Minnesota Trip
- Thread starter kecogaty
- Start date
CrossfireLOW
Member
The Knotted Pine near Isabella is a good base to start from. The cabins are not exactly luxurious but if all you need is the basics they will due.
Here is the what my Dad (I think he is Rayds on here) and I did March 2014 and I would do it again in a heartbeat:
Met and stayed at the Knotted Pine Wednesday night. Thursday we rode through the area ending up in Grand Marais. Stayed in Grand Marais Thursday night. Friday we rode up the gunflint area trails and stayed back in Grand Marais Friday night. On Saturday we made our way back to the Knotted Pine and stayed Saturday night there. Sunday we rode a 3-4 hours towards Ely until I was running low on gas then back to the Knotted pine, loaded up and headed home. Other than a couple sections I think we covered every trail from silver bay area up to through the gunflint on the trip, but didn't go to Grand Portage.
From the Knotted pine you can also head towards Tower, Ely, Voyageurs and IFalls. If you are adventurous get a good forest service road map and ride the unplowed forest roads in the area north east of the Trestle Inn.
FYI the north shore trail can be in excellent condition on Wednesday but due to its heavy use on the weekends it gets pounded out and mogul infested by Saturday pm. Stick to the side trails as much as possible afternoon on Saturdays.
Here is the what my Dad (I think he is Rayds on here) and I did March 2014 and I would do it again in a heartbeat:
Met and stayed at the Knotted Pine Wednesday night. Thursday we rode through the area ending up in Grand Marais. Stayed in Grand Marais Thursday night. Friday we rode up the gunflint area trails and stayed back in Grand Marais Friday night. On Saturday we made our way back to the Knotted Pine and stayed Saturday night there. Sunday we rode a 3-4 hours towards Ely until I was running low on gas then back to the Knotted pine, loaded up and headed home. Other than a couple sections I think we covered every trail from silver bay area up to through the gunflint on the trip, but didn't go to Grand Portage.
From the Knotted pine you can also head towards Tower, Ely, Voyageurs and IFalls. If you are adventurous get a good forest service road map and ride the unplowed forest roads in the area north east of the Trestle Inn.
FYI the north shore trail can be in excellent condition on Wednesday but due to its heavy use on the weekends it gets pounded out and mogul infested by Saturday pm. Stick to the side trails as much as possible afternoon on Saturdays.
Mtkaboater
New member
I guess it would depend on your route around or through Superior/Duluth. And how much time you have to ride. When I come up and have just 2 full days to ride, I'm not spending one of them going through sh*t when I can just drive another hour or two in order to start with better conditions and trails. And possible MUCH better trails. Go north my friend for a true MN experience. Ride the Gunflint out to the lodges, fuel up, then ride to the border at Saganaga Lake. It wont get more remote than this on a snowmobile trail. Don't get lost.
Mtkaboater
New member
Hungry Jacks isn't at the end of the trail. I prefer the "Trail Side Lodge" as is more old authentic wilderness outfitter. The "Gunflint Lodge and Outfitters" is several miles North of Hungry Jacks and will the the last of the places to get anything, but you can go another 20+ miles up the trail. Then you run into ice at the border. If you had a remote border crossing permit, I believe you could ride across the ice at this point into Canada.
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Mtkaboater
New member
I have stayed at Knotted Pine many times. You may wish to call to make sure the gas pump is working. And don't expect much from the cabins. But the trails in this area are usually nice in any direction. Don't expect many bar stops -- not like WI up here.
Winter Warlock
Member
Been there a half dozen times. Ely/ International falls area always seems to have it together. We were up there a couple years ago and the Knotted Pine was not open during the "Polar Vortex" for gas and thats huge cause there is no gas! You want to be sure. We ended up backtracking to the Trestle Inn, stayed at the cabins behind there and got gas. The next day we continued our trip a day behind. At 30 below, you gotta make sure a place is gonna be open,eh! The people at the Trestle Inn were awesome! For the most part, if you ride anywhere in the northern 1/3 of MN you can normally find decent trails. The rest of the state is always hit and miss. Also, if you are saddlebagging, make sure that you have reservations, we got up to Baudett with only 2 people and couldn't get a room anywhere, it is where ice fishing is king and its really hard to find rooms.
Staying at Fortune Bay end of next week, where on Vermilion should a person be concerned of speed traps, etc. Never really rode in the area, will be with the family...
No where specifically - its just that Lake Vermillion is a big long lake, with trails running all over it from bar to bar, and its easy picking out there when the speed limit is 50. They could be sitting on the shore watching you go by. They could be riding in the opposite direction of you. Just know they *could* be out there.
oldguy
Member
I live on Lake Vermilion and have never been pulled over on the lake by the DNR in the past 15 years. The speed limit on Vermilion is 65 mph on the stakes. I have however been pulled over several times by the DNR for speeding off the lake.
Please be careful on Vermilion there are several pressure ridges on Big Bay out side of the Casino. The 2 local clubs have not staked the lake yet, I think they are waiting to see if the pressure ridges settle down. The lake is safe and you can negotiate around the pressures ridges without much issue.
I took a little spin on the trails last night and nothing has been groomed yet. The swamps seem frozen enough to start grooming anytime. I believe there is enough snow to start the grooming season as well
Please be careful on Vermilion there are several pressure ridges on Big Bay out side of the Casino. The 2 local clubs have not staked the lake yet, I think they are waiting to see if the pressure ridges settle down. The lake is safe and you can negotiate around the pressures ridges without much issue.
I took a little spin on the trails last night and nothing has been groomed yet. The swamps seem frozen enough to start grooming anytime. I believe there is enough snow to start the grooming season as well
No wonder I've never been pulled over either, I did not know they had their own special speed limit on Vermillion. I thought the 50mph was statewide, unless on your own private property, or in special cases like up in Voyagaire's National Park where the feds put 45 on lakes, and 25 on portages.
Depending on where you want to go, we use to do a three day trip every year from Grand Rapids to Ely on day 1 with lunch at McArthey beach I think. Ely to Island View Lodge near International Falls on Day 2 with lunch at Voyagers on Crane Lake or Melgorges, from There you can run up the lakes to Island View or the trail. On day Three I Falls Down the grade towards Bemidji but half way cut back into the woods to Effie for lunch and then back into Grand Rapids. Usually ends up around 560 miles or so, nice variety of terrain and trails, woods, lakes and rr grade.
Just another avenue to look at.
We did this on Super Bowl weekend for years, never much traffic!
Just another avenue to look at.
We did this on Super Bowl weekend for years, never much traffic!
oldguy
Member
trdehmer
I am sorry but I can’t verify the trail conditions or if the lake stakes are up. I am on vacation and won’t be home for a few more days.
As far as getting around Vermilion without stakes it can be a challenge for somebody that has never been on it. There are 365 islands and 250 miles of shoreline. During the day just go out and see what you find. Use the trail map that the casino provides, it has somewhat of a detail of the lake. Follow the most concentrated sled tracks, they usually head to the restaurants. A GPS would really help. I would however not try the lake at night it can be very confusing. I would really be surprised if the stakes will not be up by this weekend. Good luck and stay warm It looks like it is going to be really cold.
I am sorry but I can’t verify the trail conditions or if the lake stakes are up. I am on vacation and won’t be home for a few more days.
As far as getting around Vermilion without stakes it can be a challenge for somebody that has never been on it. There are 365 islands and 250 miles of shoreline. During the day just go out and see what you find. Use the trail map that the casino provides, it has somewhat of a detail of the lake. Follow the most concentrated sled tracks, they usually head to the restaurants. A GPS would really help. I would however not try the lake at night it can be very confusing. I would really be surprised if the stakes will not be up by this weekend. Good luck and stay warm It looks like it is going to be really cold.