Spruce Loop
- 0.3 mi
- round trip
- 128 ft
- climb
- 1,301 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May, Jul–Sep
- best months
Spruce Loop is a short, back-loaded cross-country ski route in northern Minnesota, about 2.3 miles from the town of Fifty Lakes. The trail is an out-and-back that covers roughly 0.68 miles, with a total climb of 128 feet and a high point of 1301 feet. The route is rated hard, and the steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.06 miles from the start, with a grade of about 3 percent. Winter is the natural season for this ski route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Pine River Dam show January highs around 19°F with lows near -1°F, while February runs a little milder, with highs around 25°F. The station sits at a similar elevation to the trail, so these figures are a fair guide to conditions on the loop. Pine Loop, another cross-country ski route, lies just 0.3 miles away. Cross Lake Day Use and Cross Lake Recreation Area, both about 2.6 miles off, offer camping. Paddlers can head to the Pine River, roughly 8.6 miles away.
Best time to go · May, Jul–Sep
Best time to visit Spruce Loop
Best months: May and July–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
19° / -1°
7 wet
Feb
25° / 3°
6 wet
Mar
38° / 16°
7 wet
Apr
52° / 30°
8 wet
May
66° / 44°
12 wet
Jun
75° / 54°
13 wet
Jul
80° / 60°
12 wet
Aug
78° / 57°
11 wet
Sep
69° / 48°
11 wet
Oct
54° / 36°
10 wet
Nov
38° / 22°
8 wet
Dec
24° / 8°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Pine Rvr Dam, MN, 2.6 mi away at 1,250 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
