Pond & Pines Loop
- 1.0 mi
- round trip
- 158 ft
- climb
- 771 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Pond & Pines Loop is an easy cross-country ski route in Michigan, about a mile from Berrien Center. The out-and-back trail is short at roughly 1.9 miles, with a total elevation gain of about 158 feet. The climb is gentle, reaching a high point of about 771 feet and a low of about 708 feet, and the steepest stretch comes about a third of the way in at about 4%. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Eau Claire put January highs around 33°F and lows near 20°F, while February runs a little milder at about 37°F and 22°F. The station sits at a similar elevation to the trail, so conditions on the loop should run about the same. Several other cross-country ski routes lie close by. Creek Trail is about 0.1 mile away, Prairie Edge Loop about 0.2 mile, and Love Creek Valley Loop and Simpson Loop each about 0.4 mile.
Best time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Pond & Pines Loop
Best months: April–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
33° / 20°
16 wet
Feb
37° / 22°
12 wet
Mar
48° / 30°
11 wet
Apr
61° / 40°
12 wet
May
73° / 51°
12 wet
Jun
81° / 60°
10 wet
Jul
85° / 64°
9 wet
Aug
83° / 63°
9 wet
Sep
76° / 56°
10 wet
Oct
64° / 45°
12 wet
Nov
49° / 34°
13 wet
Dec
38° / 25°
15 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Eau Claire 4 Ne, MI, 5.2 mi away at 840 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SEE
Bittersweet
~1h 17m drive
Bittersweet ski area in Michigan has 10 lifts and 15 runs with 309 ft vertical drop.
SKI
Pond & Pines Loop
Next door
Pond & Pines Loop is a hard-rated cross-country ski trail in Michigan, 0.32 miles and 21 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Prairie Edge Loop
Next door
0.22-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Michigan with 23 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Cabin Loop
Next door
0.34-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Michigan with 64 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Creek Trail
Next door
Creek Trail is a cross-country ski trail in Michigan, open during winter and spring.
SKI
Prairie Edge Loop
Next door
0.11-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Michigan with 10 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Love Creek Valley Loop
Next door
0.11-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Michigan with 13 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Creek Trail
Next door
Creek Trail is a 0.54-mile cross-country ski trail in Michigan with 150 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Simpson Loop
Next door
0.26-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Michigan with 34 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Love Creek Valley Loop
Next door
0.10-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Love Creek Valley with 48 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
