Douglas State Trail
- 0.5 mi
- distance
- 12 ft
- climb
- 1,056 ft
- high point
- Apr, Jul–Oct
- best months
Douglas State Trail is a short, low-lying route in southeastern Minnesota, about 3 miles from the town of Douglas. It is a cross-country skiing trail, and its gentle rise and fall make it a natural fit for skiers looking for a short outing close to town. The trail is just over half a mile long, with a high point of about 1,056 feet and a low of about 1,036 feet. The climb is minimal, with a total gain of 12 feet and a loss of 20 feet over the course of the route. Winter is the natural season for cross-country skiing here. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show January highs around 23°F with lows near 3°F and about seven snow days. By April, highs reach about 55°F, and snow days drop to one. Nearby, the River Trail is about 6 miles away for hiking, the South Fork Zumbro River offers canoeing about 8 miles out, and the Willow Creek Reservoir Loop is roughly 10 miles away.
Best time to go · Apr, Jul–Oct
Best time to visit Douglas State Trail
Best months: April and July–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
23° / 3°
7 wet · 7 snow
Feb
27° / 6°
6 wet · 6 snow
Mar
40° / 20°
8 wet · 4 snow
Apr
55° / 31°
10 wet · 1 snow
May
68° / 44°
13 wet
Jun
78° / 55°
13 wet
Jul
81° / 58°
11 wet
Aug
79° / 55°
11 wet
Sep
72° / 47°
10 wet
Oct
58° / 33°
9 wet
Nov
42° / 23°
7 wet · 2 snow
Dec
28° / 11°
7 wet · 6 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Byron 4north, MN, 5.4 mi away at 1,041 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
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0.59-mile out-and-back route on Douglas State Trail in Minnesota with 49 ft of elevation gain.
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0.23-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 63 ft of elevation gain.
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Welch Village
~60 min drive
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Meander
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0.78-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 54 ft of elevation gain.
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Douglas State Trail
~3 min drive
Douglas State Trail is a 0.24-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota.
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The Pipe
~17 min drive
2.49-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 276 ft of elevation gain.
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Lone Rock Loop
~1h 24m drive
0.28-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Minnesota with 38 ft of elevation gain.
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Douglas State Trail
~8 min drive
1.77-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 126 ft of elevation gain.
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Wetland Loop
~1h 25m drive
1.73-mile out-and-back out-and-back with 99 ft gain in Minnesota
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
