the trail down Gull is safe if you stay on the trail. There is still some slush in non travelled areas.
John, Gull Lake Drifters |
| 12/18/2013 | We have groomed all of the trails in the Gull Lake area and they are looking good. There are some swamps that haven't been groomed but snowmobiles can cross them without any problems. Still slush on lakes so stay on someone else's frozen trail.
John, Gull Lake Drifters |
| 12/16/2013 | Trails are open and the Clubs are out grooming. Trails are in good shape for this early in the season.
We started out with 10" to 12" of snow and have received another 1" to 2" over the weekend. It is snowing right now (Monday morning) and they are forecasting another 1" to 2" of accumulation. Hank |
| 12/09/2013 | All Gull Lake Drifters trails have been groomed except some swamps. Trail conditions are good. A lot of the lakes have slush on them, so, riders, please be aware of that.John, Gull Lake Drifters |
| 10/23/2013 | Trail cleanup is underway, so we'll be ready when the snow arrives!
John, Gull Lake Drifters |
2012 - 2013 Snowmobile Trail Conditions
| 2/10/13 | WE HAVE SNOW!! As of 4PM the area has between 6" to 10". The trails are awesome to ride on. The groomers have plenty of snow to work with, so the trails are going to fill in nicely and will like a table top.
Hank |
| 1/28/13 | Nothing new to report regarding the trails. We still have a great solid based of ice, but need a minimum of 4" of snow before we can ride again. They are predicting 5" to 7" with the storm on Tuesday. We will have to wait to see what we get.
Hank |
| 1/13/13 | The trails are all ice with the rain and warm weather we received last week. There is no snow out there to lube your slides or cool the sled. The trails have a great base now, but we need 4” to 6” of snow in order to ride again. It is almost like we are starting over.
Hank |
| 12/31/12 | Happy New Year! Over the weekend we received about 1” to 2” of new snow. I have been out riding. With the limited amount of snow and low traffic, the trails are in really good shape. I see the stick trail is up on Gull Lake. As for the lakes, the bigger fish houses and some vehicles are starting to drive out on the lakes. But, if you are going to venture out, check with the “locals” regarding ice conditions.
Hank |
| 12/19/12 | Received about 2” of a rain/snow mix over the weekend. The snow now has a hard crust on it, but I did see a groomer out in the Brainerd Lakes area today. If you go out, I suspect that there will be many low hanging branches.
As for the lakes, they now have standing water under the snow. It is either from what water came up through the cracks in the ice or from the rain. Use caution if you venture out on the lakes. Ice depth is still unpredictable. Hank |
| 12/18/12 | Trails are all open, swamps are soft, don't trust streams and lakes. Marginal conditions. Limited riding due to not crossing lakes.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 12/10/12 | We had 5 inches of snow fall from the storm that went thru this weekend. Snow fall amounts increase as you head to the South. Do not know if they have started to open the gates on the trails yet, but have seen some sledders riding the ditches. Though there is ice on the lakes, they are not safe. They only have been froze over for about a week. I did check Rice Lake on Saturday and found spots where the ice was still shifting by the cracks. With this blanket of snow, I can already see where the water is coming up through the cracks in the ice.
Hank |
2010 - 2011 Snowmobile Trail Conditions
| 3/24/11 | There have been snowmobiles out since the new snow but I don't think any of the trails will be groomed. Streams are open, swamps and ditches are filled with water, and lakes are unsafe in many areas.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 3/16/11 | Snowmobile trails are in poor condition with dirt showing in many places.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 3/10/11 | Gull Lake area trails are in fair condition but icy. Use caution on corners and hills. Big hills in Pillsbury State Forest are very difficult.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 3/2/11 | Trails in the Gull Lake area are good. On a scale of one to five I would give them a three. I groomed Pillsbury State Forest yesterday. The trails are good but some hills are extremely icy.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 2/28/11 | When on the Brainerd club's vintage ride on Sunday. They had a great turn out with 40 sleds. The trails were great. The corners were a little icy if you got down to the base, but there is still plenty of snow for riding.
Hank |
| 2/23/11 | We're trying to groom our trails. The base is very icy and rough in places. Corners and hills will be very slippery - caution needed. Frozen fore is this weekend so we're expecting lots of people in the area.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 2/22/11 | We received about 7 to 8 inches of fluffy new snow. The trail base is icy under the new snow, so the snow will not stick to the trail as well. Just have to use caution until things get settled.
Hank |
| 2/16/11 | Trails in the Gull Lake area are ride able but currently in poor condition (rough) due to warm weather.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 2/14/11 | It was great riding over the weekend.
The weather was warm and the trails were flat. The snow held up just fine with the temps. Hank |
| 1/31/11 | On Saturday rode to Harding and Sunday rode North of Crosby. Trails are in great shape and there is plenty of snow. Riding should be great for the rest of the season.
Hank |
| 1/26/11 | Trails in the Gull Lake area are in very good condition with plenty of snow. Lakes are also good.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 1/19/11 | All trails in the Gull Lake area are in very good condition - good snow and all have been groomed this week.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 1/17/11 | With the snow we receive last week the trails are in great shape. Groomers are out on a regular basis and with the cold weather we have coming up this week, the trails will be able to set up very well.
Hank |
| 1/12/11 | All trails are being groomed. Snow conditions are very good.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 1/5/11 | Trails in the Gull Lake area have plenty of snow. The recent rain and snow combination has caused brush and trees to lean into the trails but all trails are passable. Lakes have slush but no problem if you stay on the packed trails.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 1/3/11 | Was out riding over the Holiday's. The trails are in really good shape. The rain that we receive just made for a stronger base on the trails. We did receive about 4" of snow, so the groomers have something to work with.
You do have to watch out for trees. The rain/ice/snow is weighting them down, so they are hanging in the trail. The trees are not springing back up when you know the snow off of them. The groomers will be clearing them out, but it will be slow going because of the large numbers. Hank |
| 12/29/10 | Trails are open, groomed, and in fair condition. Some swamps have not been groomed but are open and passable.
John, Gull Lake Drifters Snowmobile Club |
| 12/21/10 | As of Tuesday morning at 7:00 AM, I measured 4" of new snow.
The trails were in pretty good shape for the amount of snow we had before. With this new snow, the trails will be in really good condition. Caution will still need to be used in the swampy areas. We have had the groomer push up water or crack the ice in stops. So, you could find slush, ice or an un-groomed trail because the ice is not safe enough to take the groomer across. Hank |
| 12/5/10 | Trails are open. The club members were out this weekend opening gates and packing swamps, but remember to watch ice conditions on the swamps and lakes. The groomer is out on the trail. We will need more snow for it is really get the trails in shape.
Hank |
2009 - 2010 Snowmobile Trail Conditions
| 3/5/10 | The sun and warm weather has started to take its toll on the trails. Trails that are in the road ditches, in or next to the pine trees or where the snow is thin, the snow has started to soften and bare spots are starting to appear. Trails that are wide, flat, and in the trees are still holding up. Unless we get some measurable snow, we are done riding for a while.
Hank |
| 1/27/10 | The rain over the weekend was absorbed by the snow and froze by Sunday night, Monday morning. The trail base has become hard and icy. It is hard to tell how much snow we did receive on Monday and Tuesday because of the blowing and drifting. All in all the trails still look good to ride and I have seen the groomers. Yes you will fine thin spots in the base, but with it being icy from the rain, it will not degrade as fast. The recent snow should be enough to cool and lube the sled, just ride cautiously.
Hank |
| 1/13/10 | Rode over the weekend. The trails are in good shape for riding. The groomers have been out on a regular basis. With the warmer weather we are having, the trails are holding up just fine.
Hank |
| 1/3/10 |
Happy New Year! Have been riding off and on during the week. The groomers have been out and doing a great job on the trails. Trails are in good condition. The Brainerd club has started its regular grooming schedule. It will not take much snow for the trails to be really great. With the cold weather many of the slush spots have started to freeze up, but you still want to be cautious on the lakes and swamps.
Hank
|
| 12/28/09 | Groomers have started running their grooming schedule. With the heavy snow and ice, watch for low branches and downed limbs. Caution needs to be taken on the lakes and swamps as slush is present from all the snow. All in all the trails are in good shape and starting to build a base for the season.
Hank |
2008 - 2009 Snowmobile Trail Conditions
| 3/2/9 | The groomers have been out since Friday and the trails are in really good shape. The base is firm, but you will fine corners that will be icy. You can still find plenty of untouched snow to ride in.
Hank |
| 2/26/09 | By 5PM on Thursday, the heavier flurries from the day had stopped. I measured 4” of new snow, with the weather service reporting 4.5” in Brainerd. As of 9:30 PM it was still snowing, but the wind was also blowing pretty good, causing drifting. With this strong wind, it will be hard to determine how much additional snowfall we received.
Hank |
| 2/9/09 | The snow was holding up pretty good until today. The rain and warm weather has taken its toll. Forecast is for the rain to turn to snow. 1” of possible accumulation by Tuesday night, but the snow flurries are to continue until Thursday.
Hank |
| 1/18/09 | The trails are in great shape. The high traffic trails show it, but the less traveled on are flat and beautiful. The groomers have been out on a regular basis. We did get some snow on Sunday, but it was off and on flurries. Nothing measurable.
Hank |
| 1/4/09 | Over the weekend we received about 2” of snow. Though it started out as rain, the only impact it had on the trails was to firm them up. We had a good amount of sled traffic. The groomers will be back out and getting the trails back in shape.
Hank |
| 12/31/08 | The trails are in good shape and people are out riding. This is the best start to the season we have had in years. Just keep an eye out for slush on the lakes. With the amount of snow we have had, some slush is starting to appear.
Hank |
| 12/22/08 | We received about 4" to 16"of snow on Saturday. With the blowing and drifting it is hard to say how much snow we actually received. The groomers are out on a regular basis and the trails are starting to shape up.
Hank |
| 12/17/18 | We received about 8" to 12"of snow on Sunday. With the blowing and drifting it is hard to say how much snow we actually received. The clubs in the area have started grooming. They are mostly out packing the trails. Though ice is reported to be good on some lakes, caution still needs to be used as not all lakes and swamps could be this way.
Hank |
2007 - 2008 Snowmobile Trail Conditions
| 3/10/08 | Did ride this past weekend. The trails were still in great shape. Yes, we did encounter some bare spots, but overall they were really good. You can tell that the groomers are pulling the snow in from the edges to maintain the trails. With the warmer temps this week, we will see what happens.
Hank |
| 2/25/08 | The clubs have been out grooming the trails this past week and were in good shape. The warm weather did have an impact on the areas where the snow was thin, or brown. Snow is in the forecast for Tuesday and Thursday.
Hank |
| 2/18/08 | Did ride this past weekend. The new snow that we received this past week made for good riding. The trail base is in good shape and has held up well. Where the trail is narrow, you will find the base to be thin, or down to the ground.
Hank |
| 1/21/08 | On Saturday rode to Ironton and Sunday was to Pine River on the Paul Bunyan Trail. You can tell the groomers have been out working the trails. They are doing their best to bring the snow back into the trail to cover the thin spots. With the cold weather, the trails have set up very nice. With easy riding, the trails will last. Hope we get some fresh snow this week.
Hank |
| 1/14/08 | Rode from Brainerd to North of Aitkin on Sunday. The trail base firmed up and iced up with the warm weather this past week. You quickly found out how warn your wear rods were. The inside of the corners and the high traffic areas were bare. The trails will last if people will be easy in and out of the throttle. You could tell where people had spun their tracks. Lets hope we get some more snow.
Hank |
| 1/7/08 | It was 40 and sunny on Sunday. Thin or brown spots on the trails took a hit. On the upside, snow is in the forecast for the majority of the week and into the weekend. Lets hope we get enough.
Hank |
| 12/25/07 | Merry Christmas. We received about 1 to 2 inches of snow the other day. It is hard to tell exactly how much with the blowing and drifting that was taking place. The club is still out grooming. The trails are in very good shape for this early in the season. The limited sled traffic has helped the trails.
Hank |
| 12/20/07 | Snow on the trails is getting thin in spots. We have been out grooming to help this, but bare spots are starting to appear on the trail and at road crossings. But, all in all the trails are very good. One does still need to be cautious on the lakes. With the snow we received, slush is now present. Snow is in the forecast for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Hank |