Troll's Way

Troll's Way is a short, easy 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 route is about 0.36 miles long, with a total climb of about 120 feet over the round trip. The route is an out-and-back, and the steepest part comes early, at about 6 percent grade. The high point is around 1,620 feet, and the low point is about 1,557 feet. The climb is gentle, and the whole trip fits easily into a longer day of exploring the surrounding trails. Winter is the natural season for skiing here. Typical averages from the nearby Ely weather station show January highs around 15°F with lows near -7°F, while March runs about 36°F by day and 10°F at night. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the route, so temperatures on the trail run slightly cooler. Several other routes start close by. North Star Run and Druid Pines Trail are both about 0.3 miles away, and Hug a Tree is a hike at a similar distance. Fenske Lake Campground, about 3.8 miles off, offers fishing.