Snow Trails of Greater St. Cloud

Snow Trails & Winter Getaways in Greater St. Cloud

When winter settles over Central Minnesota, there’s no need to hibernate. Just 60 minutes from the Twin Cities, St. Cloud and Waite Park transform into an outdoor winter playground framed by snow-dusted oaks, frozen granite quarries, and scenic riverbanks.

Whether you’re gliding down groomed Nordic tracks under night lights, snowshoeing through quiet woods, or warming up with a craft beer and a live stage performance downtown, here is your ultimate guide to embracing winter in Granite Country USA.

Après-Trail

After a crisp afternoon on the snow, transition from trail to town in minutes. 

  • Craft Brews & Cozy Taprooms: Warm your hands around a fresh, local pour. Head downtown to sample microbrews at Beaver Island Brewing Co. or cross over to Pantown Brewing Company on the west side for local taps in a cozy neighborhood setting. Looking for a bite with your pint? Grab a Juicy Lucy and explore rotating taps at Crooked Pint Ale House in Waite Park. Check out our full St. Cloud Brewcation Guide to map out your post-trail brewery tour!

  • Downtown & Local Dining: Treat yourself to a hot, satisfying meal. Downtown St. Cloud is packed with scratch-made comfort food—enjoy elevated pub fare at The White Horse, scratch-made pizzas and flatbreads at Jules’ Bistro, or authentic Irish dishes at Olde Brick House. Looking for a great burger? 7 West Taphouse and The Pickled Loon serve up local favorites right in the heart of the city. Explore more options in our complete Greater St. Cloud Dining Directory.

  • Center Stage Entertainment: Cap off your winter adventure with a night out on the town. Catch a live Broadway-style musical, concert, or gallery show at the historic Paramount Center for the Arts, or take in performances at Pioneer Place Theatre and the Ritsche Auditorium on the SCSU campus. Browse what’s playing during your trip on the Visit Greater St. Cloud Events Calendar.

For updates on the Stearns County trails and grooming, view the trail conditions: https://www.stearnscountymn.gov/418/Winter-Ski-Trails


Trek the trails this winter at these parks that groom their trails for walkers. Please note, based on snowfall not all trails are groomed entirely. Please wear snow gear even on these walking trails.

  • Beaver Island Trail
    • Beaver Island Trail, St Cloud, MN 56301
    • Beaver Island Trail is swept during winter for winter walkers.
    • Trail map can be found here
      • Beaver Islands Route (2.06 miles)
      • Golf Course Loop (2.0 miles)
      • Alternate Route 1 (3.2 miles)
      • Alternate Route 2 (4.3 miles)
    • No passes or permits required
  • Quarry Park & Nature Preserve
    • A crown jewel of Central Minnesota. Explore miles of groomed trails weaving past dramatic, frozen granite quarry reflection pools. Highlight: Quarry Park turns on its trail lights every evening from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, offering a peaceful night-skiing experience under the stars
    • 1802 County Road 137, Waite Park, MN 56387
    • Vehicle Parking Permit Required (annual pass or daily pass payable at park entrance)
    • Check out Quarry Park’s Winter Map to plan your trip
    • 683 acre park with trails for all types of adventurers
  • St. John’s University Arboretum
    • 32011 St John’s Rd, St Joseph, MN 56374
    • The Boardwalk Loop, Logging Loop, the Chapel Trail, and the SE side of the Old Entrance Road are not groomed for skiing and are perfect for walking. View a Trail Map.
    • No passes or permits required

 


  • George Friedrich Park
    • 19th Ave SE, St Cloud, MN 56304
    • The trails are not groomed but can be used for snowshoeing.
    • No passes or permits required
  • Heritage Park
    • 225 33rd Ave So. (Heritage Park on 33rd Ave, next to Costco)
    • The trails are not groomed but can be used for snowshoeing.
    • No passes or permits required
  • Quarry Park – Multi-use trails
    • A crown jewel of Central Minnesota. Explore miles of groomed trails weaving past dramatic, frozen granite quarry reflection pools. Highlight: Quarry Park turns on its trail lights every evening from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, offering a peaceful night-skiing experience under the stars
    • 1802 County Road 137, Waite Park, MN 56387
    • Vehicle Parking Permit Required (annual pass or daily pass payable at park entrance)
    • Check out Quarry Park’s Winter Map to plan your trip
    • 683 acre park with trails for all types of adventurers
  • River Bluffs Regional Park
    • 3828 38th St S, St Cloud, MN 56301
    • The trails are not groomed but can be used for snowshoeing.
    • No passes or permits required
  • Rockville County Park & Nature Preserve
    • 11503 Glacier Road, Rockville, MN 56301
    • Rockville County Park and Nature Preserve contains 294 acres
    • The trails are not groomed but can be used for snowshoeing.
    • Park map can be accessed here. Please follow the walking trails for winter as well.
    • No passes or permits required
  • Spring Hill County Park
    • 31938 Co Rd 14, Melrose (Spring Hill township), MN 56352
    • Spring Hill County Park Map
    • The trails are not groomed but can be used for snowshoeing.
    • No passes or permits required
  • St. John’s University Arboretum
    • 32011 St John’s Rd, St Joseph, MN 56374
    • The Boardwalk Loop, Logging Loop, the Chapel Trail, and the SE side of the Old Entrance Road are not groomed for skiing and are perfect for walking. View a Trail Map.
    • No passes or permits required

 


  • Beaver Island Trail
    • Beaver Island Trail, St Cloud, MN 56301
    • Beaver Island Trail is swept during winter for winter travel.
    • Trail map can be found here
      • Beaver Islands Route (2.06 miles)
      • Golf Course Loop (2.0 miles)
      • Alternate Route 1 (3.2 miles)
      • Alternate Route 2 (4.3 miles)
    • No passes or permits required
  • St. John’s University Arboretum
    • 32011 St John’s Rd, St Joseph, MN 56374
    • The Boardwalk Loop, Logging Loop, the Chapel Trail, and the SE side of the Old Entrance Road are not groomed for skiing and are perfect for walking. View a Trail Map.
    • No passes or permits required

Winter Fat-Tire Biking

Looking for a little speed on the snow? Greater St. Cloud’s singletrack trails stay active all winter long.

  • Jail Trail / North Loop (St. Cloud): Located off 15th Ave SE, this singletrack loop is groomed after significant snowfall for fat-tire biking. Its rolling terrain offers an exciting ride for all skill levels.


Trails found in Greater St. Cloud are usually groomed after there is 4+ inches of snow or when a significant amount of new snow has fallen. After the first snowfall, packing is often done for a base on the trail before grooming takes place.

  • Jail Trail (North Loop)
    • 15th Ave SE, St Cloud, MN 56304
    • It is a good trail for all skill levels
  • John’s University Arboretum
    • 32011 St John’s Rd, St Joseph, MN 56374
    • No passes or permits required
    • All about the Nordic trails and trail conditions can be found here
    • The natural rolling hills make some of the trails challenging but beautiful
    • More than 15K of trails in the Abbey Arboretum are groomed for nordic skiing – for classic, skate or both
  • Mississippi River County Park
    • 41300 Co Rd 1, Rice, MN 56367
    • Excellent trails for beginners and intermediate skiers
    • No vehicle parking permit or passes required
    • Two classic tracks
  • Quarry Park & Nature Preserve
    • A crown jewel of Central Minnesota. Explore miles of groomed trails weaving past dramatic, frozen granite quarry reflection pools. Highlight: Quarry Park turns on its trail lights every evening from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, offering a peaceful night-skiing experience under the stars
    • 1802 County Road 137, Waite Park, MN 56387
    • Easy trails for beginners
    • Ski lights are on from 4pm-10pm
    • Vehicle Parking Permit Required (annual pass or daily pass payable at park entrance)
    • Check out Quarry Park’s Winter Map to plan your trip
    • 683 acre park with trails for all types of adventurers
  • Riverside Park
    • 1725 Kilian Blvd, St. Cloud, MN 56304
    • Flat to rolling hills
    • 1 to 1.5K of man-made snow trail
    • no passes or permits required
  • Warner Lake County Park
    • 143 County Road, Clearwater, MN 55320
    • Trails for beginners and experts. North Loop adds a challenge for expert skiers,
    • Check out Warner Lake County Park’s Winter map for routes.
    • no passes or permits required
    • Two classic tracks

 


Snowmobiling is a great way to see the Minnesota countryside. Most towns allow for snowmobiles outside of the city limits or on these designated trails. Please follow all state guidelines and regulations. Snowmobiling information and interactive maps can be accessed at the DNR website. 

  • Dairyland Trail
    • Parking on the Dairyland Trail is available year-round in Elrosa (the current southern terminus of the trail) at the baseball field parking lot. The trail is on Second Ave near this parking lot.
    • Directions: From I-94, take Exit 135. Head south on Second Ave. E./County Road 13, and drive 4.9 miles. Turn left onto MN 4, and in 2 miles, turn right onto W. Railroad Ave./CR 13. In 6.7 miles turn left onto Main St. then take the first right onto Second Ave., which dead-ends in 0.2 mile at the baseball field parking lot.
    • For more information on this trail, the history, and what you can expect check out Minnesota Trails
  • Lake Wobegon Trail (and connections into Central Lakes Trail)
    • 62 mile long paved rail trail through forests, by lakes and through small town America.
    • Open to snowmobiles without studs, Lake Wobegon Trail allows for snowmobiling on the trail outside of city limits.
    • Jump on this trail at any of the towns below for many miles of snowmobile trails.
    • For rules and regulations visit the Lake Wobegon website
    • Trail Mileage
      • St. Joseph – Avon 9 miles,
      • Avon – Albany 6.9 miles
      • Albany – Freeport 5.3 miles
      • Freeport – Melrose 6 miles
      • Melrose – Sauk Centre 9.5 miles
      • Albany – Holdingford 9.4 miles
  • Mississippi River County Park
    • 41300 Co Rd 1, Rice, MN 56367
    • Snowmobile Trails are located in this park for use.
  • Rockville County Park & Nature Preserve – snowmobile trail access from county park
    • 11503 Glacier Road, Rockville, MN 56301
    • Rockville County Park and Nature Preserve contains 294 acres
    • There is access to a MnDNR snowmobile trail from this park.
    • Park map can be accessed here.
  • Spring Hill County Park
    • Park can be accessed at 31938 Co Rd 14, Melrose (Spring Hill township), MN 56352
    • The park map is found here, Note: this map is the summer trail but can also be a guide used during the winter.
  • Warner Lake County Park– snowmobile trail access from county park

Gear Rentals & Logistics: Don’t Have Gear? No Problem!

You don’t need to pack your trunk full of equipment to enjoy the trails.

  • Fitzharris Ski & Sport (Downtown St. Cloud): Grab rental cross-country skis, boots, poles, and snowshoes right in downtown St. Cloud before heading out to the parks.

  • Park Events: Keep an eye on local community calendars for special winter event nights at Quarry Park, where equipment rentals and hot cocoa are often provided on-site.

Plan Your Winter Escape

Pristine snow, lit trails, craft brews, and live theater—all just an hour from the metro. Pack your winter gear and plan your getaway to Greater St. Cloud today!

 

 

Share the Post:

Related Posts

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors