The trails are now closed for the MN Firearm season and will reopen again Thanksgiving week, weather permitting. We need consistent cold weather and frozen ground otherwise typically if it freezes at night and warms up during the day, the surface will be greasy. We have had some cold nights the past week, setting up ice on the ponds, sloughs and some of the smaller lakes which is a great start……Think Snow!!
Overall the trails are looking good and in great shape for winter. We have cleared over 600 trees since the Solstice 2025 storm. Big thanks to everyone that has helped!
After a relatively dry Fall, recent rain has been welcomed to have the topsoil damp before we freeze down for the year. This allows the snow to have a better “bed” to rest on.
A relatively dry fall. Total precipitation in October at 2.7″ and around 1″ in September.
Support the trails! Day and season pass purchases help us offset costs to maintain the trails. Thanks everyone for the support.
Mulari lake near Twin Lakes ski trail covered in ice, November 12th, 2025.Northern lites over the cabooses, November 11th, 2025.Beaver Super Moon over the switchyard, November 2nd, 2025. Saturday hikers! November 1st, 2025.Fall grooming on Bullhead Lake trail, October 31st, 2025.Mossy maple! October 31st, 2025.Fall grooming on Mother Hen, October 29th, 2025.Incredible sunset over Bullhead Lake on the mountain bike track, October 28th, 2025.A great day of fall grooming on the northern trails, Roy’s Run, North Loup and the extension loops of Skaters Waltz, October 27th, 2025. Ready for snow but will continue with touch up as needed. Fall grooming on Island Lake trail, October 25th, 2025.Power of nature on display along Island Lake trail, October 25th, 2025.Tamarac seedlings in between Twin Lakes, October 24th, 2025. Great to see them regenerate and emerge here. Both Island Lake and Twin Lake trails pass through here. Frosty foliage! October 24th, 2025.First ice of the season, October 24th, 2025.
Assessing the mess on Island Lake trail, October 21st, 2025.
Thanks Steve for the help today! Fall grooming in the “back bowl” sledding area, October 15th, 2025.Fall grooming on Wavy Gravy trail, October 14th, 2025. Still pockets of Autumn scenery in the woods.“Mac’s Mess” at Wavy Gravy trail, October 14th, 2025.Autumn scene at “Mac’s Mess”, October 14th, 2025. Leaf clearing after tree clearing on North Loup, October 9th, 2025.North Loup, October 9th, 2025.Fall grooming on Skaters extension, October 7th, 2025.Thanks Laurens and Jack for helping clear trail today! October 7th, 2025.Clearing deadfall on Bullhead Bootleg ski trail, October 7th, 2025.Clearing leaves on Sap Run, October 7th, 2025.Monday’s trail crew! October 6th, 2025.Fall grooming on Roy’s Run, October 6th, 2025.Thick grass on Skaters Waltz extension, October 6th, 2025.Super moon over Bullhead Lake, October 6th, 2025.Members for the Moorhead Nordic ski team ready to hit the trails for deadfall/blowdown clearing, October 4th, 2025. Thanks very much!!Clearing blocks! October 4th, 2025.Fall grooming on Wavy Gravy trail, October 3rd, 2025.Tamarac trees showing a tinge of change, September 30th, 2025. The only pine tree to change color and lose its needles. Typically full color around Maplelag mid October. Fall grooming on Mother North Star trail, September 29th, 2025.Clearing deadfall from the Soltice storm on Bullhead Lake trail, September 27th, 2025.Saturday trail crew! Thanks for the help guys, September 27th, 2025.Mowing on Eira Bikwadinna hill after tree clearing, September 27th, 2025.Maplelag driveway, September 26th, 2025.Fall grooming, September 26th, 2025.Fall grooming on Twin Lakes, September 25th, 2025.Late afternoon fall scene at south Twin Lake, September 24th, 2025.Autumn scene around Norwegian Log cabin, September 24th, 2025.Mountain bike singletrack, September 24th, 2025.Autumn scene at Bullhead Lake, September 22nd, 2025.Fall color in the Switchyard, September 22nd, 2025.Fall color on the Maplelag driveway, September 21st, 2025.Autumn scene at Maplelag, September 21st, 2025.Autumn scene on the Maplelag driveway, September 20th, 2025.Calm Autumn scene on Little Sugarbush lake next to Maplelag, September 20th, 2025.Sun breaking through after a cloudy/drizzly day, September 18th, 2025.Fall color, September 18th, 2025.Fall grooming on Mother North Star ski trail, September 18th, 2025.Mountain bike trail, September 18th, 2025.Fresh batch of “chicken in the woods” mushroom, September 18th, 2025.Fall grooming on Sukkerbusk, September 18th, 2025.Coral tooth mushroom along the side of the trail, September 18th, 2025.Fall color scene on Little Sugarbush, September 17th, 2025. Beautiful evening for the local mtb team practice, September 16th, 2025. Some trees are hitting their peak of color already.
The mountain bike trails are now closed for the season.
We will open the trails again for the winter season around Thanksgiving, weather permitting. We need frozen ground or consistent cold weather as this time of year at Maplelag, if it freezes at night and warms during the day, the track will be greasy. With that said…think cold and snow!
The mountain bike trails are now closed for the season. Great to see everyone out this weekend getting in one more ride. Thanks everyone that supported the trails this year making it another awesome year! We will open the trails again for the winter season around Thanksgiving, weather permitting. We need frozen ground or consistent cold weather as this time of year at Maplelag, if it freezes at night and warms during the day, the track will be greasy. With that said…think cold and snow!
A beautiful first weekend in November. Dry weather and nice conditions for being on the trails. Great seeing everyone out hiking and biking on the mountain bike course! The trails are now closed for the MN Firearm season and will reopen again Thanksgiving week, weather permitting. We need consistent cold weather and frozen ground otherwise typically if it freezes at night and warms up during the day, the surface will be greasy. With that said….think cold and snow!
We are picking up signage from the bike course this week and touching up a few inner trails, clearing leaves and deadfall. Overall the trails are looking good and in great shape for winter. We have cleared over 600 trees since the Solstice 2025 storm. Big thanks to everyone that has helped!
After a relatively dry Fall, recent rain has been welcomed to have the topsoil damp before we freeze down for the year. This allows the snow to have a better “bed” to rest on.
A relatively dry fall. Total precipitation in October at 2.7″ and around 1″ in September.
Support the trails! Day and season pass purchases help us offset costs to maintain the trails. Thanks everyone for the support.
Beaver Super Moon over the switchyard, November 2nd, 2025. Saturday hikers! November 1st, 2025.Fall grooming on Bullhead Lake trail, October 31st, 2025.Mossy maple! October 31st, 2025.Fall grooming on Mother Hen, October 29th, 2025.Incredible sunset over Bullhead Lake on the mountain bike track, October 28th, 2025.A great day of fall grooming on the northern trails, Roy’s Run, North Loup and the extension loops of Skaters Waltz, October 27th, 2025. Ready for snow but will continue with touch up as needed. Fall grooming on Island Lake trail, October 25th, 2025.Power of nature on display along Island Lake trail, October 25th, 2025.Tamarac seedlings in between Twin Lakes, October 24th, 2025. Great to see them regenerate and emerge here. Both Island Lake and Twin Lake trails pass through here. Frosty foliage! October 24th, 2025.First ice of the season, October 24th, 2025.
Assessing the mess on Island Lake trail, October 21st, 2025.
Thanks Steve for the help today! Fall grooming in the “back bowl” sledding area, October 15th, 2025.Fall grooming on Wavy Gravy trail, October 14th, 2025. Still pockets of Autumn scenery in the woods.“Mac’s Mess” at Wavy Gravy trail, October 14th, 2025.Autumn scene at “Mac’s Mess”, October 14th, 2025. Leaf clearing after tree clearing on North Loup, October 9th, 2025.North Loup, October 9th, 2025.Fall grooming on Skaters extension, October 7th, 2025.Thanks Laurens and Jack for helping clear trail today! October 7th, 2025.Clearing deadfall on Bullhead Bootleg ski trail, October 7th, 2025.Clearing leaves on Sap Run, October 7th, 2025.Monday’s trail crew! October 6th, 2025.Fall grooming on Roy’s Run, October 6th, 2025.Thick grass on Skaters Waltz extension, October 6th, 2025.Super moon over Bullhead Lake, October 6th, 2025.Members for the Moorhead Nordic ski team ready to hit the trails for deadfall/blowdown clearing, October 4th, 2025. Thanks very much!!Clearing blocks! October 4th, 2025.Fall grooming on Wavy Gravy trail, October 3rd, 2025.Tamarac trees showing a tinge of change, September 30th, 2025. The only pine tree to change color and lose its needles. Typically full color around Maplelag mid October. Fall grooming on Mother North Star trail, September 29th, 2025.Clearing deadfall from the Soltice storm on Bullhead Lake trail, September 27th, 2025.Saturday trail crew! Thanks for the help guys, September 27th, 2025.Mowing on Eira Bikwadinna hill after tree clearing, September 27th, 2025.Maplelag driveway, September 26th, 2025.Fall grooming, September 26th, 2025.Fall grooming on Twin Lakes, September 25th, 2025.Late afternoon fall scene at south Twin Lake, September 24th, 2025.Autumn scene around Norwegian Log cabin, September 24th, 2025.Mountain bike singletrack, September 24th, 2025.Autumn scene at Bullhead Lake, September 22nd, 2025.Fall color in the Switchyard, September 22nd, 2025.Fall color on the Maplelag driveway, September 21st, 2025.Autumn scene at Maplelag, September 21st, 2025.Autumn scene on the Maplelag driveway, September 20th, 2025.Calm Autumn scene on Little Sugarbush lake next to Maplelag, September 20th, 2025.Sun breaking through after a cloudy/drizzly day, September 18th, 2025.Fall color, September 18th, 2025.Fall grooming on Mother North Star ski trail, September 18th, 2025.Mountain bike trail, September 18th, 2025.Fresh batch of “chicken in the woods” mushroom, September 18th, 2025.Fall grooming on Sukkerbusk, September 18th, 2025.Coral tooth mushroom along the side of the trail, September 18th, 2025.Fall color scene on Little Sugarbush, September 17th, 2025. Beautiful evening for the local mtb team practice, September 16th, 2025. Some trees are hitting their peak of color already.
Trails are open. A great last day of the dirt season on tap…. trails close at dusk on today. Close for three weeks until deer hunting is over and open again for winter season around Thanksgiving.
The entire 25 mile LagChilada course has been blown out the past 10 days. A few leaves blowing in after blowing last week but trail cleared this week, mostly on inner trails, is in primo condition. Overall all nice Fall riding as most of the leaves have dropped from the trees. With fresh blown trail, great sight lines etc. we are in the “sweet spot” of Fall riding.
Be aware trees may fall without warning and assume full responsibility while riding.
The LagChilada challenge is riding all the trails at Maplelag. (25 mile ride) Click here for more details. Look for signs at key intersection or Click here for the Strava map which can be downloaded. Nice job to everyone completing the challenge this year including the riders doing a double and a TRIPLE!!
Maps: Trailforks and click on Maplelag map for reference of the trails. The Maplelag trails are described as classic or old style. Featuring more narrow singletrack with roots and rocks and generally more technical in nature. A good beginner loop is the Citizen Loop and a good intermediate loop is the Sport loop.
Maplelag is a family owned and operated business. We are one of the few MTB trail systems in the Midwest that maintain the trails ourselves with no outside funding or assistance and pay property taxes that in turn help support other trails locally and in the state! Please consider a trail pass to offset some of our expenses. We love to mountain bike and share the trail with others…what it is all about! Thank you.
Primo conditions on Bear Pass singletrack, November 1st, 2025.
A Family Owned and Operated Destination Cross-Country Ski Center
