7 minute read
NORTHWEST
Forest Riders Trail • Round River Drive Trail/Martineau • Schoolcraft Trail • Recreational Trails • Beltrami Island State Forest • Bemis Hill Trails • Fourtown-Grygla / Con-Con Trail System • Warroad/Roseau Trails • Huntersville Trail • Agassiz Recreational Trail • Wilton Trails Northwest
Prairies & Pines Forest Riders Trail
The 100-mile Forest Riders ATV Trail cuts through four state forests: Two Inlets, Smoky Hills, Paul Bunyan and White Earth. All those miles mean you’ll get a little bit of everything, from mild-mannered state forest roads winding through the forest to more difficult terrain that will challenge experienced riders. This trail also connects to the Schoolcraft and Round River trails on the north end.
Distance: 100 miles Difficulty: Easiest to More Difficult Parking/Trailhead Location(s): From Park Rapids, take Highway 34 east to County Road 4. Travel north to the intersection at County Road 24. Season: May 1 to October 31 117 Vehicles Allowed: ITASCA ST ATE FOREST 122 71
Schoolcraft Trail
The 29-mile Schoolcraft ATV/OHM trail serves as a connector route between the Forest Riders ATV Trail in Lake George and the northern Paul Bunyan State Forest. But this trail has its own charms, traversing forest and township roads through hilly terrain peppered with ponds and bogs.
Distance: 29 Difficulty: Easiest to More Difficult Parking/Trailhead Location(s): From Bemidji, travel six miles south on Highway 71. Turn west on County Road 9 for three miles then south for one block on Reverse Trail. Parking is also available at the trailheads near Lake George on Highway 71 or off of Highway 9. Season: May 1 to October 31
Vehicles Allowed:
Facilities: Two Inlets/ Emmaville: food, fuel, restrooms, lodging; camping in Paul Bunyan State Forest (near Emmaville) and in Two Inlets State Forest More Information: Tim Eischens, 218-732-5235
TWO INLETS STATE PARK 113
46
46 89
32
71 40 24
4
The Paul Bunyan State Forest features not one but two huge off-roading opportunities. The Round River Drive and Martineau trail systems provide over 200 miles of trails showcasing the area’s unique post-glacial moraine landscape. Amid deep pine and oak forests, riders can expect ever-changing challenges and vistas, including rocky hills, smooth meadows, moraines, ponds and pothole lakes. Martineau is OHM only and features technical and narrow single-track trails, as well as some suitable for beginners. Plan to spend at least a day exploring this beautiful part of Minnesota.
Distance: Round River Drive: 107 miles; Martineau Recreational: 97 miles Difficulty: Easiest to More Difficult Parking/Trailhead Location(s): Five and a half miles north of Akeley off Highway 64. Turn left on Blue Trail/Steamboat Trail Season: May 1 to October 31, with occasional closures for logging operations Vehicles Allowed: Round River Drive: Class 1 & 2 ATVs, OHM; Martineau Recreational: OHM
Facilities: Akeley: food, fuel, restrooms, lodging; Martineau Recreational Trail parking lot: restrooms More Information: Hubbard County, 218-308-2367 or 218-732-4270 Facilities: Lake George: food, restrooms, lodging More Information: Hubbard County, 218-732-4750
Beltrami Island Area Beltrami Island State Forest & Bemis Hills Trails
The second-largest state forest in Minnesota offers an impressive 238 miles of off-roading trails through the deep northern woods, with 96 miles highlighted in the Bemis Hill Trails system. Once an island on glacial Lake Agassiz, Bemis Hill Trails take riders on a scenic ride through pine forests, along rocky glacial ridges and past peat bogs. The forest is classified as “managed” for motor vehicles, meaning highway licensed vehicles are allowed on roads/routes unless posted; ATVs, ORVs and OHMs are allowed on roads, routes and designated trails; and ATV travel off routes, roads and designated trails is prohibited except when hunter/ trapper exceptions apply.
Distance: 238 miles; of which 96 miles are Bemis Hills Trails Difficulty: Easiest Parking/Trailhead Location(s): From Warroad, take County Road 5 south for 11.5 miles to the Clear River Day-use Area. Access also available at Bemis Hill Campground and Hayes Lake State Park. Season: Open year-round, except on groomed and signed snowmobile trails. Vehicles Allowed: (ORV allowed on forest roads)
Warroad
To Roseau
BELTRAMI ISLAND
STATE FOREST
RED LIKE W.M.A
LAKE OF THE WOODS
UPPER RED LAKE
Facilities: Baudette/Roseau/Warroad: food, fuel, restrooms, lodging; Wannaska: food, fuel More Information: Mike Klein, 218-463-4464
On the southwest side of the Beltrami State Forest, an interconnected network of trails, including Grant-in-Aid trails, county and township roads, and ditch banks, add up to 170 miles of town-to-wilderness riding. The Fourtown-Grygla Grant-in-Aid trails, located within several state Wildlife Management Areas, connect to the Con-Con lands. Check trail conditions before you ride: This largely flat area is prone to unstable soil.
Distance: 170 miles Difficulty: Easiest Parking/Trailhead Location(s): In Grygla at the intersection of Marshall Avenue and West State Street; in Fourtown at the intersection of Highway 89 and County Road 18. Season: June 1 to October 31
Vehicles Allowed:
Facilities: Grygla: food, fuel, lodging; Fourtown: food, fuel More Information: Ryan Petersburg, 320-815-1996
Warroad/Roseau Trails
The Warroad/Roseau Trail system provides riders with a second option through the Beltrami Island State Forest (east of the Bemis Hill Trails). Easygoing rides through the region’s low flatlands, peat bogs and pinecovered ridges make for a great way to pass the time. A picnic area and restrooms are located at the Carp’s Pit Recreation area.
Distance: 89 miles Difficulty: Easiest Parking/Trailhead Location(s): From Warroad, take County Road 5 south for 11.5 miles to the Clear River Day-use Area. From Roosevelt, go two and a quarter miles south on County Road 141 to Cole Forest Road. Turn west for two miles to Roosevelt-Norris Forest Road. Turn south for three miles to Carp Forest Road, then east two miles to parking area.
Vehicles Allowed:
Facilities: Warroad: food, fuel, restrooms, lodging, camping; Williams: food, fuel, restrooms, lodging More Information: Myles Hogenson, 218-689-6889
Agassiz Recreational Trails
The Agassiz Recreational Trails are a multi-use route used by ATVs, cyclists and horseback riders. The route follows an abandoned railroad corridor between the towns of Ulen, Gary, Twin Valley and Fertile, and offers pastoral, rural and lightly wooded landscapes. Bridge crossings over the Wild Rice and Sand Hill rivers are among the highlights of this easygoing day out.
Distance: 52 miles Difficulty: Easiest Parking/Trailhead Location(s): Parking and trail access in Ulen, Twin Valley, Fertile and Crookston. Season: April 1 to November 30
Vehicles Allowed:
Facilities: Fertile: food, fuel, restrooms, lodging; Twin Valley/Ulen: food, fuel, restroom More Information: Clay County: David Overbo, 218-784-7126; Norman County: Jerilyn Swenson, 218-784-7126; Polk County: Richard Sanders, 218-470-8253
Huntersville Trails
The Huntersville Trails provide a less technical alternative to the nearby Martineau Recreational Trail. This ride through the skinny pine forests is known for its rolling hills and sandy terrain. ATVs are allowed on 52 miles of area road. While much of the trails are single-track, there are two-track and service roads that make for less of a challenge, and all trails are marked with their difficulty.
Distance: 59 miles Difficulty: Easiest, More Difficult, Most Difficult Parking/Trailhead Location(s): Parking and trail access west of Huntersville off County Road 24 or east off County Road 18. Season: Year-round
Vehicles Allowed:
Facilities: Menahga: food, fuel, restrooms, lodging More Information: Tom Umphress, 612-965-8618
Wilton Trails Northwest
Wilton Trails Northwest provides yet another connection to the Soo Line North Trail, and runs through the towns of Wilton and Pinewood. The trail features scenic valley overlooks and several loops off the main route, including one that rides through a portion of the Mississippi Headwaters State Forest.
Distance: 37 miles Difficulty: Easiest Parking/Trailhead Location(s): From Bemidji: take Highway 2 west for three miles, and turn south on Pete Lane. Season: May 1 to October 31
Vehicles Allowed:
Facilities: Bemidji: food, fuel, restrooms, lodging, camping More Information: Beltrami County, 218-333-4165
ExpEriEncE Autumn’s SplEndor
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