Island Lake Trail
- 2.3 mi
- round trip
- 3,410 ft
- climb
- 1,512 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Island Lake Trail is a 4.6-mile out-and-back cross-country ski route in Minnesota, about 2.8 miles from the town of Richwood. The trail rises a total of 46 feet from its starting point at 1,479 feet to a high of 1,512 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 0.6 miles in from the start, where the grade reaches 6%. It is rated moderate, and the climb is the most notable feature of the route. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs around 18°F and lows near -4°F in January to highs around 70°F and lows near 48°F in September. That station sits at nearly the same elevation as the trail, so the figures are a fair guide to conditions here. Wavy Gravy lies just 0.1 mile away, and Twin Lakes Trail and Sukkerbusk are each about 0.6 miles off. For a change from skiing, the Discovery Center Trail is about 7.3 miles away.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Island Lake 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
18° / -4°
Feb
23° / -1°
Mar
37° / 16°
Apr
52° / 30°
May
66° / 44°
Jun
75° / 55°
Jul
79° / 59°
Aug
78° / 57°
Sep
70° / 48°
Oct
54° / 35°
Nov
39° / 21°
Dec
24° / 6°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tamarac Wildlife Re, MN, 7.2 mi away at 1,508 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
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Wavy Gravy
Next door
0.41-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 70 feet of elevation gain.
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Twin Lakes Trail
Next door
1.87-mile loop with 321 ft elevation gain in Minnesota.
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Sukkerbusk
~1 min drive
1.36-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 216 ft of elevation gain.
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Wavy Gravy
Next door
1.53-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 354 ft of elevation gain.
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Island Lake Trail
Next door
0.43-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 92 ft of elevation gain.
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Sap Run
~1 min drive
0.75-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 119 ft of elevation gain.
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Skater's Waltz
~1 min drive
0.54-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 185 ft elevation gain.
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Rootin Tootin
~1 min drive
1.82-mile loop in Minnesota with 318 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Sukkerbusk
~1 min drive
0.14-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 6 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Skater's Waltz
~1 min drive
1.57-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 204 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
