Snowmobile Trails Report: 12-30-15
As the ice forms and the snow falls, snowmobile riders alike are preparing for the upcoming season. Whether you are out to enjoy a day ride, or taking your sled and portable out for a day of fishing, hundreds of miles of groomed trails are publicly available to use.
As of 12-30-15, the snowmobile trail across the lake from Four Mile Bay up to Oak Island at the NW Angle (approximately 42 miles) is marked! This trail is part of the Lake of the Woods Drifters Snowmobile Club. Overall, there is about 6-8″ of ice with snow on top. Both this time of year and always, ice conditions can change. It is recommended to stay on the marked trail, travel with a partner and slow down! It is also wise to carry a rope, GPS, cell phone and warm weather gear.
The land trails up at the NW Angle are being marked and will be ready either January 3rd or 4th. The trails on the ice will be marked in the near future when ice thickens a bit more. There are trails marked from Young’s Bay to both Flag and Oak Island but these trails are not the Northwest Angle Edge Rider’s trails.
Our trails are true wilderness trails, as there is less than 5 miles of ditch riding on our trail system. Trails go as far up as the Northwest Angle, as far west as Warroad, south to Waskish and as far east as Big Falls and International Falls.
To the west our trail system hooks up to the Roseau County groomed trails, as well as Kittson County groomed trails and on into North Dakota. To the south we hook up to Beltrami Island State Forest Trails, as well as hundreds of miles of logging trails.
Northwest Angle and Island areas are accessible from Lake of the Woods or the Can-Am Trail by snowmobile. To the east, the Northern Connection hooks up to the groomed Voyageur Trail West and Arrowhead Trail. Our area is unique by having Lake of the Woods and Rainy River, which both provide fantastic riding over the ice.
In addition, snowmobile clubs have positioned shelters in strategic spots along snowmobile trails. These shelters are available for safety or simply to take a break and warm up amongst some of the most beautiful terrain in the region.
For more info on Lake of the Woods snowmobiling and for trail maps, go to https://lakeofthewoodsmn.com/snowmobiling/
