Eastern Drive Loop
- 1.1 mi
- round trip
- 184 ft
- climb
- 1,030 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr, Jun–Oct
- best months
Eastern Drive Loop is a 1.14-mile cross-country ski route in Minnesota, about 1.2 miles from the town of Hazeltine. The loop is an out-and-back with a steady climb, reaching a high point of 1,030 feet from a starting elevation of 1,007 feet. The total round-trip gain is 184 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.5 miles in, with an 8% grade. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Chanhassen show January highs around 22°F with lows near 6°F, while February runs a little milder at about 27°F. The station sits a few dozen feet lower than the loop's high point, so temperatures on the trail may run slightly cooler. Several other ski routes lie close by. Farm Fields Loop is just 0.1 mile away, and Lost Pond Trail and Ridge Trail are each about 0.3 mile off. For a change of pace, Prairie Loop is roughly 1.7 miles away.
Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct
Best time to visit Eastern Drive Loop
Best months: April and June–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
22° / 6°
9 wet
Feb
27° / 9°
8 wet
Mar
40° / 22°
9 wet
Apr
55° / 35°
11 wet
May
68° / 47°
13 wet
Jun
77° / 58°
12 wet
Jul
81° / 62°
10 wet
Aug
79° / 60°
10 wet
Sep
71° / 51°
10 wet
Oct
57° / 38°
10 wet
Nov
41° / 25°
8 wet
Dec
27° / 12°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Chanhassen Wsfo, MN, 2 mi away at 946 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SEE
Hyland Hills Ski Area
~20 min drive
Hyland Hills Ski Area in Minnesota has 7 lifts and 11 runs with 3 easy, 5 intermediate, and 3 advanced options.
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Farm Fields Loop
Next door
0.54-mile out-and-back ski route in Minnesota with 64 feet of elevation gain.
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Lost Pond Trail
Next door
0.46-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 106 feet of elevation gain.
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Ridge Trail
Next door
0.66-mile out-and-back route on Ridge Trail in Minnesota with 104 ft of elevation gain.
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Medicine Trail
~24 min drive
0.30-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 16 ft of elevation gain.
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Star Loop
~20 min drive
0.18-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Minnesota with 29 ft of elevation gain.
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Ridge Trail
Next door
0.30-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 98 ft of elevation gain.
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Boulder Ridge
~20 min drive
0.5-mile out-and-back ski route on Boulder Ridge in Minnesota.
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Star Loop
~20 min drive
0.10-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Minnesota with 10 ft of elevation gain.
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Ridge Trail
Next door
0.16-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 21 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
