Russell Pond Trail
- 0.2 mi
- round trip
- 6 ft
- climb
- 1,629 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Russell Pond Trail is a short, nearly flat cross-country ski route in Baxter State Park in northern Maine. The trail is about 0.4 miles long, with the high point at 1,629 feet and the low at 1,618 feet. It is an out-and-back, and the total climb and drop are each about 6 feet, so it is essentially level ground with no significant elevation gain. The trail is managed by State Park and Recreation within Baxter State Park, and it sits close to several other ski routes. Sandy Stream Pond Trail is about 0.2 miles away, and Chimney Pond Trail is about a mile off. South Turner Mountain Trail is roughly 0.8 miles away for hikers who want to pair a ski outing with a walk. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Patten show January highs around 22°F and lows near 3°F, with February similar at about 25°F. The station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Russell Pond Trail
Best months: May–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
22° / 3°
Feb
25° / 6°
Mar
34° / 16°
Apr
48° / 29°
May
62° / 40°
Jun
72° / 49°
Jul
76° / 55°
Aug
75° / 54°
Sep
67° / 45°
Oct
53° / 35°
Nov
41° / 25°
Dec
29° / 13°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Patten 2, ME, 18.9 mi away at 820 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. 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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Sandy Stream Pond Trail
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0.68-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 31 ft of elevation gain.
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The Chimney Couloir
~5 min drive
0.5 mi · Expert
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Sandy Stream Pond Trail
~1 min drive
0.24-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 12 ft of elevation gain.
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Sandy Stream Pond Trail
~1 min drive
0.28-mile out-and-back ski trail at Sandy Stream Pond in Maine
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Chimney Pond Trail
~2 min drive
0.13-mile out-and-back cross-country ski trail in Maine's Chimney Pond Trail.
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Chimney Pond Trail
~2 min drive
0.88-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 375 ft of elevation gain.
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Chimney Pond Trail
~2 min drive
Chimney Pond Trail is a 0.67-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 490 feet of elevation gain.
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Roaring Brook Road
~2 min drive
0.12-mile out-and-back ski trail in Maine with 16 ft of elevation gain.
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Russell Pond Trail
~3 min drive
1.85-mile out-and-back route with 347 ft of elevation gain in Maine.
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Wassataquoik Stream Trail
~3 min drive
2.29-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 150 ft elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
