Banadad Trail Clearing

If you haven’t cross-country skiied on the Banadad Ski Trail then add it to your Bucket List. It’s a beautiful trail that meanders through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. I’ve skiied it a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed the overnight stay in the Yurt.  Here’s some Banadad Trail news from Boundary Country Trekking.

Getting the Banadad Ski Trail Ready for winter
 
This past weekend trail activist and former BTA board member Karla Miller lead a group of four volunteers to work on the Banadad Ski Trail. The group came equipped with a Tracked ASV (see on Left) with a brushhog and a hand held brush saw. Over the weekend they mowed and brushed the  Lace Lake, Tall Pines, Knopp trails and one and one-half miles of the Banadad, outside the BWCA.   The ASV did the mowing while the others in the crew manned the brushsaw and nippers. Those working with hand tools cleared through the swamps where the ASV could not go. As result of their work 7.5 miles was cleared, mowed and is now ready for winter.
 
Additional Maintenance News – Beginning September 30 a crew from the Minnesota Conservation Corp will be widening a one mile section on the west end of the Banadad just west of the mid trail junction.  They will be staying at the Croft Yurt Camp. This crew is sent to us by the USFS – Gunflint Ranger District.
 
Then on Saturday, October 28 the Banadad Trail Association’s annual volunteer trail work day will be held. If you are interested in joining the work crew meet at 9:00 am, Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, 11 Poplar Creek Drive. All are invited.
 
Banadad Trails Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner
 
You are invited to the Banadad Trail Association’s Annual Meeting and Pot Luck Dinner held after the work day. This event will take place at the new Community Center located at Gunflint Fire Hall 1 (Gunflint Trail just east of the Lima Grade Road). We urge you attend this fun event.
 
For overnight reservation and/or more information on both the trail work day and Annual Meeting/Pot Luck Dinner call 218-388-4487.
 
Ski the Banadad
 
The Banadad is a single tracked intimate groomed trail winding though a remote section of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).  While it is thirty one kilometers long, it is a relatively easy trail with very few large hills. But you need not ski the whole trail in one day. Overnight accommodations are available midway along the trail at the Croft Yurt Camp. On the east end of the Banadad lodging is available at the Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Little Ollie Cabin and the Tall Pine Yurt. Skiing further on down the east end trails connects you with the Central Gunflint Nordic Trails. The trail’s western end connects to the Upper Gunflint Nordic Trails. Between the Banadad, Central and Upper Gunflint Nordic Trails there is over 180 Kilometers on interconnected groomed Trails.
 
For the more adventuresome skiers we offer ski-in lodge at the B&B and cabin. Also available is Lodge to Lodge and/or Yurt Skiing