North Loop Trail
- 2.2 mi
- loop
- 85 ft
- climb
- 1,559 ft
- high point
- Loop
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
North Loop Trail is a 2.2-mile loop in Minnesota, about 4 miles from the town of Richwood. It is a cross-country ski route, and the climb is rated hard. The trail rises from a low point of 1,507 feet to a high of 1,559 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 1.3 miles in, where the grade reaches 5 percent. Winter is the natural season for this trail. 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 these figures are a fair guide to conditions on the route. Several other cross-country ski routes lie close by. Roy's Run is just 0.2 miles away, and Skater's Waltz Extension is 0.4 miles off. Twin Lakes Trail and Loon Return are each about 0.6 miles from the loop.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit North Loop 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, 7.4 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
SKI
North Loop Trail
Next door
0.18-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 2 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Roy's Run
Next door
3.49-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 408 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Loon Return
~1 min drive
0.32-mile out-and-back ski route in Minnesota with 20 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
North Loop Trail
Next door
0.17-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 18 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Skater's Waltz Extension
Next door
1.02-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 152 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Sukkerbusk
~1 min drive
Sukkerbusk is a 0.26-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota.
SKI
North Loop Trail
Next door
0.18-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 8 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Twin Lakes Trail
~1 min drive
0.30-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 55 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Sukkerbusk
~1 min drive
1.36-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 216 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Bullhead Lake Trail
~1 min drive
1.76-mile loop around Bullhead Lake in Minnesota with 322 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
