Nemadji State Forest

Nemadji State Forest is one of the few places in Minnesota where a state forest has trails built and signed for off-highway motorcycles (OHM). The Minnesota DNR lists about 35 miles of OHM singletrack, plus roughly 65 more miles of multi-use trail shared with ATVs, for a system of around 100 miles. The riding is tight and wooded, with straight stretches mixed in with curves and steep hills, plus swampy sections, rolling uplands, and steep stream valleys. It is a good fit for riders who like technical, enduro-style trail riding rather than open desert speed.

The trails carry the standard Minnesota difficulty signs: green circle, blue square, and black diamond. One trail-system writeup describes the bulk of the mileage as blue square, with only small shares of green and black. The DNR lists the system as running from easiest to more difficult. At the eastern edge, the system connects to about five more miles of riding in Wisconsin's Douglas County Forest. The trails are provided by Pine County and maintained by volunteers from the Straight Arrow Enduro Riders motorcycle club, with help from ATV clubs.

Getting there

The forest sits in southeastern Carlton and northeastern Pine County, along the Wisconsin border, about 25 miles east of I-35 via Minnesota Highway 23 near Nickerson. The DNR says parking and trail access are east of Nickerson off Harlis Road. An OpenStreetMap parking area labeled as Nemadji trail parking sits on that road, and the coordinates on this page point there. Gafvert Campground and Day Use Area, a few miles west, is another common base. The nearest services are at Moose Lake and Duquette (food, gas, restrooms, lodging).

Fees, permits, and rules

Riders need a Minnesota OHM state trail pass. An older article priced it at $21 a year, so check the current price with the DNR. Non-residents also need a pass unless the machine is registered in Minnesota and used fewer than 30 days. The state forest is classed as "limited," which means you should stay on designated, signed trails. Gafvert Campground has vault toilets and water, and a fee was listed for camping there.

When to ride

The normal OHM season runs May 1 to November 2. Trails can stay closed past May 1 if they are still soft after the spring thaw, and they close during the firearms deer season. There are no winter facilities. Always check the DNR's conditional closures page before you load up.