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Aitkin County preps ATV trails for season with new grader, targets May 15 opening
Summary
Aitkin County recreation staff said new grading equipment and adjusted maintenance schedules aim to reduce bumps on the Soo Line and other trails; county staff named May 15 as the target opening window for off‑road vehicle (ORV) trails, weather permitting.
Chris Johnson, recreation specialist with the Aitkin County land department, said the county is rolling into a busy ATV season and expects to open most off‑road vehicle trails around May 15, weather permitting.
Johnson described why the Soo Line trail (built on an old railroad bed) often develops a washboard surface and said the county replaced aging equipment and has adjusted grading frequency to firm the tread. "We finally got to update that so now we got a 2014 our grader ... it's going to be our plan to do like a twoe frequency on both of them," Johnson said, adding the change should make sections "like riding a black top road."
He advised that groomable thresholds are limited: when non‑groomable snow is roughly 2 inches or less, staff can continue operations; otherwise openings depend on soil dryness. "May 15th is going to be our opening window for the rest of the ORV trails," Johnson said, while noting wet years can delay access.
The county manages about 72 miles of Soo Line corridor inside Aitkin County and has been applying class‑5 aggregate to key segments to improve stability when funding allows. Johnson said the goal is to reduce maintenance‑intensive alignments and focus routes on higher, drier soils to lengthen intervals between repairs.
The interview closed with Johnson urging riders to watch the county’s updates for final opening dates and safety guidance.
