Fall 2004 Issue
THE 10 BEST Incomparable Snowmobile Adventures
THE TOMAHAWK TRAIL 1 OF 10 PLACES YOU GOTTA RIDE!

Riding Deep in the Minnesota Arrowhead

Getting way out there is not on everybody's list of great ways to enjoy snowmobiling. Some, maybe most, prefer a cruise of an hour or two, well punctuated by trail signs, pit stops and other reassuring signs of civilization.

For the few who see a sled as their magic carpet to another place and time, there's the Tomahawk Trail in Minnesota's Arrowhead region. Woven by time, travail and timber through some of mid- America's deepest, least civilized and most remote country, the Tomahawk links the incredible scenery of the 154-mile Lake Superior North Shore Trail with one of Minnesota's best developed trail hubs at Ely, Minnesota, a town Charles Kuralt called one of the most authentic northern experiences in America.

The 65-mile Tomahawk, veering off to the west from a junction on the North Shore Trail a few miles north of the tiny hamlet of Finland, is a vision of remoteness with few roads to cross, no towns, few cabins and only one or two gas pumps along its length to offer succor to the unprepared.

Typically accessed from the North Shore Trail, the Tomahawk starts off zigzagging through the rugged highlands that stand in a miles-thick row along the shore of the big lake. Then, crossing the ridgeline, the trail begins a slow glide down into ancient rocky river canyons full of shadows and portent.

Mostly Superior National Forest land, here you can count on seeing trees growing so tight together the native American name for the area - "Land of No-Place-Between" - makes perfect sense. You'll see boulders so big the deepest of winter snows can't cover them, and rushing rivers so wild no sub-zero cold can still them. The bridge crossing on the Kawishiwi River signals the ride is near an end and soon the lights of Ely will come into view.

If you have the saddlebags and the days to spend, Tomahawk spur trails are standing by to provide still more thrills. A little local checking around Ely will reveal the details for the Bear Island cut-off, the Stoney Spur and the Yukon Trail, all great backwoods trails associated with the Tomahawk on one end or the other. This is a ride perfect for the serious saddle bagger. Bring the compasses and friends who like their saddle time. You'll log some memories with a real glow to them on this still relatively little-known route through Minnesota's deepest.

1-800-777-7281; www.ely.org