Kanabec County: Cross-Country Skiing, the Snake River and History

The first Vasaloppet cross-country ski race was held in 1973 on a field in northern Kanabec County. Alongside this historic connection, groomed trails, paddling opportunities on the Snake River, cycling events and regional history are among the themes you can shape your trip around.

Cross-Country Skiing and Vasaloppet

The Vasaloppet Nordic Center has more than 13 kilometers of groomed ski trails. Together with the race’s historic beginnings, cross-country skiing is a distinctive focus of the destination: one aspect is the history of the first race, and the other is the specifically stated trail length. If you are especially interested in this sporting history, the Kanabec History Center also offers another way to explore regional history.

Paddling on the Snake River

The Snake River State Water Trail offers an 84-mile paddling route from the McGrath area to its confluence with the St. Croix River State Water Trail. This describes a route with named starting and ending points. For planning purposes, you can distinguish it from the shorter Snake River Canoe Race: the race is a 15-mile paddling event that starts north of Mora.

For the Snake River Canoe Race, nine aluminum canoes are available to rent for $60; paddles and life jackets are included in the price. The race provides free buses for participants as well as canoe trailers to transport the canoes to the starting point. Rental availability and terms may change. Dates, registration and transportation arrangements may also vary for future events, so check these details when planning to participate.

Cycling Routes of Different Lengths

The Mora Bike Tour offers 25- and 50-mile rides through Kanabec County. The Mora Kids Bike Tour follows the Mora city bike path and covers approximately 4.5 miles in total. Both details help distinguish the offerings by their stated route lengths and geographical scope: the Bike Tour runs through the county, while the Kids Bike Tour takes place on the Mora city bike path. The approximate distance for the shorter route remains an estimate.

Woodland Scenery and Access

The Snake River State Forest is in the northeastern part of Kanabec County and is mostly undeveloped. The best access is via the Snake River State Water Trail, as well as hunting and hiking trails. This information gives you an idea of both the forest’s location and the named access routes. For trip planning, the focus here is a landscape whose character differs clearly from the specified cycling route distances and Vasaloppet’s historical focus.

History and Archives

The Kanabec History Center preserves and shares the history of Kanabec County through three-dimensional objects, records, newspapers, vital records and photographs. Its archive offers access to Kanabec County newspapers, vital records, plat maps, photographs and other historical materials. The two areas complement each other: the Center focuses on the county’s history, while the archive provides access to specific historical documents. If you want to conduct targeted research in the archive, ask about visitor procedures in advance.

Discover more destinations: Mora, Waseca County, Steele County, Roseau, Cottonwood County, St. Louis, Lake County, Todd County.

For the main travel overview: Minnesota.