Mud Pond Trail

Mud Pond Trail is an easy cross-country ski route of about a mile, with an elevation gain of about 21 feet, set within The Balsams in northern New Hampshire. The trail is a short out-and-back, rising from 2,248 feet to 2,280 feet, and the steepest stretch comes near the start, with a grade of about 3 percent. Winter is the natural season for cross-country skiing here. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at First Connecticut Lake show January highs around 22°F with lows near 0°F, while July highs reach about 75°F. That station sits roughly 630 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. Sugar Hill Run lies just 0.1 mile away, and Moose Pond Trail and Spruce Trail are each about 0.2 mile off. The Mud Pond Loop is roughly 0.4 mile away.