George Washington Pines Winter Recreation Trail

George Washington Pines Winter Recreation Trail is a relatively short 3.3 km trail located fairly close to Grand Marais, only 6 miles up the Gunflint Trail.  It passes through a beautiful grove of pines, the George Washington Memorial Pine Plantation.  The plantation was established when 13 boys from the Grand Marais Boy Scout Troop #67 planted 32 acres of land with 14,570 Norway Pine and 7,500 White Pine in 1932 after a 1927 fire. In the summer of 2010, some of the understory was cleared to reduce hazardous fuels and create a better wildfire situation.

The trail is shared between cross country skiers, snowshoers, and people using dogs for skijoring.  People also might be simply hiking or walking their dog on the trail.  Please respect other users by not fouling groomed ski tracks and by alerting dog users of your presence so as not to spook dogs by rapidly passing them on skis.  Encourage your dog to use off trail areas for potty stops, but if the trail is used, pick up any dog droppings, and try to repair tracks melted out by dog piles.

This is an easy trail, suitable for beginning skiers or for people looking for an easy access quick ski close to town.  For a map of the trail, click here.

 

A map of the George Washington Pines Winter Recreation Trail.

At a Glance

Current Conditions: Visit the Visit Cook County website for current conditions on the George Washington Pines Trail.
Fees: See permit section below.
Permit Info: These trails are maintained and groomed by the US Forest Service and do not require the Great Minnesota Ski Pass.
Information Center: Gunflint Ranger District Email | Call | Address | Webpage

Activities

Mushing/Skijoring

While traditional dogsleds do not work well on the short George Washington Pines Trail, it is open for skijoring where a harnessed dog pulls a person on cross country skis.  

Help to make the mix of activities on this trail work together.  If you are skijoring, please remove all dog droppings from the trail and repair holes melted in the trail from dog leavings.  If you are skiing, alert skijorers to your presence to avoid spooking dogs.  Regardless of what you are participating in, if you find dog leavings or other litter left by careless other people, do your part and clean it up.

XC Skiing/Snowshoeing

Both skiers and snowshoers are welcome on the George Washington Pines Trail.  The trail is groomed for classic skiing on one side and snowshoeing or skate skiing on the other.  Please respect other users by not snowshoeing on groomed ski tracks.