6 Winter Activities to Try During Your Next Minnesota Trip

Minnesota has some of the best cross-country ski trails in the country. In fact, Minneapolis recently hosted the COOP FIS Cross-Country World Cup, which shows just how broad the opportunities are: You can find top trails right in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, or you can opt to drive a short distance for a little more solitude.

Whatever your skill level, you’re sure to find something you’ll like, as there are over 2,000 miles of cross-country trails in the state. Popular cross-country spots include Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove, Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington, and Theodore Wirth Regional Park in Minneapolis. Equipment rentals are available at many locations.

Plus, all that cross-country mileage coexists with 18 scenic ski areas if downhill skiing is more your thing. With vertical drops up to 850 feet and the longest runs topping out over 6,500 feet, Minnesota downhill skiing and snowboarding is a guaranteed good time. Whether you like to ski hard and fast or meander down the mountain, you’ll find runs for every preference throughout the state — even around the Twin Cities.

Fishing in Minnesota doesn’t cease when the lakes freeze. In fact, there’s really no place in the world with as much ice-fishing culture as Minnesota, where you can visit a mini-city of ice-fishing houses, sleep overnight out on the ice in an upscale heated mini-cabin, or keep it simple and sit right out on the lake on an overturned bucket or in a camp chair. With more than 150 resorts and guides renting ice-fishing accommodations and gear to visitors, you’ve got options.

For a luxurious experience, head to one of the resorts that ring Mille Lacs Lake. To get off the beaten path with fewer crowds, meanwhile, make for Lake of the Woods along the Canadian border. Note: Although a 4×4 vehicle isn’t technically required to ice fish in Minnesota, it’s highly recommended if you’re planning to fish more remote spots.

Wherever you go, consider taking a pair of ice skates. With over 100 ice-skating centers around Minnesota, many of which double as ice-fishing lakes, the two activities go together like hot chocolate and crisp winter air. Popular spots for ice skating include Edina, Buffalo, Lake of the Isles, the Central Park Ice Skating Loop in Maple Grove, and the Recreation Outdoor Center in St. Louis Park. (Note: Many of the excellent urban parks around Minneapolis operate ice rinks in the winter. complete with free skates). Or for a real adventure, check out the 5-mile Riverbend skate path in Warroad.

There’s no need to hang up your bike when the snow and ice start to fall, thanks to the rise of fat biking. Minnesota has more miles of bike trails than just about any other state, many of which are accessible in winter.

Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area is considered one of the best winter biking spots in the nation. Located near Crosby, the park offers an extensive network of groomed trails that are perfect for beginners. You’ll find plenty more top-rated tracks in northern and southern Minnesota, as well as the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Wherever you go, don’t forget to lower your tire pressure by 4-8 PSI and dress in layers.

If you prefer to hit the trails on foot, you can still enjoy the winter terrain at one of Minnesota’s many snowshoeing and winter hiking areas. And since many of these pathways are used for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, winter hiking, and mountain biking, you don’t even have to decide what you want to do until you get there. At Gunflint Trail, for instance, you can do all five on the “two lane highway” near the Canadian border. Options galore!

Every winter, climbers from all over come to eastern Minnesota to conquer elegant and highly technical frozen towers. Gutsy and methodical, ice climbing isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s more accessible to fascinated first-timers than you might think. And there are over a dozen top-rated ice climbing spots and outfitters in Minnesota to ensure you have a world-class experience.

For beginners, Quarry Park and Positive Energy Outdoors in Duluth are great places to start. Guides are available seven days a week from December to mid-March, but reservations are required because sessions sell out quickly. Lake Superior is another popular spot for ice climbing, owing to its many waterfalls that are prime for scaling once frozen. Elsewhere, sites in Sandstone and Winona farm ice to cultivate ice quarries for winter climbers. Sandstone’s Robinson Park was Minnesota’s first official “Ice Park,” while Winona hosts the annual Winona Ice Fest with climber clinics, events, and more.

You’ll never forget the thrill you feel on your first dog sled ride. The highly trained huskies that make it possible are clearly born to run. You’ll experience this fact firsthand as the smaller-than-expected canines forcefully pull you at between 10 and 20 miles per hour through endless snow. And Minnesota is as far as you need to travel for some of the best mushing in the country.

In Ely, local outfitters organize a wide variety of day and overnight trips. The Boundary Waters, for example, offers over a million acres of pristine, snowy landscapes to traverse. Other dog sledding areas include Grand Marais, Monticello, Hastings, Two Harbors, Lake Minnetonka, and the North Shore of Lake Superior in Duluth. Pro tip: Although blankets are provided, you’ll want to dress more warmly than you think is necessary. The sled will be moving fast enough to create its own wind, so make sure to bring your balaclava and other warm winter-wear.

Want even more speed? Consider Minnesota’s 22,000-plus miles of snowmobile trails for a motorized “sledding” excursion. You’ll catch big thrills and spot calming wildlife while weaving through forests at any of the designated parks and resorts that crisscross the state.

One unarguable advantage of a cold Minnesota winter? It feels that much better when you’re warm. Case in point: the state’s plentiful saunas, hot tubs, spas, cozy cabins, and rustic lodges with aww-inspiring fireplaces. Popularized in Minnesota in the 1800s by Scandinavian immigrants, thermaculture is as widespread here as any winter sport, and it’s rooted in the Danish concept of hygge: “cozy and comfortable surroundings that invoke an inner sense of contentment or well-being.”

In winter, you’ll find “cozy and comfortable” all around Minnesota. For saunas specifically, notable hot spots include Cedar + Stone Nordic Sauna in Duluth, which floats directly on Lake Superior; Watershed Spa along the Mississippi River; Silvae Spiritus in Northern Minnesota; and the Four Seasons sauna in downtown Minneapolis.

The profound contentment you’ll find in a day spent exerting yourself in the icy outdoors followed by an evening of blissful, fireside warmth is the authentic way to experience winter in Minnesota. Come on up to the Star of the North and find out for yourself.