28 The Great Minnesota Ski Pass Get one and go! All cross-country skiers age 16 or older must have a Minnesota Ski Pass to use ski trails in state parks or state forests or on state or Grant-in-Aid trails. • You must sign your ski pass and carry it with you when skiing. • Rates are $5 for a daily ski pass, $15 for a one-season pass, and $40 for a three-season pass. • Ski pass fees help support and maintain Minnesota’s extensive cross-country ski trail system. • Daily ski passes are sold in park offices where weekend and holiday staff are available. Self-registration for one-season and three-season passes is available daily at all Minnesota state parks except Carley, George H. Crosby-Manitou, Monson Lake, and Schoolcraft. • You can also get daily, one-season, and three-season ski passes using Minnesota’s electronic licensing system, available at 1,750 locations around the state. To find a location near you, check the ELS page at mndnr.gov or call the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or 1-888-646-6367. Metro Area Ski Trails 29 If you purchase a Minnesota ski pass for a special event such as candlelight ski event at a Minnesota state park, you may be wondering where else you can use it. Many cross-country ski trails throughout the state are developed and maintained with state and Grant-in-Aid funding. Grant-in-Aid trails are maintained by local units of government and local ski clubs, with financial assistance from the Department of Natural Resources. These trails require users age 16 or older to carry the pass. Twenty ski pass trails are located in the Twin Cities metro area. For more information, click the Cross-country skiing link under the Recreation heading at mndnr.gov or call the phone number listed below. Minnesota State Parks Ski Trail Location (City) Length (km) Phone Afton State Park (Afton) 29.0 651-436-5391 Fort Snelling State Park (St. Paul) 19.3 612-725-2389 Lake Maria State Park (Monticello) 22.6 763-878-2325 Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area— Lawrence Unit (Jordan) 8.1 952-492-6400 William O’Brien State Park (Marine on St. Croix) 19.3 651-433-0500 Grant-in-Aid Trails Ski Trail Location (City) Length (km) Phone Battle Creek Regional Park— Upper Afton Road (Maplewood) 6.0 651-748-2500 x309 Battle Creek Regional Park— Winthrop Street (St. Paul) 9.8 651-748-2500 x309 Bunker Hills Regional Park (Coon Rapids) 20.0 763-767-2827 Chomonix Golf Club (Centerville) 8.0 763-757-3920 Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park (Coon Rapids) 6.0 763-767-2861 Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park (Cottage Grove) 11.3 651-430-8368 Lake Elmo Park Reserve (Lake Elmo) 19.3 651-430-8370 Manitou Ridge Golf Course (Maplewood) 5.0 651-748-2500 x309 Pine Point Park (Stillwater) 8.1 651-430-8370 Ritter Farm Park Ski Trail (Lakeville) 20.0 952-985-4690 Rum River Central Regional Park (Anoka) 6.0 763-767-2861 St. Croix Bluffs (Afton) 9.7 651-430-8368 Tamarack Nature Center (White Bear Lake) 7.0 651-748-2500 x309 Vadnais-Snail Lakes Regional Park (Shoreview) 5.0 651-748-2500 x309 Vadnais-Sucker Lakes Regional Park (Vadnais Heights) 7.3 651-748-2500 x309 30 Ski Destinations Minnesota state parks offer many miles of cross-country ski trails to explore. The frequency of grooming varies widely from park to park, so use this guide along with the snow-depth and trail- condition reports online at mnstateparks.info to help you with your trip planning. The top 12 Minnesota state park skiing destinations Afton State Park Mille Lacs Kathio State Park Cascade River State Park Lake Maria State Park Gooseberry Falls State Park Sibley State Park Itasca State Park Tettegouche State Park Jay Cooke State Park Wild River State Park Lake Bemidji State Park William O’Brien State Park Trails: groomed at least twice a week and maintained for daily use; key trails groomed within 24 hours of a significant snow fall Warming shelter: available on weekends and holidays (all week at some state parks) Snow condition reports: updated daily as needed at mnstateparks.info Skiing destinations with a weekend focus Banning State Park McCarthy Beach State Park Bear Head Lake State Park Minneopa State Park Camden State Park Minnesota Valley State Recreation Crow Wing State Park Area Flandrau State Park Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Fort Snelling State Park St. Croix State Park Frontenac State Park Sakatah Lake State Park Lake Carlos State Park Savanna Portage State Park Maplewood State Park Split Rock Lighthouse State Park Trails: available for use daily and groomed at least for weekends and holidays Warming shelter: may be available at some locations, with a focus on availability for weekends and holidays Snow condition reports: updated at least weekly at mnstateparks.info Parks where ski trails are groomed occasionally Buffalo River State Park Lake Bronson State Park Charles A. Lindbergh State Park Moose Lake State Park Father Hennepin State Park Myre–Big Island State Park Forestville State Park Old Mill State Park Fort Ridgely State Park Rice Lake State Park Glendalough State Park Scenic State Park Great River Bluffs State Park Upper Sioux State Park Hayes Lake State Park Whitewater State Park Lac Qui Parle State Park Zippel Bay State Park Good to know • Restrooms and vault toilets are open daily at all Minnesota state parks throughout the year. • If you’re 16 or older, don’t forget your ski pass (see page 28 for details). • Minnesota state parks not listed above either do not have or do not groom ski trails..