Sugar Loaf Trail
Photo: Tim Wilson from Blaine, MN, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 0.6 mi
- one way
- 361 ft
- climb
- 1,054 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Sugar Loaf Trail is a short, easy hike in southern Minnesota, about 0.6 miles long and rising about 360 feet from a low point of 669 feet to a high of 1,054 feet. It starts within a quarter mile of Morningside Terrace, making it an easy outing for anyone already in the area. The trail is a point-to-point route, and the climb is steepest at the start, with a 27% grade about 0.05 miles in. The total descent is about 236 feet, so the whole trip is a gentle up and down. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the best bets. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Winona show May highs around 72°F and September highs around 75°F, with July the warmest month at about 85°F. The Winona, Sugar Loaf climbing area sits just 0.1 mile away. Within about 2 miles you'll also find the Mississippi River for fishing, the Low Rollers hike and the River Road Trail.
Best time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Sugar Loaf Trail
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
27° / 11°
Feb
32° / 15°
Mar
45° / 26°
Apr
59° / 39°
May
72° / 51°
Jun
80° / 61°
Jul
85° / 65°
Aug
82° / 63°
Sep
75° / 55°
Oct
61° / 42°
Nov
45° / 30°
Dec
32° / 18°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Winona, MN, 1 mi away at 652 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
