Snowmobile collision near Orr kills 57-year-old man on Arrowhead Trail

St. Louis County deputies were called to the Arrowhead Snowmobile Trail about 12:26 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, after two snowmobiles collided about 1 mile north of Sheep Ranch Road in Unorganized Township 67-20, north of Orr. One rider, a 57-year-old man from the south metro, died at the scene. His name was being withheld while family members were notified.

The crash happened on a stretch of trail that draws riders into the woods north of Orr, where travel is more isolated than on city streets and where a mistake can become fatal in seconds. WDIO reported that the two machines were traveling in opposite directions when they hit. That detail will put speed, visibility and the condition of the trail squarely in the center of the investigation as deputies and trail officials work to determine how the collision unfolded.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has repeatedly warned snowmobile riders to check weather and trail conditions before leaving home and to stay off the trail when conditions deteriorate. The agency says alcohol is a factor in more than 60% of fatal snowmobile accidents in Minnesota, and it says riders should not drink and ride. The DNR also says snowmobile safety certification is required for anyone born after 1976 and is recommended for all riders.

The Arrowhead corridor is part of a much larger winter trail system that depends on local clubs, landowners and public agencies. The DNR says its grant-in-aid program helps support the majority of Minnesota’s 22,000 miles of snowmobile trails. That network brings riders and money into northern Minnesota, but it also places a heavy safety burden on people using narrow trails where two machines can meet head-on with little warning.

The Orr area has seen more than one deadly snowmobile crash this winter. On March 5, 2026, another fatal collision on the Arrowhead Trail north of Orr killed a 29-year-old man from North Branch after he became separated from his group. With two deaths on the same corridor in a short period, the trail has become a clear focus for safety enforcement, rider discipline and renewed caution across St. Louis County.