Loon Return
- 0.3 mi
- round trip
- 133 ft
- climb
- 1,522 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Loon Return is a short, easy cross-country ski route in Minnesota, about 3.4 miles from the town of Richwood. The trail is an out-and-back that covers roughly 0.64 miles, with a high point of 1,522 feet and a low of 1,478 feet. The climb is back-loaded, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.22 miles in, with a grade of 6 percent. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show January highs around 18°F with lows near -4°F, while March runs warmer, with highs around 37°F. The station sits at nearly the same elevation as the trail, so those figures are a fair guide to conditions on the snow. Several other cross-country ski routes lie within a short distance. Twin Lakes Trail is about 0.1 mile away, and Jib Fly and Sukkerbusk are each about 0.2 mile off. Island Lake Trail is about 0.3 mile away.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Loon Return
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, 7.1 mi away at 1,508 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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0.30-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 55 ft of elevation gain.
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Twin Lakes Trail
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1.87-mile loop with 321 ft elevation gain in Minnesota.
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Sukkerbusk
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
