Taconite State Trail OHV Connector

Built on the bones of the old Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway, this 165-mile trail runs the spine of Minnesota’s Iron Range from Grand Rapids to International Falls. The route passes active taconite mines near Keewatin, crosses the Mississippi River at Grand Rapids, and threads through the Superior National Forest. Mile marker 78 near Effie marks the transition from mining country to deep forest, where the grade cuts through black spruce bogs and crosses dozens of beaver ponds on elevated causeways.

Easy going for any ATV or side-by-side, though the crushed limestone surface can get muddy after rain. Open year-round but best from June to September when the bugs calm down and the surface firms up. Minnesota ATV registration required—no exceptions. Stock up on fuel at the trail towns; stretches between Effie and Orr run 40 miles without services. This is history you can drive: witness how the railroads carved up the north woods to feed America’s steel mills.