Bait Hole Loop
- 1.9 mi
- round trip
- 382 ft
- climb
- 535 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May, Aug–Oct
- best months
Bait Hole Loop is a cross-country ski route in northern Maine, about 2 miles from the town of Norcross. It's an easy outing, with a total round-trip length of about 3.8 miles and a total elevation gain of about 24 feet. The route is an out-and-back, and the steepest stretch comes at about 1.2 miles in, with a grade of about 9%. Winter is the natural season for skiing here. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Millinocket show January highs around 24°F with lows near 5°F, while April brings highs around 50°F. The station sits a few hundred feet below the loop, so temperatures on the route may run a little cooler. The Bait Hole Loop Ski Trail and Bait Hole Trail both lie about 0.4 miles away, and the Center Trail is about half a mile off for hikers. Paddlers can head to the West Branch Penobscot River, about 2.7 miles away.
Best time to go · May, Aug–Oct
Best time to visit Bait Hole Loop
Best months: May and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
24° / 5°
10 wet
Feb
26° / 6°
9 wet
Mar
36° / 16°
10 wet
Apr
50° / 30°
10 wet
May
64° / 41°
12 wet
Jun
74° / 51°
13 wet
Jul
78° / 57°
13 wet
Aug
78° / 56°
11 wet
Sep
70° / 48°
11 wet
Oct
55° / 37°
12 wet
Nov
43° / 27°
11 wet
Dec
31° / 15°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Millinocket, ME, 3 mi away at 360 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
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Bait Hole Trail
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0.36-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 57 feet of elevation gain.
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A East Trail
~5 min drive
0.89-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 208 ft of elevation gain.
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Black Cat Peak
~9 min drive
2.62-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 534 ft of elevation gain.
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Center Trail
Next door
0.12-mile out-and-back cross-country ski trail in Maine.
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K Trail
~5 min drive
K Trail is a 0.37-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 172 feet of elevation gain.
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Center Trail
Next door
Center Trail is a 0.38-mile out-and-back in Maine with 31 ft of elevation gain.
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A West Trail
~5 min drive
2.37-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 279 ft of elevation gain.
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No Wind Way
~1 min drive
0.28-mile out-and-back ski route in Maine with 18 ft of elevation gain.
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A East Trail
~6 min drive
0.32-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 44 ft of elevation gain.
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North Twin Dam Loop
~1 min drive
0.87-mile out-and-back out-and-back at North Twin Dam in Maine with 192 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
