South River Trail
- 0.7 mi
- round trip
- 64 ft
- climb
- 1,273 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
South River Trail is a cross-country skiing route in Michigan, about 1.3 miles from the community of Arbutus Beach. The trail is short and easy, with an out-and-back length of about 1.4 miles and almost no elevation gain, just a rise from about 1,267 feet to 1,273 feet. The climb is gentle, and the steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.07 miles into the trail, with a grade of about 4 percent. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Gaylord run to highs around 25°F in January and 27°F in February, with lows near 10°F. Snow is frequent, and the station's winter months see about 11 to 13 wet days a month. Several other cross-country ski routes lie close by. Herringbone Trail is about 0.4 miles away, and Nordic Trail and West Ridge Trail are each about half a mile off. North River Trail is roughly 0.6 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Borchers – AuSable River Canoe & Kayak20 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit South River Trail
Best months: June–August. 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
25° / 11°
13 wet
Feb
27° / 10°
11 wet
Mar
37° / 18°
12 wet
Apr
51° / 30°
12 wet
May
65° / 42°
13 wet
Jun
74° / 51°
12 wet
Jul
78° / 55°
11 wet
Aug
76° / 53°
12 wet
Sep
68° / 47°
14 wet
Oct
55° / 37°
16 wet
Nov
41° / 27°
15 wet
Dec
30° / 18°
15 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gaylord Otsego Co Ap, MI, 4.7 mi away at 1,335 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SKI
Herringbone Trail
Next door
0.13-mile out-and-back trail in Michigan with 22 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Nordic Trail
Next door
0.62-mile out-and-back Nordic Trail in Michigan with 55 ft elevation gain.
SKI
Lil Coaster
~20 min drive
0.47-mile loop in Michigan with 56 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Herringbone Trail
~1 min drive
0.52-mile out-and-back trail in Michigan with 125 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
West Ridge Trail
Next door
West Ridge Trail is a 0.42-mile out-and-back in Michigan with 65 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Ridge
~20 min drive
0.94-mile out-and-back route on Ridge in Michigan with 55 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
North Lake Trail
~2 min drive
0.58-mile out-and-back trail at North Lake Trail in Michigan with 95 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Maple Ridge Trail
~2 min drive
0.30-mile out-and-back trail in Michigan with 61 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Snowmaking Loop
~20 min drive
0.11-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Michigan with minimal elevation gain.
SKI
Pine Loop
~2 min drive
2.55-mile out-and-back route in Michigan with 393 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
