Farm Loop
- 1.1 mi
- round trip
- 173 ft
- climb
- 981 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Farm Loop is a cross-country ski route in the Vermillion Highlands Research Recreation and State Wildlife Management Area in southeastern Minnesota, managed by State Fish and Wildlife. The route is about 2.3 miles long and is an out-and-back, with a total climb of 173 feet and a total descent of 173 feet. The steepest part comes at about 0.49 miles, with a grade of 6 percent, and the high point is 981 feet. Winter is the natural season for skiing here. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show January highs around 22°F with lows near 3°F, while March runs about 40°F by day and 20°F at night. The station sits at nearly the same elevation as the route, so those figures are a fair guide to conditions on the trail. Lone Rock Loop is about 0.4 miles away, and Wetland Loop is about 1.4 miles off. Pine Loop, a hike, is about 1.5 miles away, and the Vermillion River, a canoeing route, is about 5.4 miles away.
Best time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Farm Loop
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
22° / 3°
Feb
27° / 7°
Mar
40° / 20°
Apr
56° / 34°
May
68° / 47°
Jun
77° / 57°
Jul
81° / 61°
Aug
79° / 58°
Sep
72° / 50°
Oct
59° / 37°
Nov
42° / 23°
Dec
28° / 11°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rosemount Rsch & Outreach Ctr, MN, 1.6 mi away at 945 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
Photo: Baseball Bugs, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Buck Hill
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Wetland Loop
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Pike Island Trail
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Ironwood Trail
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1.20-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 94 ft of elevation gain.
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Hyland Hills Ski Area
~30 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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Lone Rock Loop
~3 min drive
0.28-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Minnesota with 38 ft of elevation gain.
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Long Ski Trail
~28 min drive
0.70-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 80 ft of elevation gain.
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Lower Ironwood Trail
~27 min drive
0.46-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 35 ft of elevation gain.
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Wetland Loop
~3 min drive
1.52-mile out-and-back out-and-back with 143 ft elevation gain in Minnesota wetlands.
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Short Ski Trail
~28 min drive
0.20-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 25 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
