River Trail
- 0.6 mi
- round trip
- 188 ft
- climb
- 358 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May, Aug–Oct
- best months
River Trail is a short, low-elevation cross-country ski route in Maine's eastern Penobscot country, set within the Maine River Trail East Branch Penobscot - Cassidy land unit. The trail is an out-and-back that starts and ends at about 358 feet, with a high point of 358 feet and a low of 334 feet. The climb is mild, with a total elevation gain of about 11 feet and a steepest stretch of about 5% at the 0.25-mile mark. The route is about 1.2 miles long, and the trail is managed by a non-governmental organization. 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 February runs only slightly warmer. Summers are mild, with July highs around 78°F. Several other ski routes lie close by. Tote Road is about half a mile away, and Long Meadow Hill Trail and Link 4 are both within about a mile. For a change of pace, the Esker Pond Trail is a hike roughly 3.6 miles off.
Best time to go · May, Aug–Oct
Best time to visit River Trail
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, 14.5 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
SKI
River Trail
Next door
0.35-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 93 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Twin Pines Loop
~22 min drive
0.45-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Maine with 107 ft of elevation gain.
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Tote Road
Next door
5.33-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 303 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Lakeside Trail
~22 min drive
1.63-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 442 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Link 4
~1 min drive
Link 4 is a short out-and-back ski route in Maine with 15 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Link 3
~3 min drive
0.65-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 128 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
River Trail
~4 min drive
3.23-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 1,122 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Link 2
~4 min drive
0.75-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 51 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
River Trail
~6 min drive
1.23-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 261 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Link 1
~6 min drive
0.37-mile out-and-back ski route in Maine with 34 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
