Ellis River Trail

Ellis River Trail is a short, easy cross-country ski route in New Hampshire, about half a mile from the village of Ducks Head. It's an out-and-back that starts and ends at roughly the same elevation, with a low point of about 800 feet and a high of about 857 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, with a 9% grade, but the climb is gentle overall, and the round trip totals about 1.1 miles with roughly 124 feet of gain. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Conway run to highs around 30°F in January and 33°F in February, with several snow days each month. That station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the route may run slightly cooler. The Ellis River, a fishing spot, lies about half a mile away, and climbers can head to Vlad Wall, Sap Wall or Jackson Crag, all within a mile. Eagle Mountain Trail is also close for a hike.