Lake Trail
- 0.6 mi
- round trip
- 66 ft
- climb
- 981 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr, Jun–Oct
- best months
Lake Trail is a 1.2-mile out-and-back cross-country ski route in the Carver Highlands Wildlife Management Area in Minnesota, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The trail is short and rated moderate, with a total elevation gain of 66 feet and a steepest grade of about 3% at the half-mile mark. The high point is 981 feet, and the low point is 957 feet, so the climb is gentle and the route is easy to fit into a longer day on the surrounding network of trails. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Chaska show January highs around 23°F with lows near 4°F, while February is similar at about 27°F and 7°F. By March, highs reach about 40°F, and by May they climb to around 68°F, so the trail is best suited for skiers looking for snow. Tamarack Trail lies just 0.4 miles away, and Ridge Trail and South Ridge Trail Loop are both about 4 miles off. For a change of pace, Prairie Loop is a hike roughly 4.3 miles away.
Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct
Best time to visit Lake Trail
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
23° / 4°
7 wet
Feb
27° / 7°
6 wet
Mar
40° / 19°
9 wet
Apr
55° / 33°
11 wet
May
68° / 44°
13 wet
Jun
78° / 56°
12 wet
Jul
83° / 60°
11 wet
Aug
80° / 58°
11 wet
Sep
73° / 50°
10 wet
Oct
58° / 36°
10 wet
Nov
41° / 24°
7 wet
Dec
28° / 12°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Chaska 2nw, MN, 5.4 mi away at 923 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
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Ridge Trail
~7 min drive
0.66-mile out-and-back route on Ridge Trail in Minnesota with 104 ft of elevation gain.
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Oak Trail
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0.22-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 11 ft of elevation gain.
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Farm Fields Loop
~8 min drive
0.54-mile out-and-back ski route in Minnesota with 64 feet of elevation gain.
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Medicine Trail
~26 min drive
0.30-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 16 ft of elevation gain.
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Boulder Ridge
~28 min drive
0.5-mile out-and-back ski route on Boulder Ridge in Minnesota.
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South Ridge Trail Loop
~7 min drive
0.39-mile out-and-back out-and-back with 89 ft of elevation gain in Minnesota.
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Fairway Trail
~18 min drive
0.64-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 73 ft of elevation gain.
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Hill Trail
~28 min drive
0.71-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 112 ft of elevation gain.
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Eastern Drive Loop
~7 min drive
0.16-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Minnesota with 9 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
