Last updated: October 28, 2021
Thing to Do
Ski the Echo Bay Trail

Located, just off County Road 122 on County Road 332, the Echo Bay Ski Trail provides a winter ski experience around a frozen wetlands area.
Wetlands such as Echo Bay are a crucial component to the park. In the past, wetlands were places to be avoided or drained and filled for other uses. Today, we know wetlands serve a variety of important functions. They provide critical habitats for fish and wildlife, purify waters, mitigate the power of floods and storms, and provide recreational opportunities like hiking, skiing, and birdwatching.
Three ski loops are tracked in winter when conditions allow. The loops wander through mixed evergreen and deciduous forest and overlook wetlands created by beaver activity adjacent to Lake Kabetogama. The first loop provides gradual downhill segments with a moderately steep uphill climb near the trail’s end. The second and third loops provide slightly more challenging terrain as they move further from the wetlands into rockier terrain. At the signed scenic overlook, not ski accessible, or along the trail northeast of the pond, pause to look for the remains of a great blue heron rookery atop a ghost forest of dead ash trees. This once-active rookery reminds us landscapes are ever-changing, wildlife come and go, beavers create new wetlands, and old wetlands disappear over time. Preserved areas like the Echo Bay Trail, allow us to observe the natural fluctuation of nature.
Skis may be borrowed from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center during operating hours.
Read the latest Winter Ice and Trail Conditions Report (posted weekly during the winter months) for the most updated park ice and trail conditions.
Wetlands such as Echo Bay are a crucial component to the park. In the past, wetlands were places to be avoided or drained and filled for other uses. Today, we know wetlands serve a variety of important functions. They provide critical habitats for fish and wildlife, purify waters, mitigate the power of floods and storms, and provide recreational opportunities like hiking, skiing, and birdwatching.
Three ski loops are tracked in winter when conditions allow. The loops wander through mixed evergreen and deciduous forest and overlook wetlands created by beaver activity adjacent to Lake Kabetogama. The first loop provides gradual downhill segments with a moderately steep uphill climb near the trail’s end. The second and third loops provide slightly more challenging terrain as they move further from the wetlands into rockier terrain. At the signed scenic overlook, not ski accessible, or along the trail northeast of the pond, pause to look for the remains of a great blue heron rookery atop a ghost forest of dead ash trees. This once-active rookery reminds us landscapes are ever-changing, wildlife come and go, beavers create new wetlands, and old wetlands disappear over time. Preserved areas like the Echo Bay Trail, allow us to observe the natural fluctuation of nature.
Skis may be borrowed from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center during operating hours.
Read the latest Winter Ice and Trail Conditions Report (posted weekly during the winter months) for the most updated park ice and trail conditions.
Details
Activity
Cross-Country Skiing
Pets Allowed
No
Activity Fee
No
Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.
Location
Near the Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center area. Located just off County Road 122 on County Road 332.
Reservations
No
Season
Winter
Accessibility Information
The Echo Bay Ski Trail is groomed for cross country skiing in the winter.