Minnesota · Cross-country skiing

Old Road

0.5 mi
round trip
1,466 ft
climb
1,406 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Aug–Sep
best months

Is Old Road open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Superior National Forest. It doesn't name Old Road, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Superior National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Old Road is an easy cross-country ski route in Minnesota's Superior National Forest, within the Kawishiwi Ranger District and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Mining Protection Area Mineral Reserve Area. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail starts close to Ely, about 6.5 miles from the town. The route is short, with a round trip of under a mile, and the climb is minimal, about 10 feet of elevation gain. It is an out-and-back with a low point of 1,384 feet and a high of 1,406 feet, and the steepest section comes about 0.4 miles in at a 5% grade. Winter is the natural season for skiing here. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ely run to highs around 15°F in January and lows near -7°F, while July highs average about 79°F. High Road and Northwest Passage both lie about 0.4 miles away, and Ice Cliffs is about half a mile off. Fenske Lake Campground, about 1.4 miles away, offers pier fishing.

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