Lone Rock Loop

Lone Rock Loop is a 0.65-mile cross-country ski route in the Vermillion Highlands Research Recreation and State Wildlife Management Area in southern Minnesota, managed by State Fish and Wildlife. The loop is an out-and-back with a total length of about 1.3 miles, and the climb is flat, with a high point of 921 feet and a low of 892 feet. The route is rated moderate, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.43 miles in, with a grade of about 2 percent. Winter is the natural season for this ski route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show January highs around 22°F and 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 loop, so those figures are a fair guide to conditions on the trail. Wetland Loop, another cross-country ski route, lies about 0.7 miles away, and Pine Loop, a hike, is about 0.9 miles off. Farm Loop, a ski route, is about 1.5 miles away. Paddlers can reach the Vermillion River, about 5.4 miles from the loop.