Valley Trail
- 0.5 mi
- round trip
- 76 ft
- climb
- 913 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Valley Trail is a 1-mile out-and-back cross-country ski route in Elm Creek Park Reserve in Minnesota, a regional agency land unit. The trail is short at about half a mile one way, with a total elevation gain of 76 feet, and it is rated moderate. The climb is gentle, with the steepest stretch at about 0.27 miles in, and the high point reaches 913 feet. For the most comfortable skiing, aim for the middle of the season. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 70°F and January highs near 24°F, so winter months are cold, with January lows around 7°F. The Northern Lights Trail lies about 0.4 miles away, and the Monarch Trail is about 1.3 miles off. For a change of pace, the Walking and biking path is roughly 7 miles away, and Coon Creek, a canoeing spot, is about 8 miles out.
Best time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Valley Trail
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
24° / 7°
Feb
29° / 11°
Mar
42° / 23°
Apr
57° / 35°
May
70° / 47°
Jun
79° / 58°
Jul
83° / 62°
Aug
81° / 60°
Sep
73° / 52°
Oct
58° / 38°
Nov
42° / 26°
Dec
29° / 13°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mpls Crystal Ap, MN, 6.8 mi away at 861 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SKI
Valley Trail
Next door
0.13-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 27 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Northern Lights Trail
~1 min drive
0.24-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 36 feet of elevation gain.
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Judy Loop
~19 min drive
Judy Loop is a short out-and-back ski route in Minnesota covering 0.79 miles with 142 feet of elevation gain.
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Medicine Trail
~14 min drive
0.30-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 16 ft of elevation gain.
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Valley Trail
Next door
0.36-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 63 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Northern Lights Trail
~1 min drive
Northern Lights Trail is a 0.12-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 2 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Judy Loop
~19 min drive
0.61-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 126 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Monarch Trail
~2 min drive
Monarch Trail is a 0.19-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota.
SKI
Northern Lights Trail
~2 min drive
0.85-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 86 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
The North Finger
~19 min drive
0.25-mile loop in Minnesota with 65 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
