Whether you lace up your boots for a winter walk or prefer exploring powdery paths on snowshoes, snowmobile, fat bike or cross-country skis, you'll find plenty of room to roam on Minnesota's thousands of miles of winter trails. More than two dozen Minnesota state parks offer groomed trails for skiing.
In the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, some popular cross-country spots are Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove, Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington and Theodore Wirth Regional Park in Minneapolis. Snowshoe rentals are common in state and local park systems but call ahead to confirm availability before heading out.
Since nature centers are often surrounded by trails, they make a great starting point for snowshoeing, winter hiking, snowmobiling or cross-country skiing. Options include the River Bend Nature Center in Faribault (skiing and snowmobiling), Maplewood Nature Center (snowshoeing) and Hartley Nature Center in Duluth (skiing).
