Trade River Horse Trails

Riding along the Trade River trails

The Trade River Horse Trails (see map) consist of 40 miles of maintained and marked trails that wind through a variety of terrains and different forest types. They're located on the southern half of the Governor Knowles State Forest in northwest Polk and southwest Burnett Counties.

There are two trailheads. One is at the Trade River Campground on Evergreen Avenue, five miles west of Highway 87. The other trailhead is on 340th Street at the Northwest Parking Lot, four miles south of County Highway O. Detailed maps and trail logs are provided at both trailheads.

The forest offers 40 miles of well-maintained horse trails.
Trade River day-use area

The main trail is the Barrens loop (brown signs). For a shorter ride there is the Sunrise Shortcut (green signs), which divides the Barrens loop in half. The Wolf Creek Trail (red signs) loops east from the main trails toward Wolf Creek. The Multiple Use trail (north of the Northwest Parking Lot) takes the rider toward Grantsburg for a distance of 18 miles.

The Trade River Campground (see map) has been used by horseback riders for over 45 years. We are currently upgrading the facilty. Please see the "Camping" page for more information.

The Equestrian Friends of Governor Knowles State Forest maintains an excellent website with maps, photographs, and detailed trail descriptions.

Last Revised: Wednesday May 27 2009