South Ridge Trail Loop
- 0.4 mi
- round trip
- 95 ft
- climb
- 1,029 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr, Jun–Oct
- best months
South Ridge Trail Loop is a short, moderate cross-country ski route in Minnesota, about 1.3 miles from the town of Hazeltine. The loop is an out-and-back of roughly 0.78 miles, with a steady climb that reaches a high point of 1,029 feet and a low of 954 feet. The total elevation gain is 95 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.28 miles in, with a grade of 9 percent. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Chanhassen show January highs around 22°F with lows near 6°F, while March runs about 40°F by day and 22°F at night. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the ridge run slightly cooler. Several other ski routes lie close by. Eastern Drive Loop is about 0.2 miles away, Oak Trail about 0.4 miles, and Farm Fields Loop and Ridge Trail each about half a mile. For a change of pace, Prairie Loop is a hike roughly 1.9 miles off.
Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct
Best time to visit South Ridge Trail Loop
Best months: April and June–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° / 6°
9 wet
Feb
27° / 9°
8 wet
Mar
40° / 22°
9 wet
Apr
55° / 35°
11 wet
May
68° / 47°
13 wet
Jun
77° / 58°
12 wet
Jul
81° / 62°
10 wet
Aug
79° / 60°
10 wet
Sep
71° / 51°
10 wet
Oct
57° / 38°
10 wet
Nov
41° / 25°
8 wet
Dec
27° / 12°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Chanhassen Wsfo, MN, 2.4 mi away at 946 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
~21 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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Eastern Drive Loop
Next door
0.16-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Minnesota with 9 ft of elevation gain.
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Farm Fields Loop
Next door
0.54-mile out-and-back ski route in Minnesota with 64 feet of elevation gain.
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Ridge Trail
Next door
0.66-mile out-and-back route on Ridge Trail in Minnesota with 104 ft of elevation gain.
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Medicine Trail
~24 min drive
0.30-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 16 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Oak Trail
Next door
0.22-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 11 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Star Loop
~20 min drive
0.18-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Minnesota with 29 ft of elevation gain.
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Boulder Ridge
~21 min drive
0.5-mile out-and-back ski route on Boulder Ridge in Minnesota.
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Eastern Drive Loop
Next door
1.14-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 99 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Fairway Trail
~21 min drive
0.64-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 73 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
