South Trail
- 2.6 mi
- round trip
- 276 ft
- climb
- 1,278 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
South Trail is a 2.6-mile easy hike on Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Minnesota, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The route is an out-and-back that totals about 5.2 miles, with a one-way climb of 38 feet from a starting point around 1,254 feet to a high point near 1,278 feet. The steepest stretch, about 5% grade, comes around 0.79 miles in. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run to highs of about 78°F in July and 77°F in August, with lows in the upper 50s. Winters there are cold, with January highs near 19°F and lows below zero. Bikes are allowed on the trail. For more time outdoors, the refuge itself offers a wider network of routes.
Best time to visit South 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
19° / -1°
6 wet
Feb
24° / 3°
5 wet
Mar
37° / 16°
6 wet
Apr
51° / 30°
7 wet
May
65° / 43°
9 wet
Jun
74° / 53°
10 wet
Jul
78° / 58°
10 wet
Aug
77° / 56°
9 wet
Sep
69° / 49°
8 wet
Oct
54° / 36°
8 wet
Nov
38° / 23°
6 wet
Dec
24° / 9°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Isle 12n, MN, 17 mi away at 1,285 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
