Heron Loop
- 0.4 mi
- round trip
- 19 ft
- climb
- 161 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Aug–Oct
- best months
Heron Loop is an easy, flat cross-country ski route of about 0.7 miles on the Orono Land Trust in Maine. It is a short, low-effort outing, with almost no elevation gain or loss over its out-and-back course. The highest point on the loop sits at about 161 feet, and the route stays within a few feet of that level throughout. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Old Town show January highs around 27°F with lows near 6°F, and February is much the same at about 31°F by day and 8°F at night. Spring and fall are milder, with September highs around 70°F and April near 52°F. The loop links up with other ski routes close by. Trail No. 6 lies about 0.1 mile away and the Beaver Trail about 0.3 mile. The Smith Farm Trail is roughly 0.4 mile off, and the Kirkland Connector is about a mile away.
Local outfitters
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Aug–Oct
Best time to visit Heron Loop
Best months: 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
27° / 6°
13 wet
Feb
31° / 8°
11 wet
Mar
39° / 19°
12 wet
Apr
52° / 30°
13 wet
May
65° / 41°
14 wet
Jun
73° / 50°
13 wet
Jul
79° / 56°
13 wet
Aug
78° / 53°
11 wet
Sep
70° / 46°
10 wet
Oct
57° / 36°
12 wet
Nov
44° / 27°
12 wet
Dec
34° / 16°
14 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Old Town 2 W, ME, 1.5 mi away at 127 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SEE
Hermon Mountain
~26 min drive
Hermon Mountain in Maine has 2 lifts and 13 runs with 6 easy, 4 intermediate, and 3 advanced options.
SKI
Trail No. 6
Next door
0.25-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 19 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Beaver Trail
Next door
0.5-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 6 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Trail No. 6
Next door
0.65-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 12 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Down East Sunrise Trail
~50 min drive
0.60-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 15 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Smith Farm Trail
Next door
0.4 mi
SEE
Pinnacle Ski Club
~59 min drive
Pinnacle Ski Club in Maine has 2 lifts and 7 downhill runs with 103 ft of vertical drop.
SKI
West Charback Pond Trail
~1h 20m drive
0.16-mile out-and-back trail at West Charback Pond in Maine with 45 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Kirkland Connector
~2 min drive
1.02-mile out-and-back ski trail in Maine with 61 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Down East Sunrise Trail
~50 min drive
0.89-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 62 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
