Jackfish-Horse Winter Trail

The Jackfish-Horse Winter Trail is a 5.2-mile out-and-back cross-country ski route in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, within the Kawishiwi Ranger District of Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail lies entirely within designated wilderness. The route starts at about 1,315 feet and reaches a high point of 1,322 feet, with a total elevation gain of 56 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about 2.2 miles in, where the grade reaches 5 percent. The climb is gentle, and the trail is short enough to fit into a day of exploring the surrounding backcountry. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ely show January highs around 15°F with lows near -7°F, while March runs about 36°F by day and 10°F at night. Summer is warm, with July highs near 79°F, but the station sits about 60 feet higher than the trail, so temperatures on the route may run slightly warmer. Other winter routes close by include the Tin Can-Fourtown Winter at 3.3 miles and the Pipestone-Basswood Winter Trail at 3.4 miles. For hiking, the Sandpit Lake-Range Lake trail is about 3.9 miles away, and Fall Lake campground is roughly 7.8 miles off.