Long Ski Trail
- 0.7 mi
- round trip
- 57 ft
- climb
- 841 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Long Ski Trail is a 0.7-mile cross-country ski route in Minnesota, set within the Wood Lake Nature Center on city land. The trail is an easy, short outing, with a total length of about 1.4 miles for an out-and-back trip. It rises to about 841 feet from a starting point near 834 feet, with a small climb of 57 feet and a similar descent, so the trail is nearly flat and ideal for a quick ski session. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from the Minneapolis/St Paul airport weather station, about 3.4 miles away, show January highs around 24°F and lows near 9°F, while February runs about 29°F by day and 13°F at night. Those are the coldest, snowiest months, and the trail is an easy add-on for anyone already at the Wood Lake Nature Center. The Short Ski Trail lies about 0.7 miles away, and Boulder Ridge is roughly 4 miles off for more cross-country skiing. For hiking, Hogback Ridge Trail is about 3.8 miles away and Hillside Trail about 4.2 miles.
Best time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Long Ski Trail
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
24° / 9°
10 wet
Feb
29° / 13°
8 wet
Mar
42° / 25°
9 wet
Apr
57° / 38°
11 wet
May
69° / 50°
12 wet
Jun
79° / 60°
12 wet
Jul
83° / 65°
10 wet
Aug
81° / 63°
10 wet
Sep
73° / 54°
9 wet
Oct
58° / 41°
9 wet
Nov
42° / 28°
9 wet
Dec
29° / 15°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Minneapolis/St Paul Ap, MN, 3.4 mi away at 872 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
~7 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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Short Ski Trail
~1 min drive
0.20-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 25 ft of elevation gain.
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Boulder Ridge
~7 min drive
0.5-mile out-and-back ski route on Boulder Ridge in Minnesota.
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Osprey Trail
~7 min drive
0.13-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 10 ft of elevation gain.
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Luce Line Regional Trail
~14 min drive
0.12-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 43 ft of elevation gain.
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Star Loop
~8 min drive
0.10-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Minnesota with 10 ft of elevation gain.
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Hill Trail
~9 min drive
0.71-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 112 ft of elevation gain.
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Osprey Trail
~8 min drive
0.10-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 20 ft of elevation gain.
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Star Loop
~8 min drive
0.18-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Minnesota with 29 ft of elevation gain.
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North Trail
~8 min drive
North Trail is a 1.27-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 166 feet of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
