Trans Canada Trail

The Trans Canada Trail is a cross-country ski route in northern Minnesota, about 46 miles from the town of Prairie Portage. The trail is an out-and-back of roughly 2.5 miles, with a high point of about 1,527 feet and a low of about 1,409 feet. The climb is moderate, with a total gain and loss of about 376 feet each way, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.6 miles into the route, where the grade reaches about 6%. Winter is the natural season for skiing here. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Gunflint Lake show January highs around 15°F with lows near -6°F and about eight snow days. By April, highs reach about 47°F, and snow days drop to about three. Summer is warm, with July highs around 76°F, but snow is gone by June. The trail is a short, low-elevation outing, so plan on a day trip with a few hours on the snow.