Purple Loop
- 0.3 mi
- round trip
- 22 ft
- climb
- 905 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Purple Loop is a short, flat cross-country ski route in Bunker Hills Regional (County) in Minnesota, on county land. The loop is about 0.6 miles long and is an out-and-back, with the high point at 905 feet and the low at 892 feet. The route is rated moderate, and the total climb and descent are each about 22 feet, so it's essentially flat. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Andover show January highs around 22°F with lows near 2°F, while March runs about 41°F by day and 19°F at night. The station sits at nearly the same elevation as the trail, so its figures are a fair guide to conditions here. Several other ski routes lie close by. Green Loop is about 0.4 miles away, and Wilderness Trail and Blue Loop are each about 0.7 miles off. For paddling, Coon Creek is roughly 3 miles away.
Best time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Purple Loop
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
22° / 2°
5 wet
Feb
28° / 7°
5 wet
Mar
41° / 19°
6 wet
Apr
56° / 32°
7 wet
May
68° / 45°
9 wet
Jun
77° / 55°
9 wet
Jul
82° / 60°
8 wet
Aug
79° / 57°
8 wet
Sep
72° / 48°
7 wet
Oct
58° / 36°
7 wet
Nov
41° / 23°
5 wet
Dec
27° / 11°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Andover 1n, MN, 2.7 mi away at 899 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SKI
Purple Loop
~1 min drive
0.66-mile out-and-back ski route in Minnesota with 24 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Blue Loop
~1 min drive
Blue Loop is a 1.72-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 75 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Sucker Lake Nordic Ski Trail
~23 min drive
0.92-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 197 ft elevation gain.
SKI
Judy Loop
~26 min drive
0.61-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 126 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Wilderness Trail
~1 min drive
0.64-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 21 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Green Loop
~1 min drive
0.99-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Minnesota with 62 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Medicine Trail
~27 min drive
0.30-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 16 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
The North Finger
~26 min drive
0.25-mile loop in Minnesota with 65 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Monarch Trail
~15 min drive
Monarch Trail is a 0.19-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota.
SKI
Northern Lights Trail
~15 min drive
0.85-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 86 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors