Ben's Incline
- 0.8 mi
- round trip
- 484 ft
- climb
- 911 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Sep
- best months
Ben's Incline is a cross-country ski route in northern Maine, about 0.4 miles from the community of Fort Kent Mills. It is a short out-and-back with a total climb of 484 feet, rising from about 710 feet to 911 feet, and the steepest stretch comes within the first 0.17 miles at a 16% grade. The route is rated hard, and the round trip covers about 1.6 miles. Winter is the natural season for this ski route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Fort Kent show January highs around 19°F with lows near -3°F, while March runs a bit milder at highs around 33°F. That station sits about 300 feet lower than the high point on the incline, so temperatures up top run cooler. Several other cross-country ski routes start within a short distance, including Piste du Voyageur, Can-Am Trail and Penalty Loop, each about 0.1 mile away. For a change of pace, the Crocker Beach Trail hike lies about 1.1 miles off.
Best time to go · Sep
Best time to visit Ben's Incline
Best months: September. 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
19° / -3°
13 wet
Feb
23° / -3°
11 wet
Mar
33° / 9°
11 wet
Apr
46° / 25°
11 wet
May
61° / 37°
14 wet
Jun
71° / 47°
14 wet
Jul
76° / 54°
15 wet
Aug
75° / 51°
13 wet
Sep
66° / 43°
12 wet
Oct
52° / 32°
14 wet
Nov
38° / 22°
13 wet
Dec
26° / 8°
14 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Ft Kent, ME, 1 mi away at 610 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SEE
Lonesome Pine Trails
Next door
Lonesome Pine Trails in Maine has 2 lifts and 12 runs with 1 easy, 7 intermediate, and 4 advanced options.
SKI
Can-Am Trail
Next door
0.35-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 78 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Penalty Loop
Next door
Penalty Loop is a 0.11-mile loop in Maine with 1 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Piste du Voyageur
Next door
0.24-mile out-and-back ski trail in Maine with 38 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Scream Hill
~24 min drive
0.12-mile out-and-back route at Scream Hill in Maine with 78 feet of elevation gain.
SEE
Quoggy Jo Ski Center
~1h 21m drive
Quoggy Jo Ski Center is a small ski area in Maine with 1 T-bar lift.
SKI
Can-Am Trail
Next door
0.14-mile out-and-back cross-country ski trail in Maine.
SKI
Waska Loop
Next door
0.78-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Maine with 160 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Piste du Voyageur
Next door
0.12-mile out-and-back ski trail in Maine with 13 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Deprey Loop
~25 min drive
0.59-mile loop in Maine with 169 ft elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
