Current Trail Condition Reports
The Grayling area offers miles of exceptionally well-groomed cross country ski trails for the novice to the expert, and ungroomed, pristine trails for snowshoeing or back-country skiing.
Sign up for current trail condition emails at “Mailing lists“, visit “Updates” for skiing or subscribe to the RSS Feed.
Complete Cross Country Ski Shops in the Grayling Area
The Cross Country Ski Shop
Cross Country Ski Headquarters
Forbush Corner
The Grayling area offers six groomed ski areas and miles of ungroomed public lands for cross country skiing, ski joring, snowshoeing, and adventure skiing. Cross Country Ski Headquarters, Forbush Corner, Hanson Hills, Hartwick Pines State Park and Mason Tract Pathway offer over 100 K of well-groomed, scenic beginner to advanced trails.
Winter fun also includes sledding, tubing, downhill skiing and ice skating. Several businesses specialize in ski rentals, clothing and equipment sales and lessons. Numerous special events are held throughout the snow season. For updated snow conditions, sign up for email updates under “mailing lists” in the “contact us” section. 800-937-8837
At the Mason Tract, you must have a “Michigan Recreation Passport”. Those are available to purchase at state parks, when renewing Michigan car registrations or when a state ranger is at the site. If there is no ranger when you arrive, they may put an envelope on your car and request that you purchase one by mail.
UpNorth Trails: Northeast Michigan Trail Systems
Cross Country Skiing Trails in the Grayling Area
| Area Name | Length | Difficulty comments by Dick Fultz of the Cross Country Ski Shop | Terrain | Grooming | Rentals | Trail Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Country Ski Headquarters | 8 loops, 1km to 8 km | novice to advanced | 5% hilly, 40% moderate, 45% flat | track set / skating lane | yes | yes |
| Forbush Corner | 20km+ | novice to advanced "Sets the standard for world-class grooming." | 5% steep, 45%hilly, 35%moderate, 15% flat | track set / skating lane | yes | yes |
| Hanson Hills Recreation Area | loops of 2km to 12km | novice to advanced "one of the nicest trail systems in the state." | 60% hilly, 30% moderate, 10% flat | track set / skating lane | yes | yes |
| Hartwick Pines State Park | 18+ miles | novice to intermediate | 3% steep, 7% hilly, 60% moderate, 30% flat | track set | no | yes |
| Mason Tract Pathway | 10+ miles | novice to intermediate "One of the most beatiful trail systems for skiing. A narrow machine-set single track follows the AuSable river." | 5% Hilly, 85% moderate, 10% flat | none | no | no |
| North Higgins Lake State Park | 10+ miles | novice to intermediate "Great area for skiing - hilly enough to keep it interesting." | 20% hilly, 30% moderate, 50% flat | track set / skating lane | no | no |
| Rayburn's | 2 miles of paved trail | novice "2 mile point to point trail that crosses the AuSable River on a wooden bridge." | 100% flat | none | no | no |
| Wakeley Lake | 16+ miles | novice to intermediate "Crawford County's Walden Pond - it is a sanctuary of nature & quiet." | 25% hilly, 55% moderate, 20% flat | none | no | yes |