Heavy snowfalls bring Minnesotans early present, outdoor recreation

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Heavy snowfalls bring Minnesotans early present; excellent conditions for outdoor recreation during holidays
(Released December 22, 2010)


Excellent trail conditions await anyone hoping to get out cross-country skiing or snowmobiling during the holidays, with some areas of the state enjoying record snowfall amounts, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

 
Trail conditions Snowmobiling information: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snowmobiling/index.html



 
“We’re excited to have all this new snow,” said Ron Potter, recreation systems manager for the Division of Parks and Trails, “but the snow came early before we had a lot of frost, so swamps aren’t frozen and the groomers haven’t been able to get through in those areas. Snowmobilers, in particular, should stay alert to conditions around wetlands. Our crews and the local clubs are doing everything they can to get trails ready for the holiday weekend, but we do advise checking the website to see if we’ve gotten to your favorite trail yet.”

In Rochester, more than 37 inches of snow have fallen this month, setting a record as the city’s snowiest month ever, and there are many outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities in the area.

“We have plenty of snow,” said Craig Blommer, area supervisor for the southern region of the DNR’s Division of Parks and Trails. “There’s no excuse not to get out and enjoy it, and there’s no shortage of places to go.”

The DNR’s top picks for this week include:

Best snowmobiling: Douglas State Trail - Located north of Rochester, it links to more than 2,000 miles of grant-in-aid trails, all of which should be groomed in time for the weekend.
Best cross-country skiing: Root River State Trail - A former rail bed, this trail in southeastern Minnesota (with a popular trailhead in Lanesboro) is relatively flat and therefore well-suited for beginners and families with young children. “We’ve groomed about 35 miles of the trail,” Blommer said, “so you can ski for a couple of days!” Note that before skiers age 16 and older hit the trails, they will need a Minnesota Ski Pass. Ski passes ($6 a day or $20 a season) can be purchased from any of Minnesota’s nearly 1,500 electronic license system vendors.
Best snowshoeing: Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest State Park - For snowshoeing, which doesn’t require a groomed track (in fact, the DNR asks snowshoers to stay off trails designated for skiers), state forests are great options. Snow conditions are excellent right now at the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest, where admission is free and you can blaze your own trail surrounded by beautiful winter scenery.
Three state parks in southeastern Minnesota - all of which offer cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing - are also reporting excellent snow conditions this week: Nerstrand Big Woods, which has a beautiful frozen waterfall; Rice Lake, where trails loop through the woods and along the lake; and Frontenac, which overlooks the Mississippi River and rents snowshoes for $6 a day.

For more information, call the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 (Twin Cities) or toll-free at 888-646-6367 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.