About Goodridge Trailblazers
Goodridge Trailblazers is a volunteer snowmobile club in Goodridge, Minnesota, in Pennington County in the northwestern part of the state. The club grooms and maintains roughly 122 miles of trail across the Wapiti, 4-G North and 4-G River Road systems, and it co-hosts the Goodridge Grygla I-500, the legendary 500 mile cross country race held every February. It is a member club of the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association.
One Hundred and Twenty Two Miles of Trail
The club manages three named trail systems: Wapiti, 4-G North and 4-G River Road, totalling about 122 miles.
Grooming is funded through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, with Pennington County acting as the legal sponsor for the club’s annual funding application. That arrangement, renewed each year ahead of the grooming season, is what keeps a trail network this size open in a county of fewer than 14,000 people.
The trails run through the ditches, fields, woods and river bottoms typical of the Red River Valley’s eastern edge, and they connect into the broader northwestern Minnesota network. Thief River Falls is the nearest larger town, with its own club maintaining trails that tie into the area.
Hosting the I-500
The club’s biggest undertaking is one it shares. Together with the Fourtown Grygla Snowmobile Club, Goodridge Trailblazers presents the Goodridge Grygla I-500, the modern form of the cross country I-500 first run in 1966.
The race covers 500 miles over two days, roughly 250 miles per day, across a mixture of ditch, lake and woods terrain, with many classes running. It is Round 4 of the Cor PowerSports Race Series, and the 2027 edition is set for February 13 and 14.
That event does not happen without the clubs. Course marking, fuel stops, driver check in, meetings and the hundreds of volunteer hours behind a 500 mile course all come from club members and the surrounding community. The race survives in large part because these two clubs keep taking it on.
Driver check in and race meetings are held at the Goodridge Lions Hall.
A Social Club as Well as a Trail Club
The Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association lists Goodridge Trailblazers as both a social club and a trail grooming club, and both halves matter.
The club meets on the first Thursday of the month at 8:00 in the evening. Meetings are where trail work gets organized, race planning happens and new members get introduced to how the operation runs.
Membership supports grooming, signage and landowner relations, and it is the most direct way for a rider in the area to keep these trails open. New members are welcome.
Riding in Northwestern Minnesota
Snowmobiling in Minnesota requires current registration and, for most riders, a state trail pass. The DNR publishes the rules, and the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association is the statewide voice for the sport.
Trail conditions here depend on snow depth and on frost in the ditches, and the season typically runs from midwinter into March. Check with the club or the DNR before making a long drive.
Getting There
Goodridge is in Pennington County in northwestern Minnesota, about 20 miles east of Thief River Falls on Highway 1. Grand Forks is roughly an hour and a half west.
The club can be reached at or by phone at 218-686-0713.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many miles of trail does the club maintain?
About 122 miles across the Wapiti, 4-G North and 4-G River Road trail systems.
Who funds the grooming?
The Minnesota DNR, through an annual application sponsored by Pennington County on the club’s behalf.
What is the Goodridge Grygla I-500?
A 500 mile cross country snowmobile race held over two days each February, co-hosted by Goodridge Trailblazers and the Fourtown Grygla Snowmobile Club. It descends from the original I-500, first run in 1966.
When does the club meet?
The first Thursday of each month at 8:00 PM.
Is the club part of a state organization?
Yes. It is a member club of the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association.
How do I join or get in touch?
Where is Goodridge Trailblazers based?
Goodridge, Minnesota 56725, in Pennington County about 20 miles east of Thief River Falls.
More information on Goodridge Trailblazers; Click here https://www.facebook.com/GoodridgeGrygla500/
For snowmobile venues click here: https://www.gopherpowersports.com/category/snowmobile/