Twin Pines Loop
- 0.5 mi
- round trip
- 151 ft
- climb
- 678 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May, Aug–Oct
- best months
Twin Pines Loop is a short cross-country ski route in northern Maine, about 6 miles from the town of Norcross. The loop is an out-and-back of roughly 1.1 miles, with a total elevation gain of about 150 feet. The route starts at an elevation of about 660 feet and reaches a high point of about 680 feet before returning to the start. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from the nearby Millinocket weather station show January highs around 24°F with lows near 5°F, while July and August average highs in the upper 70s. That station sits about 300 feet lower than the loop, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. Several other routes lie within a short distance. Saddle Loop and Katahdin View are both about 0.1 mile away, and Hammond Ridge Trail is about 0.4 mile off. For paddling, the West Branch Penobscot River is about 8 miles away.
Best time to go · May, Aug–Oct
Best time to visit Twin Pines Loop
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, 7.1 mi away at 360 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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1.80-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 259 ft of elevation gain.
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Black Cat Peak
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2.62-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 534 ft of elevation gain.
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Twin Pines Loop
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0.14-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Maine with 64 ft of elevation gain.
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Twin Pines Loop
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1.17-mile out-and-back out-and-back with 185 ft gain in Maine
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Hammond Ridge Trail
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0.35-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 106 ft of elevation gain.
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Katahdin View
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Katahdin View is a 1.17-mile out-and-back ski route in Maine with 106 feet of elevation gain.
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Katahdin View
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0.45-mile out-and-back ski route in Maine with 190 ft of elevation gain.
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0.51-mile out-and-back out-and-back with 155 ft elevation gain in Maine.
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Lakeside Trail
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1.63-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 442 ft of elevation gain.
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