Russell Pond Trail
- 1.9 mi
- round trip
- 392 ft
- climb
- 1,660 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Russell Pond Trail is a cross-country ski route in Baxter State Park in northern Maine, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail is about 1.85 miles long, and the round trip covers roughly 3.7 miles with a total elevation gain and loss of about 392 feet each way. The route starts at an elevation of about 1,520 feet and reaches a high point of about 1,660 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 0.59 miles in, where the grade reaches about 7%. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Patten show January highs around 22°F with lows near 3°F, and February is similar at about 25°F and 6°F. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the higher ground run cooler. The Wassataquoik Stream Trail lies just 0.1 mile away, and the Sandy Stream Pond Trail is about 1.8 miles off. For a change from skiing, the South Turner Mountain Trail is about 2.3 miles away, and the Chimney Pond Trail is about 2.6 miles away.
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, 18.6 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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Russell Pond Trail
~3 min drive
0.19-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 14 ft of elevation gain.
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The Chimney Couloir
~7 min drive
0.5 mi · Expert
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Sandy Stream Pond Trail
~3 min drive
0.68-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 31 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Wassataquoik Stream Trail
~4 min drive
0.12-mile out-and-back trail at Wassataquoik Stream in Maine with 14 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Wassataquoik Stream Trail
~4 min drive
1.33-mile out-and-back route along Wassataquoik Stream in Maine.
SKI
Sandy Stream Pond Trail
~4 min drive
0.28-mile out-and-back ski trail at Sandy Stream Pond in Maine
SKI
Sandy Stream Pond Trail
~4 min drive
0.24-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 12 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Chimney Pond Trail
~4 min drive
Chimney Pond Trail is a 0.67-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 490 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Chimney Pond Trail
~5 min drive
0.88-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 375 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Chimney Pond Trail
~5 min drive
0.13-mile out-and-back cross-country ski trail in Maine's Chimney Pond Trail.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
